Published by Defiant Comics (and now in comic fodder bins)

Charlemagne standing for Charles the Great.

If you see the first issue in a bin, PICK THIS UP! It is one of the best origins and first issues I’ve read in a long time. It is that good!

I thought a book like this from the name, or look would not hold my interest. I could not be more wrong.

Meet Charles Smith, just a kid from middle America on a quest to find his brother in Vietnam back in the ’70’s.

What emerges by issues end is a Noble Hero.

What strikes me even more then the solid writing. By one D.G. Chichester, whose Marvel work didn’t surprise me, but here he shined.

Was the art by Adam Pollina, his art was fantastic back then. I did not know he could be this good.

Which is a shame cause I was used to seeing his art, that he drew later in X-force and I did not like it. His X-force style was all 90’s muscles, and weird proportions.

So ironic that his earlier work was so much better. None of the crazy proportions. Just telling a straight story. Maybe it was the Jim Shooter factor of getting his creative crew to just tell the story, and not rely on being overly fancy that worked in good favor here.

Charlemagne lasted only 5 issues. 1 to 5 with a 0 issue in Hero Illustrated magazine number 9.

If you see an issue, give it a try. Especially the first issue.

I noticed in a recent convention I bought some cheap bin Image books, and I only discovered checking up later that I had the book already in my collection. That there was a different variant cover used.

Basically with variants, after the book is old, when you search bins, you can get confused and buy the same copies of books you already had! That really sucks when you think about it. And the cause of the confusion is simple, a variant cover is used. But what makes it worse is that it’s now common for books to have four or five covers an issue.

I wonder with Marvel seemingly switching to $3.99 an issue, which may be the new standard mark. Then it’s only a matter of time DC will likewise charge the same price.

I wonder, how this will effect future start up companies who want to enter the comic book market? Or more specifically how will they survive in such a market?

Already it’s no secret, across the board comic book prices have been raised, whether it be the single issue comics, or the various trade formats they later produce.

It’s also no secret comic book stores in the direct market have a limited budget on what they can afford to buy. Especially in a market with no return policy.

With pricing being raised, and sure the dealer gets a huge discount off cover price, but still they are paying more per issue. And again, they have a certain budget.

So it’s not hard to imagine if $3.99 is the new set price across the board, that smaller publishers will have their product cut back by the dealer.

I mean who are they more likely to cut out? A Marvel Comic or DC book they know has an established brand name, and more likely get a sale?

Or another publisher where the sale is more dicey to get?

I just think the raised prices, will further help to cut out any books from other companies that are not DC or are Marvel made.

Plus any new start up company will have a huge hurdle to survive in a market where $3.99 may be the new set point.

And as far as production costs involved, I really wonder if any other publisher can soon afford not to charge a similar price or more?

Hearing about All-Star #10 being recalled for it’s foul language, I tracked down this series I have not been reading and just read #9 which has an appearance by Green Lantern Hal Jordan.

Frank Miller really writes Batman as jerk, a-hole and quite frankly abusive towards Robin. Check out when he throws, punches and calls him a snot to Robin.

This whole Batman thinks he’s the only one right, and is an arrogant jerk, was something I first got a vibe on at the end of Dark Knight Returns. But on Miller’s sequel a few years ago Batman really was an a-hole.

With the All-Star series Miller’s vision of Batman is clear. He makes Batman arrogant, and most of all a jerk. And not someone a reader would like to get to know. Plus hubris is usually followed by a downfall, but Miller would never do that. Bottom line is his portrayal of Batman as a smug S.O.B. is not one I’m feeling, or interpret Batman to be.

Far as I’m concerned Frank Miller was great in the Dark Knight Returns series and Year One, but ever since then he has not portrayed a good Batman.

The first hint of this was his Batman portrayal in the teamup of Batman/Spawn in the McFarlane book in the 90’s published by the Image side. Great art, but study Miler’s Batman characterization, what you see now started then.

Sometimes you got to go with your gut. But as I was forum reading. A guy had a name, and had to change it cause DC Comics had a 3rd string character. Nothing alike yet the same name. So the first guy changed it.

The whole copy and trademark issue is crazy, and I think to a large degree unfair.

