| |
|
from Newsarama, just now:
MOORE: DONE WITH DC, PULLS LoEG
For Alan Moore, disagreements with DC Comics were mostly par for the course throughout the course of his contentious (at best) relationship with the company. Finally, according to Rich Johnston, the relationship may be at a complete end.
Over the years, Moore has distanced himself from DC, chiefly as a result of what Moore saw as DC dodging its responsibility to pay royalties to artist Dave Gibbons and himself on associated merchandise shortly after Watchmen was released. Moore cut all ties with the company and later, set up his America’s Best Comics at Wildstorm Studios, when it was still part of Image.
When Jim Lee sold the studio to DC Comics, Lee and editor Scott Dunbier personally flew to meet with Moore to smooth over the negotiations and worked with the creator to establish a “firewall” corporation, through which Moore would be paid for his work (rather than via paychecks from DC Comics). Despite the “hands off” relationship DC was supposed to have with Moore’s work, twice the company and Moore clashed: once over a reprinted Victorian era advertisement for a “Marvel Douche” in issue #5 of League of Extraordinary Gentlemen caused the issue to be ordered pulped and reprinted; and again when DC told Moore that he could not use a public domain story for a Cobweb tale for issue #8 of the Tomorrow Stories anthology.
Finally, in 2000, as Newsarama broke the story, Moore pulled his support and participation from the 15th Anniversary celebration of Watchmen, which was to include an action figure line as well as a hardcover collection of the story. As a result of Moore’s statements and public stance against the project, DC cancelled the products altogether. Since that time, Moore has worked to complete his ABC work while pulling back from the active role he once played in the line, allowing others to carry on with many of the series and characters he originated.
Moore’s stance with the Watchmen projects drove home the point for many that Moore sticks to his guns in a manner rarely seen in comics, refusing to work with those who have personally betrayed him, or acted in a manner he has found less than honorable.
In Johnston’s return to his column, “Lying in the Gutters,” Moore explains that, due to his displeasure with Hollywood’s treatments of his properties (Moore was named in a lawsuit in which, he and 20th Century Fox were sued for the similarities between League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and Cast of Characters, leading Moore to endure a ten hour deposition due to similarities between the two properties that the filmmakers, not Moore, included in the story), he’s pulled his name from the V for Vendetta film, and wants absolutely nothing to do with any more films based on his work.
According to Johnston’s report, Moore had also issued an ultimatum to DC, via Dunbier, that if there were “any more meddling, any more pulping, any more problems," that he would pull League of Extraordinary Gentlemen v3 from the publisher. The third volume had already been announced by DC as being in the works, and to date, the first two collections of the stories by Moore and Kevin O’Neil remain consistent sellers for DC through the book trade.
Again, according to the story, Moore took umbrage at what V producer Joel Silver said about Moore’s approval of the film. Moore requested a retraction of the offensive comments, received none, and as a result, will be taking League of Extraordinary Gentlemen v3 to Top Shelf
According to Johnston, Moore and O’Neill will complete League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Dark Dossier later this year, and that will be that. The property will then move to Top Shelf/Knockabout for the third, and all future volumes.
Top Shelf’s Chris Staros confirmed for Newsarama that he and Moore had spoken about the property moving to Top Shelf, but declined to comment on a timetable or specific projects and dates. |
|
|
