Zuda Comics

[raerae]

I'm not fond of contests at the best of times, but Zuda at least seems a bit better than Tokyopop's pilot program(or maybe it's just the skeevy way TP words their contract).

[Funderbunk]

My take on this is that I'm just far too much of a control freak to give someone any type of control over my stuff.

[LegendWoodsman]

My take on this is that I'm just far too much of a control freak to give someone any type of control over my stuff.

Yeah, me too.

Can I change my previous answer?  ;)

[flameape]

The fact remains that the individual or Corp. that files the trademark owns the trademark. Zuda(as a subsidiary of Time-Warner) does not file in both names- they file ownership as Zuda/Time-Warner. Thus if they own the trademark, then they can do anything with the concept that they wish- they are sole owners and they are not obligated to do anything for you. Yes you own copyright; copyright only covers the specific instance published- the literal art, or appearances your concept made drawn/written by you.

But by owning trademark, Zuda/Time-Warner owns the ability to do trade using that image, design, character(s), what have you. So they can, in fact, pay you a substandard page rate to a beginner DC penciller/inker/colorist team and if so desired, keep your un-chosen concept in the comics equivalent of "screenplay option-hell" while preventing you from moving on elsewhere. Has it happened? No, not that we are aware of. Can it happen, according to the current terms? Yes, absolutely.

Legal protection in the form of contract law and negotiation pertaining to same is only to prevent worst-case scenarios. So it really is immaterial whether or not company "A" are usually good guys or not- due diligence/negotiation on behalf of or by the author is the ONLY thing that will prevent said author entering into an agreement that is unfair or unethical. There is no negotiation in Zuda contract or relationship- you sign away the farm if you want to "potentially win". So I say, Zuda/Time-Warner ethics=FAIL.

My argument with those friends and contempraries I've had this discussion with at other forums is simply, why would anyone in this day and age seek an easy way out to the hard work that it really takes to have a successful comic/webcomic when the legal binding agreement you enter into is soley in the favor of the publisher? It is a regressive tactic that belongs in the 19th century or worse, 20th century ethical landmine-ridden industries like the US music industry.

Here we have a industry, infamous for it's mistreatment of those who helped create it time and again- offering, in a new century of progressive ideas and communication/publication modalities, using antiquated robber baron methods to bribe desperate creators into "selling the farm for a few beans". Oh, wait- except for the entirety of the European comics industry-  which employ ethical practices, pay schedules and do not usurp ownership. So much for the "future of webcomics"- sounds like the same old shit that Kirby, Siegel & Schuster, Bissette, Sim, Moore and many others had to fight. Many of them lost those fights- some like Dave Sim answered with a big "no thanks", making public the unfairness of their practices. I agree.

Unfortunately, we are not Dave Sim, Steve Bisette's etc. We are just starting out here n the frontiers of wanting to make it big. it's easy to unscrew your logical mind into contortions like coming up with "throwaway concepts" to cash in on the Zuda concept. So that would mean you care about it enough to generate a thing that could win, i.e., make allot of work for yourself- but when the thing goes big(because you've sweated creatively enough to GENERATE a hit)you DON'T care about it enough to , i dunno, be upset if you're creatively or financially shoved out of the way because you've sold away your right to make any decisions or negotiate terms? That doesn't compute with me. Never will.

I think we as the "no-names" have to take a page from Kurtz, Sim, Moore, etc.'s books and be prepare to do it the way it is done- with hard work , drive, self-support and frankly, the SELF-CONFIDENCE in our worth as creators of the very things these companies make their money with, to strive out on our own, sink or swim without selling away our worth in unethical scams. Yes scams, that's what any so-called new publishing paradigm -webcomics hub- f"air deal sam"-contest is- it's a scam. This isn't "let's give back to the unwashed masses" it's "how can we make a sawbuck the old-fashioned way- by keeping most of it."

Just spend the time on what you love- creating your best loved stuff- not throwaways. Let's create and sell and all of it ourselves and tell these hucksters "No Thanks."

[flameape]

There really isn't such a thing as "better of two evils". Thanks for putting it on the line so succinctly, man.

[Nuke]

Many words

Nice freakin' post! I certainly couldn't have put that any better.

[mwytrykus]

So they can, in fact, pay you a substandard page rate to a beginner DC penciller/inker/colorist team and if so desired, keep your un-chosen concept in the comics equivalent of "screenplay option-hell" while preventing you from moving on elsewhere. Has it happened? No, not that we are aware of. Can it happen, according to the current terms? Yes, absolutely.

This is the only part of your post that I am going to argue with. Zuda gets no rights to your comic unless you win the competition and sign the contract. Anything that runs in the competition and does not go on to be a Zuda series, an "un-chosen concept" as you call it, remains the property of the creator and Zuda cannot do much with it. they can only keep your 8 page submission archived on their site and you can ask them to take it down, and they can reprint it in an anthology, which you get paid for.

[Rob]

In case someone hasn't heard... Zuda is no more.

http://zuda.blog.dccomics.com/