Support Ghost Rider Creator Gary Friedrich

[samurainoir]

Jean Marc L'officier's response...
Jean-Marc Lofficier On The Consequences Of The Gary Friedrich Decision | Bleeding Cool Comic Book, Movies and TV News and Rumors

[kingdom warrior]

I think Templeton's point about using Ploog's work is moot. It's NOT Ploog's work, it's Marvel's. They're the one's receiving compensation.

A lot of writers do this at conventions - the same way a lot of artists make a bit of extra cash making and selling sketches of characters they don't own. You can say it's different because the artists are drawing the characters - but legally it isn't.

and some day Marvel and DC may crack down on it.....if the artist don't have it in their contracts that they can sell con sketches.

[kingdom warrior]

In what other industry are you contributing that much to a company and getting paid piecework? With no ownership, royalties or bonuses of any kind? It's ridiculous.

I know people here disagree, but I think Marvel's track record with their employees sucks and they bring this upon themselves. They maybe working within the legal boundaries (as recent legal judgments have shown), but they're a perfect example of how legal doesn't have to be moral.

You know those talented guys sold their souls to the Devil(MARVEL DC) to feed their kids, pay their Mortgages,cars etc......

Back then it was a job, comics were throw away disposable art. if those guys had a crystal ball they would have taken them to the bank.

Those artist and writers were just happy to have a job doing something creative till something in advertising or maybe the syndicates came along.

Marvel just protects itself and doesn't care when it comes to business with characters they own......and they will fight tooth and nail and win all the time.

They just don't give two ****s about anyones feelings, they have to put out a product to make money for the shareholders that's the bottom line......

Their mentality is Don't like the new stuff freek you...we'll find people who do.....like the old stuff okay we collected for you now go out and buy it......

[Brazoo]

I think Templeton's point about using Ploog's work is moot. It's NOT Ploog's work, it's Marvel's. They're the one's receiving compensation.

A lot of writers do this at conventions - the same way a lot of artists make a bit of extra cash making and selling sketches of characters they don't own. You can say it's different because the artists are drawing the characters - but legally it isn't.

[Brazoo]

In what other industry are you contributing that much to a company and getting paid piecework? With no ownership, royalties or bonuses of any kind? It's ridiculous.

I know people here disagree, but I think Marvel's track record with their employees sucks and they bring this upon themselves. They maybe working within the legal boundaries (as recent legal judgments have shown), but they're a perfect example of how legal doesn't have to be moral.

[The Toyroom]

^ Boy, that Roy Thomas was a sneaky corporate stooge back then... "House Roy"

[Earth 2 Chris]

The funny part about all of this is, I think Marvel just kind of took the Ghost Rider name. I think ME had let their copyright on the name lapse, and Roy Thomas advised Stan to scoop it up. I could be wrong here. This is perfectly legal, and it's why you have to protect your copyrighted interests.

I'd say the first use of the term "Ghost Rider" came from the famous country song (heard in the first movie as GR and ghostly Sam Elliott ride through the desert).

Chris

[johnnystorm]

Just a point here: Marvel already owned the Ghost Rider name & character, at least the western version (did they buy that from ME comics?).
And I'm pretty sure there were flaming skull motorcycle group emblems around during the 50s & 60s.
I'm fuzzy about just what was created?

[Earth 2 Chris]

Marvel will know sue Templeton for using Forbush Man without permission.

Chris

[Toyman_Chris]

I am suing Templeton for using my likeness......

[The Toyroom]

^ That Templeton cartoon does bring up an interesting point about using the artwork of Ploog, et. al. to promote his (Friedrich's) autograph...

[ctc]

Hmmmm....

Here's another take on the whole thing:

Parting Shot: Ty Templeton's Counterpoint to the Ghost Rider Creator Controversy - ComicsAlliance | Comic book culture, news, humor, commentary, and reviews

Don C.

[Brazoo]

Yeah, I think comic books started as second-class citizens of comic strips - and that mentality never left. (Though, maybe recently it has.)

From what I understand (and remember) William Randolph Hearst was a huge proponent of comic strips and paid the artists well. That probably set the bar to some degree for competitors to try and woo new artists.

Also, I think comic strips were tied into bigger money from merchandising/licensing from their onset - Buster Brown being an early one that I can recall.

[samurainoir]

Apologies to Imp... we've gone rather far afield of Friedrich.

here's a highlight of things fans here might have enjoyed of his work if they were considering supporting him...









something interesting to note...

[samurainoir]

Yeah, strips remained in "mass" culture for the most part whereas comic books were increasingly on a niche slide from the fifties post Wertham/television forward, down into the Undergrounds and comic stores. Strips front and center, with the number of eyeballs in the millions that could give them that clout right through to the pre internet heights of The Far Side and Calvin and Hobbes (notorious for using that clout to NOT cash in on merchandising).

Which is probably why so many comic book guys aspired to be strip guys... Stan Lee and Bob Kane were apparently both hugely enthusiastic about the Spider-man and Batman daily strips because to them, that was their generation's idea of "making it" in comics.

It's fascinating, the "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" style spreads you found in fifties magazines about the big houses and fancy cars that Alex Raymond and Stan Drake had.