Cause how can a company like Marvel have a generic name like: Destroyer. For more then 1 character. And DC or others can share a generic name. Yet some independent guy uses a generic name and he gets a lawsuit?

I can understand unique word names like Batman.

But to use a name for a word in a dictionary, and then someone tries to sue you if you don’t change it. That makes no sense to me. It should be up for grabs.

That’s why combined names are probably safer. Such as instead of Orb. You say Black Orb.

And I know Marvel had a character called Solarr. With 2 r’s. And Dell owns Solar the character. But it seems the independent guy can’t get away with adding an extra letter usually cause it’s too similar. But I don’t know.

The really bad thing is having a great name you feel for, and knowing one day you got to alter it or add a word, as above said because of legal reasons. I got a bunch of solo word heroes.

Anyway I think that’s why the names of the old gods of myth, and zodiac symbols are safe.

For example if you call a character: Gemini, or Thor, Hercules and others. It’s safe. They can’t sue. How could they?

That’s why Leifeld had his own guy named Thor in his books.

The only thing is the visual, powers, history must not be based on established hero of that name. You got to go with your own idea of it, and whatever the legend of the character is. Stick with that and any creator should be safe.

I know Liefeld Thor had red hair, and Marvel had another Thor with red hair. But if for example you made a Thor with red hair. How could anyone sue? You can point to the PROOF of old texts that describe Thor with red hair.

They can’t argue with that. And if they did, they would lose. But then again, just make sure the haircut doesn’t look the same as the others.

But that’s just an example.

I finally read the Watchmen trade paperback, and to be honest: It was a good book. But I would not call it the best comic book I ever read. Or even in my top 10 favorites of all time.

Spoilers here in my review, so be warned.

What I really hated was the last two pages. I thought it totally undermined the book. I’ll get into more detail in a bit.

I thought Dr. Manhattan, and Nite Owl were just filler characters who did not add much to the story.

The Comedian also embodied nothing more then the sterotype of a Vietnam soldier who is crazy, racist, and a patriot.

The only interesting main character who moved the plot and was like a detective was Rorschach.

I thought only he proved to be a main character focus and who moved the story and all that happened. The other two, the Doctor and Nite Owl did not add much.

Rorschach who I recall John Byrne saying he was disappointed when he learned he was crazy. I actually was not disappointed. I also wouldn’t even call the character crazy. He’s extreme to one degree on his principles and is clearly Moore’s attempt at defining Steve Ditko’s view on things. And the Rorschach character seems like Mr. A, and the Question. (And the Question was the original story character to use because Watchmen was supposed to star the Charlton heroes. When it was decided not to use them. Moore basically made the Watchmen characters carbon copies of what he planned for the Charlton heroes.)

Also the unmasked Rorschach, I think Marvel Comics Carnage, in the form of his human identity Cletus Kasady looks similar. I wonder if Erik Larsen used good old Rorsch as a template?

Back to Watchmen, I know the journal part as a plot point made sense to show up in the end.
BUT I thought it undermined the whole story, and made the whole series meaningless.

Basically at the end, the “Smartest Man in The World” who plotted everything to perfection. Has his plot undone by a factor of: Random Chance, and a stumbling idiot who fluke chances his way into the journalistic story of the century.

If the true story was not exposed, the bad guy might have won. But the cost would have been World Peace, and it would have made the sacrifice of millions in New York blown up mean something. Ozymandias should have won.

Instead the Ozymandias plot will be exposed, and the millions sacrificed mean nothing. And the world will still stay at war.

The bad guy loses again, and the good guys win. And in the end, there is no big change to the world. Other then the millions killed by the bad guy.

The story to me, would have had much more of an impact without those final two pages undoing the whole story of Watchmen and Ozymandias.

Overall to me: It’s a good story, but not one I’d call the greatest comic series of all time. Or even in my time 10. I also rank the original Dark Knight Returns as better. Probably because I know and like the Batman character more.

It’s also clear to see that the TV show HEROES series 1 plot of blowing up New York was heavily influenced by Watchmen.

As well as the current Heroes season of Costa Verde blowing up was influenced by Marvel Comics Civil War of Stamford blowing up.

Perhaps that’s a topic for another post in that the Heroes TV show is just ripping off comic characters and stories left and right. But the shows ratings are now down this season and I think the shows gimmick has worn off with the public.

