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"OG will retain the rights to the character and storylines, while the artist will be able to sell their artwork."

Having ploughed through all of Dirk Manning's Write or Wrong articles on Newsarama this week, the quote above doesn't sit well at all.

I thought that quote was suspicious as well but it was clarified in the comments that it was in regards to artists drawing existing characters invented by their writer, not them taking all rights for new properties pitched to them.

Coincidentally, Steve Bissette deals with this on his blog, as he has brought back his set of characters from 1963 and has had to come up with:

I'm bankrolling this entire book project myself, and the results have knocked me out as all the elements continue to come together. I've the major hand in this creatively every single nanostep of the way — writing, drawing, inking, editing, and helming the whole confection with Tim's considerable help — and as these characters and concepts are my properties, I've also had to carefully structure a work-for-hire contract. I wish it were otherwise, but North American copyright law requires I embrace work-for-hire to retain all copyrights and trademarks. With the help of Jean-Marc Lofficier, I think we've put together a pretty good template to work with.

To ensure no one but me creates any new characters along the way, all character designs have had to come from my hand, or be done under my supervision. I don't want to be acquiring or owning anyone else's property or creative concepts. (That said, the deal is as progressive a work-for-hire arrangement as possible, patterned after the contracts signed for the Jean 'Moebius' Giraud Arzach project I contributed to back in the early 1990s; more on this soon. I will detailing the 'deal' and my long-term hopes and plans for all this in a special essay next week.)

http://srbissette.com/?p=8749

It'll be interesting to see the contract he has come up with.

Oh and yes it is Fractal Friction Friday - the art and words are all done, it only needs Mr Campbell to stop messing about (you know: sleeping, doing paid work, going out for the evening with family or friends) and it will all come together for the end of arc 2. Stand by your beds.

Read the whole story so far yesterday and thought it very intrigueing.

Cheers.

Interesting parallels you see - I hadn't really thought of Storming Heaven or Time Flies but Indigo Prime has been on my mind while writing, if only so I can avoid too much crossover with John Smith's masterwork. I may have heard of the Tales from the Floating Vagabond (I did know a few member of the Role Playing Society at Uni) but know nothing about it.

I think I mention the major inspiration in one of the introductory pieces on the blog - I had two stabs at the idea of a mysterious job ad being the springboard to adventure, the first one provided the name (and forms part of chapter 2) and the second these characters and story (the first line of notes is something along the lines of "a worrying, psychosexual update of Sapphire and Steel" although it has wandered far from this). There is secondary, more fun/throwaway "inspiration" that came up when kicking ideas around in the early stages (more as a way of explaining a point I was trying to make, but it then slotted in perfectly and fed back into aspects of the story) and I don't think anyone has openly pointed a finger at us and shouted "you've got to be kidding!! This isn't really an update of [insert name here]?" It isn't, although I'd love to claim that was the masterplan all along and perhaps, a few years down the line, I will.

Although, I am also wondering if 2000AD messageboard on this forum have served as inspiration as well.

I'm almost afraid to ask: what inspiration?

It is the oil that greases our wheels and this would never have happened without the forum. Equally one of mgb's sketches helped give us ideas you have already seen in this arc. However, none of the character's are thinly-veiled parodies of forum members (although stick Bolt in a dress and give him a wig and... no it still isn't working, his Lordship has the photos to prove it).

An evil genius - now I'm gutted I didn't throw a photo in so I could be in the picture

No, no, uber-scary one. We could not possibly see your face....

It scares children but it isn't that bad 

I fell out of love with it after Simon Bisley called it shite, shortly before he signed my arm and called me a c**t.

I think there are a few people round here who'd be happy with Simon Bisley calling them a c**t - although he might want to do some work on giving up and coming creators feedback

Anyway, this is an art thread so here is some more art. The first page of that Dredd strip I was showing around Hi-Ex. It's not quite finished as I have just noticed the eagle pad in the last panel is missing a few lines (curses!).



I wish I could colour faster...

Still it is lovely job you've done there. "Cycle of Violence" is the most popular sample script and while I suspect those tackling might not want to look at the thread until they are done there is a thread on the sample strips here it you want to see other people take a run at it (plus f you want any detailed feedback you can ask there):

http://www.2000adonline.com/forum/index.php/topic,27411.0.html

One thing that jumps out - it is a flashback and most people go for the Mk 1 Lawgiver. Hope that has not sprinkled something that is nothing like vinegar on your chips.

It also appears Kelvin Green is the one who does the bulk of these reviews (although I'm unsure if you drop him a note directly or not)

Yeah, you can do. I'm very keen to get more coverage for small press and self-published work, so I will favour such titles in terms of what I review, but not in how I review; I will be honest.

He is too - his review of the last Paragon was bang on and very helpful.

As I've said Comics Bulletin is one of the biggest sites that does regular small press reviews so it is well worth taking up Kelvin's offer.

I'm off to buy it now, but Rich, Jim, Bolt, Emp and all the rest of you clever sods, you'd better not piss off and leave the board when you're all rich(!) and famous comic creators!

I will join the others as saying everything I've done so far has been made possible by this forum and all you lovely people.

And will I stay when I get famous? I'd love to but I fear you will force me away by your denial of my white hot arsomness - it has happened to all the greats: Jesus, Ghandi, Mark Millar, all of the greats. You end up destroying the things you love.

I may pass through and scatter a few pearls before you all, while making sure you know I am doing it on a Blackberry whilst snorting Bolivian marching powder out of Jennifer Lopez's bum crack.

I'm coping manfully with the cruel oversight that has led to my omission from this year's list. No, really, I'll be fine -- there's always next year.

The cheeky buggers - at least you are in with a shot for an Eagle

I notice a curious omission in "Best Digital Comic" too

They have a superhero comic out set in Cumbria and are getting some press attention:

www.bleedingcool.com/2010/04/08/new-small-press-publisher-old-big-press-attitude/

They only seem to have a Twitter account at the moment:

http://twitter.com/Trenchfootcomic

Got my copy today and by Jove it is an impressive looking publication - it'd put a lot of magazines on the newsagents shelf to shame. I keep flicking through it and can't make my mind up where to start. Might have a play with the transfers for a bit

Thanks everyone, after seeing all the awesome art collected here I felt I should post my best piece. Now that I have it posted, it will all be downhill from here...

Oh I'm sure there is more where that came from, the Farscape fan art shows it isn't a one-off

Pete, you're a genius!

An evil genius - now I'm gutted I didn't throw a photo in so I could be in the picture

Well done everyone and I can't wait to see TT #2!!

I'm also behind voting for John Hicklenton for the honour roll- Whatever you might think on the man's work- he always got a response and he was much more influential than I thought he was.

Plus I see Pat Mills is on the list and I'm pretty sure he'd want people to vote for John Hicklenton and not himself. I do think Pat should be on the Roll of Honour at some point though, his contribution to British comics (which had a massive knock-on effect on American comic books) has been massive, perhaps next year...

Hold on slight aside here but is that who Bran Mac Mufin is based on in Cerebus then? Never knew that.

More here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bran_Mak_Morn