Sad to say, the history of comics has more than one story of creators being treated badly, or editors and other company suit types behaving badly in general. I'm sure we can all think of some examples we've read about, or heard about at cons or whereever. I'm wondering, though, how many good stories I've missed out on. Surely not every editor was a wannabe Attila the Hun.
Any unsung heroes to talk about?
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Researching the Marvel UK Zoids strip I came across a story told by Richard Starkings. (Yes, that Richard Starkings.) He was then editor at Marvel UK and heard that Marvel's Epic line, headed by Archie, was very interested in publishing some series from 2000AD offshoot Crisis.
At the time, Starkings rankled at the idea of Marvel promoting Marvel UK's rival's work in America and lobbied within the company for his team to produce stuff instead. So we got 'Sleaze Brothers' instead of Pat Mills' Third World War, Garth Ennis' Troubled Souls and other ambitious, politically engaged creator owned work.
Starkings later met Goodwin, who was furious at him. Starkings tried to argue that Marvel had to look after themselves number one, but Goodwin told him that his interest was in pushing comics as a whole forward. Starkings tells this tale somewhat sheepishly as Goodwin made him start to see the broader picture at this point. This story reflects well on Goodwin, and had Goodwin got his way it would have been a small step forward for 'ambitious, politically engaged creator owned work' as a whole.
Here's the link (The meat of the story is about halfway down the page)
Even the end of the story relfects well on Goodwin. Even though he was so mad at Starkings and Marvel UK, he still championed Sleeze Brothers once Epic adopted the book, and Starkings praised how Goodwin was able to wipe the slate clean for his future friendly, supportive, professional dealings with Starkings.
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Researching the Marvel UK Zoids strip I came across a story told by Richard Starkings. (Yes, that Richard Starkings.) He was then editor at Marvel UK and heard that Marvel's Epic line, headed by Archie, was very interested in publishing some series from 2000AD offshoot Crisis.
At the time, Starkings rankled at the idea of Marvel promoting Marvel UK's rival's work in America and lobbied within the company for his team to produce stuff instead. So we got 'Sleaze Brothers' instead of Pat Mills' Third World War, Garth Ennis' Troubled Souls and other ambitious, politically engaged creator owned work.
Starkings later met Goodwin, who was furious at him. Starkings tried to argue that Marvel had to look after themselves number one, but Goodwin told him that his interest was in pushing comics as a whole forward. Starkings tells this tale somewhat sheepishly as Goodwin made him start to see the broader picture at this point. This story reflects well on Goodwin, and had Goodwin got his way it would have been a small step forward for 'ambitious, politically engaged creator owned work' as a whole.
Here's the link (The meat of the story is about halfway down the page)