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flyboy_fox(Ian Flynn @ BumbleKing Comics Forums)
---
I had wanted to let this ride out by itself and not mire BKC in paranoia and speculation, but given the amount of email, PMs and general broo-ha-ha around the net, I guess a little pat on the head and "everything will be fine" doesn't quite cut it.
I still do not want this to blow itself out or proportion, so this is the go-to thread for info and news. There will be no discussion because there's nothing to discuss, and all it will do is get everyone in a tizzy.
The Short Version
The Archie legal department is handling things. I've been told to keep writing as usual and to continue with our plans for the end of 2010/start of 2011. As I said before: no worries.
The Longer Version
Bear in mind that I don't have all the information. All I'm going off of is my limited understanding of the ownership of things within the book and franchise. So unless Mr. Penders pulls a rabbit out of his hat, I feel fairly confident in my understanding of things.
1) Work-for-Hire - While I'm bound by my contract to not talk about my contract, I can say I'm work-for-hire. I've been on the book for five years (!!!) and I'm still freelance, part-time, on-the-side. All of my contributions to the book are for the book, and I'm paid for that.
All the stuff I came up with for "Young Salem" - Foreman Armstrong, Mortimer Destiny, the Lizarmyn, Horde Lord, concept, etc. - is Archie's. I can't do my own book under BKC about Mortimer and Felicia's younger days.
Sonic-wise, I have a harder parallel to draw since I've spent more time using the content within the book and taking it in new directions. I suppose Thrash is the best example, lean as he is character-wise. He's Archie's. Plain and simple.
Everyone on staff (and I include us freelaners when I say this) has to sign that contract. So unless Mr. Penders's contract was wildly different, he signed away those characters before he even created them.
2) SEGA - It is my understanding, as explained by Mr. Penders himself years ago on his forum - that ultimately SEGA owns everything in the book. If it's associated with Sonic in the book, it is by extension SEGA's. From my understanding, that is why BioWare could so freely emulate the Dark Legion for the Marauders.
I know there was some confusion elsewhere concerning rights to SatAM. As it was explained, SEGA owns the intellectual property - the characters and such - but DiC retains the rights to the animation. So you wouldn't see SEGA reselling SatAM boxsets willy-nilly. Conversely, DiC wouldn't be able to just up and make a new Sonic cartoon.
3) Reboot - Oh if I had a nickel for every time this word got tossed around. I've already begun material for 2011 and, as I said before, have been told there's no need to change. Not that we're blindly forging ahead, but that we have no reason to stop.
What would need a reboot, in the scenario that Mr. Penders somehow did win out in all this, is his plans. SEGA would not grant him the license to use Knuckles, I can flat-out tell you that with certainty. So right there the core component of the Echidna Lore - the main character - is gone.
He would not be able to use Angel Island, Mobius, or the Chaos Emeralds. Easy enough fix, though, right? It's Skyhigh Island on Terra using the Magi-Gems for flight. (copyright, by the way. Double-tappsies, no take-backs).
But the entire Echidna cast is comprised of Knuckles knock-offs. Mr. Penders would be required to redesign the entire cast, unless he's planning on trying to pass it off as parody (which I doubt).
By the time the property would be safe to touch, it would be unrecognizable. It's not about Knuckles's society or family. It's not about echidnas (the kind we think of, at least). It would now be a sci-fi-lite story about some dudes on a flying island. That could be interesting in its own right, but it's not the story I think Mr. Penders wants to tell, and it's not the one the echidna fans want to read. So I'm not entirely sure what his greater thinking is here.
Again, take my words with a grain of salt. I'm not privy to absolutely everything going on. But from what I do know I am confident I - and you all - have nothing to worry about.
So relax, curl up with the latest SONIC book, and enjoy it while ignoring the storm outside. This too shall pass.
---
WORD.
---
I had wanted to let this ride out by itself and not mire BKC in paranoia and speculation, but given the amount of email, PMs and general broo-ha-ha around the net, I guess a little pat on the head and "everything will be fine" doesn't quite cut it.
I still do not want this to blow itself out or proportion, so this is the go-to thread for info and news. There will be no discussion because there's nothing to discuss, and all it will do is get everyone in a tizzy.
The Short Version
The Archie legal department is handling things. I've been told to keep writing as usual and to continue with our plans for the end of 2010/start of 2011. As I said before: no worries.
The Longer Version
Bear in mind that I don't have all the information. All I'm going off of is my limited understanding of the ownership of things within the book and franchise. So unless Mr. Penders pulls a rabbit out of his hat, I feel fairly confident in my understanding of things.
1) Work-for-Hire - While I'm bound by my contract to not talk about my contract, I can say I'm work-for-hire. I've been on the book for five years (!!!) and I'm still freelance, part-time, on-the-side. All of my contributions to the book are for the book, and I'm paid for that.
All the stuff I came up with for "Young Salem" - Foreman Armstrong, Mortimer Destiny, the Lizarmyn, Horde Lord, concept, etc. - is Archie's. I can't do my own book under BKC about Mortimer and Felicia's younger days.
