I was thinking about an article I read a few months ago by Peter David about Alan Moore. And it was in regard to some writer, forgot who, but basically his book was made into a terrible movie and what the author thought. The writer said, it really didn’t matter because his original work, the book, is unaltered and any variation or adaption of this book does not change the book itself. It’s their for the world to see.

The point was, the original book, the original material is the creators vision and spin off material or adaptions do not effect this. Then a good point Peter David said was if Alan Moore should hit hard financial times in the future, and needs Actor comic funds support, are people going to be running to knock down the doors and help him?

Here is my point: Alan Moore is very stubborn. And it’s funny but I recall reading how Moore while he respects Steve Ditko, really does not think much of Ditko in terms of his political beliefs and Objectivism. And in fact, from what I read, considers it basically foolish.

Yet here is the ironic part, Alan Moore has become as stubborn as Ditko, and close minded about his work as Ditko. And is not willing to compromise his work like Ditko.

In this regard, Alan Moore is leaving vast sums of money on the table. Let’s face it, unless you are rich enough to be financially free. You are going to need money to live a good life.

It’s also not far fetched to believe Alan Moore could make over 1 million dollars in a year just on Watchmen. All he has to say is something like, he will make a Watchmen sequel or prequel series. But wants $100,000 an issue for a 12 issue series. Plus a percent cut of the royalty.

Alan Moore is one of the few powerhouse writers in the industry who can ask for six figures an issue, and he will get it. Especially if it’s Watchmen related.

So right there he has lost a potential $1 million dollars. He could make a followup series again for the same price, say six issue. Then he’s get $1.6 million dollars. And that’s not including royalty fees.

Plus I’m not exactly sure of the Watchmen legal rights, and read something about DC having to keep reprint the series, or the rights revert back to Moore? Well whatever the legal rights case, Moore could decide to give up any and all ownership for a fee. Say $500,000 to one million? Not exactly an unreasonable number.

Now were talking, on the low end example, $2.2 million in potential financial income lost.

Moore also had the chance with the Watchmen movie to compromise and get a cut of free Watchmen movie related money. Yet he is too stubborn to accept it, or to promote the movie.
Worse is the fact that he is bashing the movie.

Alan Moore is not being fair to the artists in his books. Watchmen co-creator Dave Gibbons, the artist in the series for example, loses potential financial income and help, because Moore is outright bashing the movie and spin off material. This effects the artist in the wallet. If Moore does not like spin off material, at least be quiet and let the artist in the series enjoy a financial boost. But to actually bash the spin off material just hurts others involved in the project who are doing their best to create something good.

And in the end were are just talking comic books here. There only about 20-25 pages each. And Alan Moore could write whatever material, in this case further Watchmen material and he will get the price tag he wants for it. But the fact remains Alan Moore is to stubborn to compromise his beliefs, and in the end that is costing him a lot of financial income he could be making.

As for any fears that Alan Moore might have that his original comic book material is compromised, the truth is that it is not. His original Watchmen issues, as well as all the books he has written are untouched and unaltered. All the spin off products and material made, do not effect the original published work. It remains a pristine vision to be read as the author intended.

Moore is one of the few powerhouses in the comic book industry, especially in the current tough economic climate, who could get away with making a million dollars a year in comics.

Even more rare is the fact is that he is a writer, and not an artist. Usually it’s the artists who in the past made over a million dollars a year in the early 90’s, not the writers.

I just think it’s foolish on his part to not take the golden financial opportunities that he is presented. Most people in the comics industry will never get this. This financial door, while still open will not always be there. And if does not act on it while he has the chance, before long Alan Moore may one day find the door closed, because sooner or later it happens to everyone in every industry. When you outstay your welcome, you become yesterdays news and no one is willing to pay you much for yesterdays news.

One last ironic point, is read a few months ago in a book that Alan Moore’s most Steve Ditko iconic character that he made, to basically sum up Ditko and his beliefs was Rorschach. He modeled him after the Question, but also to be the most Ditko type of character that he could create. Yet Rorschach is by far the most popular Watchmen character that fans like. Maybe Ditko’s ideas and beliefs resonate more with fans then Alan Moore thinks.