Zenith dispute

[holgerj9]

I know that there is some sort of dispute over Zenith which is the reason for the hold up on the trades/graphic novels.  What exactly is the dispute over?

[ukdane]

Money, and rights- what else.
If you want the full lowdown, wearch the message board for "Zenith" and I'm certain you'll get a pretty good idea of what happened. (Don't forget to search ALL messages, not just from the last 7 days.

[The Amstor Computer]

I must admit, I'm a bit puzzled as to what the problem is.

I've heard varying accounts, but the two ones I hear most are:

a) Grant Morrison disputes that he ever signed over the strip to the then-owners of 2000AD.

b) There are rights issues with the use of certain characters, or their analogues in certain sections of the strip.

What exactly is the case? Is it one or the other, or a mix of the two?

If the former, why did this dispute not arise before - after five reprint volumes from Titan, and ten years or so after the final Zenith "phase"? I also assume that both Morrison & Steve Yeowell were paid in full at the time, and like all other writers & artists on 2000AD at the time they were working work-for-hire. Is there supposed to be any evidence that Zenith was creator-owned?

[Carlsborg Expert]

Surely if Grants tax is based on his wage being that of a self-employed person, then he would have the plans of a creastion, as an architect has the plans of a building.

Or is writing not considered an artisan trade.

I would certainly be happy to be told where the signing began as a contract of agreement to use the plans and where the actual sale of rights to his work was defined.

[Oddboy]

Well, regardless of what 'Creator Rights' should be, I'm sure everyone at the time knew that 2000AD operated on a 'work for hire' basis, and that the publishers owned the copyright.

I don't really see how Grant M has a leg to stand on, legally - I can only assume that Rebellion are only holding off republishing them against his will so as not to piss off such a (possibly influencial?) celebrity comics writer?

That's all hearsay & speculation though!

[Carlsborg Expert]

 Well regardless of hearsay and speculation,I think Grants taking on the new boys, seems he thinks if Rebellion have hesitated then surely the balls in hiscourt.

So, mmaybe hes having a crack at that power over ignorance, battleplan.

Whether it suits him in gold or grime is still in the air.

Rebellion seem quite pleased to sit and play the quiet/sleeping giant at the moment.

Who says everyone in Rebellion,strictly agrees with Rebellion.

[Matt Timson]

I'm getting that deja vu feeling...

I *think* the law sides with the creator these days.  Certainly, when I was in a similar situation a few years back, the publisher had to produce the slip of paper that said I'd signed away my copyright.  Knowing that this bit of paper didn't exist, the publisher let it go and that was that.

In that instance, there was never any mention of my signing away the rights before I took the job on and I certainly wasn't paid enough for me to assume that this was expected of me.  The publisher wasn basically trying his luck in the hope that I wouldn't know any better.

As Oddy has just pointed out, I'm reasonably sure that whether or not somebody fucked up and forgot to get him to sign the all important piece of paper, Grant Morrison would've known that this was expected of him.  It's not as if he'd never worked for 2000ad before or anything.  I'd like to believe that there's more to it than that and that the bloke's not just being a greedy nob- but it certainly *looks* as though he's taken full advantage of somebody else's cock-up.

Is there not an official statement about this anywhere?  Come on Tharg- what's the real story?  Am I being unfair to Grant Morrison?

[Quirkafleeg]

But Rebellion is an evil demon and Grant must slay with his magik powers! (And +5 Lawyers)

[Dudley]

I think Morrison's definitive statement is in...

Link: http://www.wackyjac.com/boudoir/gallery/gallery.html" target="_blank">...this interview....

[Matt Timson]

Huh- what I forgot to clarify there is that IF it's played out the way I just speculated, Morrison ought to do the decent thing and let it go.  Effectively holding Rebellion to blackmail- just because he can- makes him look like a bit of a cock.

Especially given that, by his own admission, he stole other people's ideas for the series anyway.

[Carlsborg Expert]

Wow! they are thooperheroes with huge nobs fighting for truth and juthtiffs.

And the American way.

Sthlay them all Gwant! Sthlay them one and tall!

Basically the guy looks like a greedy dirtbag and good lick to the fella.
Him and Steve Jones.

Big 6000 selling conglomerates like rebellion should be creamed for their cock ups.

I would and so would my wife.

[Matt Timson]

Is there anything more irritating than a link to an interview that doesn't actually take you to the interview?

[Matt Timson]

Where the fuck is it, Dudley, you horrible little bastard?!?

;)

[Woolly]

Grant Morrison.
In his pants.


Erm..cheers Dudley.
Um..

[Oddboy]

A link to an interview that's on a "Blocked by webmaster" site?

Grumble grumble.