Sonic-wise, I have a harder parallel to draw since I've spent more time using the content within the book and taking it in new directions. I suppose Thrash is the best example, lean as he is character-wise. He's Archie's. Plain and simple.
Everyone on staff (and I include us freelaners when I say this) has to sign that contract. So unless Mr. Penders's contract was wildly different, he signed away those characters before he even created them.
2) SEGA - It is my understanding, as explained by Mr. Penders himself years ago on his forum - that ultimately SEGA owns everything in the book. If it's associated with Sonic in the book, it is by extension SEGA's. From my understanding, that is why BioWare could so freely emulate the Dark Legion for the Marauders.
I know there was some confusion elsewhere concerning rights to SatAM. As it was explained, SEGA owns the intellectual property - the characters and such - but DiC retains the rights to the animation. So you wouldn't see SEGA reselling SatAM boxsets willy-nilly. Conversely, DiC wouldn't be able to just up and make a new Sonic cartoon.
3) Reboot - Oh if I had a nickel for every time this word got tossed around. I've already begun material for 2011 and, as I said before, have been told there's no need to change. Not that we're blindly forging ahead, but that we have no reason to stop.
What would need a reboot, in the scenario that Mr. Penders somehow did win out in all this, is his plans. SEGA would not grant him the license to use Knuckles, I can flat-out tell you that with certainty. So right there the core component of the Echidna Lore - the main character - is gone.
He would not be able to use Angel Island, Mobius, or the Chaos Emeralds. Easy enough fix, though, right? It's Skyhigh Island on Terra using the Magi-Gems for flight. (copyright, by the way. Double-tappsies, no take-backs).
But the entire Echidna cast is comprised of Knuckles knock-offs. Mr. Penders would be required to redesign the entire cast, unless he's planning on trying to pass it off as parody (which I doubt).
By the time the property would be safe to touch, it would be unrecognizable. It's not about Knuckles's society or family. It's not about echidnas (the kind we think of, at least). It would now be a sci-fi-lite story about some dudes on a flying island. That could be interesting in its own right, but it's not the story I think Mr. Penders wants to tell, and it's not the one the echidna fans want to read. So I'm not entirely sure what his greater thinking is here.
Again, take my words with a grain of salt. I'm not privy to absolutely everything going on. But from what I do know I am confident I - and you all - have nothing to worry about.
So relax, curl up with the latest SONIC book, and enjoy it while ignoring the storm outside. This too shall pass.
---
WORD.
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no subject
Date: 2010-07-09 01:54 am (UTC)Also kudos to Ian for handling things so maturely and professionally! He's just stating it like it is without any mudslinging anywhere.
Can't say the same about Ken Penders. Who's out there with his two Admin forum cronies calling everybody who says anything against him an 'drooling Ian fanboy'.
He's shooting himself in the ass so hard with all this. It's kind of hilarious and pathetic to watch.
I AGREE W/ SONIC
Date: 2010-07-09 02:00 am (UTC)(Also, the main people mud-slinging at Ian over at Ken's forum are Miko and Viuely, who just HAPPEN to have been IP Banned from both BumbleKing Comics AND SSMB (where I mod) over their idiocy.)
no subject
Date: 2010-07-09 02:08 am (UTC)Oh, don't even get me started on those two (though sometimes I suspect they're the same person, though I admit I have no proof). I was there both times when they were banned (the way they acted on SSMB was nothing less than disgusting). I see them act the same way on the FUS forums, they've yet to be banned from there though. Everytime I read a post from them on Ken's forum sucking up to him so blatantly I throw up in my mouth a little bit. So yeah, CLASSY FOLKS.
no subject
Date: 2010-07-09 02:10 am (UTC)WAIT you're on SSMB? I must be slow. ;_;
no subject
Date: 2010-07-09 02:18 am (UTC)lol, you're not slow. I'm on SSMB, I have been for years actually, but I never really post nowadays. I used to be fairly active back in the day (when I was "Mr. Newsman" lol), but now I mostly just read the front page and occasionally check the forums. I check it daily actually, I just...never post because I don't really have much to say lol.
no subject
Date: 2010-07-09 02:20 am (UTC)What name do you go by now? You should get involved again (: It's a fun forum.
no subject
Date: 2010-07-09 02:38 am (UTC)Oh btw...I know this is completely offtopic and probably sounds a bit weird for me to say all of a sudden, but I'm sorry I haven't said anything to you for awhile. I know you've been going through a rough patch (I still read all your entries), and like many people I really like you and I do worry about your well being, it's just...again, I never know what to say (yes we're back to that again lol). I find it hard sometimes to offer genuine words of support that don't sound trite, especially in the face of folks lately who've given you some "tough love" so to speak. I feel like I'd just be offering you words that may sound nice but may not be what you really need to hear. Plus, mostly, I don't know you that well so I feel like I really have no place to act "stern" with you considering the circumstances.
tl;dr I really hope you're doing alright and I'm sorry I haven't said anything. Just know I do care. I think you're a strong person, but I know everyone needs encouragement sometimes.
...well that post got bloated, lol.
no subject
Date: 2010-07-09 02:40 am (UTC)