DC Comics is currently stuck in one 52 style, Crisis idea after another, which has gone on for over two years now. It has totally alienated me and I’ve bought none of it. 52 and the whole work, absolutely none. As a reader, they have become so core reader focused they have all but excluded readers like me from picking up their books. And with the Titans Three World idea, it’s another Crisis spinoff that will keep me away.

It’s time to get past Crisis DC but I don’t think they understand that, or how off putting it is to readers who are not interested in this alternate world, time traveling, universes collide junk, and back to stories dealing with everyday people that are more down to earth.

I talked about creative rights a few posts back and how basically, the Golden and Silver Age comic book creators, who made almost all of the lasting and great characters, still used today, never got a financial share of their creations.

The sad thing I find is that, even today, right now:

The big corporate companies are STILL MAKING MONEY off these comic book creators!

And guess who gets to keep all the profit? That’s right, the companies. And none of it goes to the creators. At the very least, legally their is no right. If they give a hand out, it’s up to the company, and I wonder how much of a share it is?

All you have to do is look at all the Marvel: Masterworks, Omnibus, Essential and other such books out now.

Or the DC: Showcase, Archives, paperbacks published now.

Basically in today’s comic market, the paperback and hardcover books are selling well. Not individual comics.

And more and more there is a drive to publish works by the greats, the likes of a Kirby or a Ditko.

We have $100 dollar books like the Omnibus series being made of the Ditko work. Or the Fantastic Four Omnibus that is all Kirby work.

Or the DC archive $50 books. Ranging from all of the Fourth World to even Kamandi.
While I must admit, part of me is excited and I want and buy these books. It’s because, not thinking about the company, I just appreciate these creators and the work they made. I want to have copies. And I want to read these stories.

A part is also sad, cause I know, these people are not financially compensated at all for this work. And a corporation only benefits.

And not only that, these books keep being reprinted nonstop over and over again. Which makes for nonstop sales for the company.

And that just does not seem right or fair.

As a business, I can understand why they do this, but from a deeper perspective, it’s sad cause most of these creators didn’t lead a good financial life. And many were broke. Yet there creations and stories, and art are making someone else money, and a share they never got.

And I know had this been in other media such as Books or Films, they would be rightfully millionaires.

For example:

You only have to look at someone like J.K. Rowlings who was poor before she wrote Harry Potter and is now a millionaire.

Or a director like Lucas, who gets a stake in all the Star Wars merchandise.

In the above cases, both the creators and their publishers and companies that help produce the work profit financially.

But make no mistake, had Harry Potter been made in the 60’s as a comic book, J.K.Rowlings would still be poor.

And Lucas would have had a comic book series, that he had no financial benefits from.

Yet there are comic book characters who Far Surpass that of the Harry Potter, Star Wars, and other media concepts.

I see a comic world where both the creator and the publisher can financially benefit, but as I said in a previous post, from a financial perspective the comic book history is a Shameful Disgrace in terms of how creators were treated. And in cases like this, it still shows.

Marvel has a new crossover series going on that just started called: Secret Invasion, written by Bendis.

It stars the shape shifting Skrulls. I’ll get back to the Skrulls in a minute.

And to be honest:

I’m getting worn out tired by all these recent crossovers and think both Marvel and DC are milking their audience for all their money. This is just like, the 90’s. But only worse cause cover prices cost more.

We got DC Comics and their non-stop Crisis related material.

And at Marvel we had things like: Civil War, World War Hulk, Annihilation and other crossovers I’m forgetting to talk about.

It seems to me a move of: Shoving multi-book crossover projects, just for the fact that it’ll make a bunch of money.

And it’s one thing to get the main issues. It’s another to be milked with related series like Civil War: Frontline. A book that in my view was not needed, and only their to squeeze out every last penny the reader has.

Back to Secret Invasion.

I’m not all that thrilled cause to me: The Skrulls were never much an interesting concept that held my attention. So to base a whole series off them, well simply put, while it’s great for some. This series won’t be great for me. Just average, cause of the premise.

And I got a vibe that Bendis might’ve taken the idea from Battlestar Galactica.

Basically the Cylons look human, and on the ship it’s a guessing game of who do you trust, and the person you think you know can be a Cylon. Also the Cylons are out to destroy the humans, and at the very least take them over and rule.

