Gaiman wins suit against McFarlane AGAIN

[Cavaliere (moderator emeritus)]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100802/ap_en_ot/us_spawn_lawsuit

In a nutshell, McFarlane didn't want to pay Gaiman any more for the characters of Medieval Spawn and Angela so he "created" near duplicates called "Dark Ages Spawn," "Domina," and "Tiffany" to use instead. Except, of course, they're the same characters with altered looks and names. A judge agrees and now McFarlane will have to pay Gaiman when he uses the (ahem) "new" characters.

I know that McFarlane is a smart guy but sometimes he does really stupid things. Good grief. The judge came up with better ideas for new versions of Spawn than McFarlane did and her ideas wouldn't have meant McFarlane paying out royalties to Gaiman.

[Mark Sullivan (Vertiginous Mod)]

I haven't read the whole decision, but the quotes are pretty amazing. The judge seems to know Spawn continuity as well as any Spawn fan. I don't know if she has any interest in comics, but she sure took her research seriously. And you're right, she lists several viable Spawn alternatives that would not have infringed on Gaiman's characters.

[Jeff of Earth-J]

What was the final (?) in Tony Twist case?

I'm definitely on McFarlane's side on that one.

[Travis Herrick (Modular Mod)]

Jeff of Earth-J said:

What was the final (?) in Tony Twist case?

I'm definitely on McFarlane's side on that one.

Tony Twist apparently settled on $5 million.

[Travis Herrick (Modular Mod)]

Mark Sullivan said:

I haven't read the whole decision, but the quotes are pretty amazing. The judge seems to know Spawn continuity as well as any Spawn fan. I don't know if she has any interest in comics, but she sure took her research seriously. And you're right, she lists several viable Spawn alternatives that would not have infringed on Gaiman's characters.

I read some of what the judge wrote in her decision, and it was pretty impressive on how in depth she got into the canon of the Spawn universe.

[Mike Parnell]

Travis Herrick said:

Mark Sullivan said:

I haven't read the whole decision, but the quotes are pretty amazing. The judge seems to know Spawn continuity as well as any Spawn fan. I don't know if she has any interest in comics, but she sure took her research seriously. And you're right, she lists several viable Spawn alternatives that would not have infringed on Gaiman's characters.

I read some of what the judge wrote in her decision, and it was pretty impressive on how in depth she got into the canon of the Spawn universe.

I thought the Constitution did not allow cruel and unusual punishment. (I come back and what do I do? I channel my inner Baron. Bad Pa! [slapshand] Bad Pa! [/slapshand]

[The Baron]

You're a great man, Mike.

[Figserello]

@ McFarlane:

Thanks for the summary, Cav. Can't be reading court transcripts when I should be gulping down my breakfast.

[The Baron]

You also are a great man, Figserello.

[Jeff of Earth-J]

Figserello said:

@ McFarlane:

ROFL!

[Cavaliere (moderator emeritus)]

I'd be very surprised if the judge knew anything about Spawn prior to the trial. Details such as there only being one Spawn every 400 years is the kind of thing that the plaintiff (Gaiman) would have presented during the trial. Heck, I didn't know that 400 year thing! Are judges allowed to do their own research? I didn't think so and all her Spawn knowledge would have to come from the trial--again, I think.

(Welcome back, Pa.)