The GHZ Forum

Esrever wrote:Sure! But if Archie's tremendous business sense is bringing in heaps of cash for them, they certainly aren't passing any of it down to their creatives, who are the pretty much the lowest paid in the industry.

Ken Penders wrote:And before anyone asks, yes, Scourge is also off-limits as he is derived from a character I created. (I may not be able to use that character either in this instance, but that doesn't mean SEGA gets automatic ownership either, given the current circumstances.)

Ken Penders wrote:And before anyone asks, yes, Scourge is also off-limits as he is derived from a character I created.

Crazy Penguin wrote:(Scourge the Hedgehog, who debuted after Penders was fired, is a re-named/re-designed version of Evil Sonic - Sonic with shades and a leather jacket.)

Ken Penders wrote:And before anyone asks, yes, Scourge is also off-limits as he is derived from a character I created.

The other disclosure Penders makes in the conclusion is more personal and more sobering. It involves the current motion to dismiss his attorney has prepared, on account of a lack of jurisdiction. Penders says he is too poor to make the trip to New York for a trial. Penders says, as of the date of the affidavit, he has less than $500 in his bank account and “limited liquid assets”–potentially making travel costs an issue.

Esrever wrote: Also, Archie IS pretty much the worst mainstream comic publisher in America. It's horrifying that they don't pay royalties to their creators when their work is republished.

Malchik wrote:Now, I'd much rather have revenue pop in my bank account everyone and while, but usually all corporations like to be done with their employees when they have left.

gr4yJ4Y wrote:Even though I don't work at Borders any more, it sure would be nice if they paid me regularly for that register that I hooked up. They still use it. EVERY DAY. I should sue.

tssz wrote:What eventually followed after a series of open remarks was a federal lawsuit filed by Archie against Penders, seeking a declaratory judgment on the validity of Penders’s copyrights. A motion by Penders to dismiss the case was denied early on, but so too was a motion for summary judgment sought by Archie earlier this year. In between, what unraveled was nothing short of extraordinary; Penders revealed plans to revive Lara-Su, Lien-Da, Dimitri and other characters in a series of his own, while court documents told an alleged tale of dysfunctional leadership and lackluster record-keeping at Archie–all while veteran Sonic comic talent lined up to stake their claim in the series, and vouch for their former colleague.

Several weeks may pass before the agreement is finalized, and we may never know the terms of them; it is common practice for settlements, especially on this scale, to never reach public record. While Penders appears steadfast on introducing The Lara-Su Chronicles to the world, Archie has de-emphasized several of Penders’s original creations of late.

Even with the Penders case settled, the legal troubles may not be over for Archie. Original Sonic artist Scott Shaw is among several comic alum who have also filed claims with the US Copyright Office, and had their original contributions to the Sonic comics accepted. It remains to be seen what will happen there; the distinct possibility remains that it could depend on this case’s final outcome.

Scott Shaw! wrote:At this point, I’m really not able to go into details, but please understand this: I now legally own ALL of the content I created for Archie’s SONIC THE HEDGEHOG and related funnybooks. All of this work has been reprinted multiple times, not only in print but on iTunes and as Easter eggs in various Sonic games. I never signed any releases or work-for-hire agreements with Archie or Sega and I’ve never been paid a cent for this unauthorized use of my work.

Therefore, it’s gonna be a very interesting 2013 for all involved.

dysfunctional leadership and lackluster record-keeping