Now look at Secret Invasion, and read the above lines. Sound familiar? Or is that just me.

The best part though might be to use Skrulls to erase the bad history of some characters and say those terrible stories from a certain era were by Skrulls, and now the original hero has returned and gets a clean slate.

My prediction is all the A list characters, will just about be human.

All the 70’s fad characters, with no long term appeal, and can’t hold onto their own book for more then a few years, can turn out to be Skrulls. Besides, much of their history is nothing much to speak of or all that relevant. Their history you can pick and choose, and is probably what is going to happen.

I was thinking about creative rights and I wonder, and question Neil Gaiman’s rights in regard to Medieval Spawn and Angela.

Characters he created, or co-created for the Spawn comic book by Todd McFarlane.

I have followed this court case, though admittedly, I don’t know, or have read all the details.

But the basic concept is this: Neil Gaiman wanted the creative rights to the character of Miracle Man, who Todd McFarlane thinks he owns, because he bought the publisher of the Miracle Man property.

And Neil Gaiman offered a fair deal of exchanging his creative rights to Medieval Spawn and Angela, for the rights McFarlane claimed to have over Miracle Man.

It’s also an offer, had I been there I’d have taken. It was more then fair. And besides, McFarlane had no creative hand in the creation of Miracle Man.

Whereas, I’m not sure if Gaiman supplied the visual design detail on Medieval Spawn and Angela? Though, in this case, Medieval Spawn owes his look, on Spawn. Cause it was the basis used. And therefore McFarlane had a creative hand in this visual design by default.

While Angela appears to have that Mcfarlane design work going on, and at the very least she is wearing Spawn earrings. A creative symbol not of Gaiman.

But being stubborn, Todd challenged it in court and Neil Gaiman, last I heard won, and owns full creative rights to both Medieval Spawn and Angela.

If this is the case, I wonder if that means Gaiman can publish and profit a hundred percent off of Medieval Spawn and Angela?

And if he doesn’t have the right to publish them. Then it throw into question, what having full creative rights is?

Yet, a bigger question to me is: If Neil Gaiman does indeed have Full Creative Rights to both Medieval Spawn and Angela, that this is not right.

If anything, Gaiman should have co-creative rights with Mcfarlane. But not full rights to the characters. And I question: How could he?

Medieval Spawn is a Derivative Work, that is based on the Spawn concept, which was wholly created by Todd McFarlane. Even the visual look in style, is owed to Spawn, a Mcfarlane creation.

And Angela, while a new character, she owes her basis and origin to the Spawn mythos. Cause she was created to work in that world. Basically she is a Spawn slayer.

Seeing as how both are tied to the Spawn mythos. How can both characters be said to be owned wholly by Neil Gaiman?

This to me calls into question, and opens the door to Derivative Works.

If this case is to stand.

And yes, I know this won’t happen because of lawyers, and well, it just wouldn’t happen, I know that.

But, let’s say Derivative Works do count and a creator can claim a hundred percent rights to such work.

What’s to prevent others from doing it? And why therefore legally can’t others make such derivative characters?

For example you can have a character called Ninja Batman, and say it’s Batman in a different era.

Or the Hulk, but make him a new color and say he’s a version form a different timeline.

Basically, the idea of a creator owning full rights to a derivative work, such as in this Spawn case, does not seem right or just.

If you make a character, and it’s not derivative, then sure, you should have full rights to your character. But if your character, is based off the origin and history of another characters creator, I don’t think you should be allowed to have full rights to your character.

But what’s the financial aspect a creator should pay for a derivative work? I don’t know. I’d say anywhere from ten to say fifteen percent. Those are my thoughts. And also the original creator must give approval before such a derived work could be published. That’s my view on the situation, and what would be fair. What do you think?

A case like this, if it stands can really impact creative character rights and who owns what.

For me, I think at most Gaiman should have some rights to Medieval Spawn and Angela. But NO WAY should he have Full Creative rights to these characters. As for what percent he owns, or McFarlane owns, I can’t say.

And I bet McFarlane might have thought when this case ended, he should’ve taken the deal he was offered earlier and just given up Miracle Man, and got the offer to get Full Rights from Gaiman on Medieval Spawn and Angela. It’s what I would have done.