Does Anyone Know the Backstory with Alan Davis and Miracleman?

[seanfingh]

 

 

I was fifth or sixth in line for Alan Davis at Mid-Ohio on Saturday. The folks ahead of me were getting a lot of Batman and Excalibur signed. I was the first one who laid a Miracleman #4 in front of him. It was at the bottom of my pile and when he got to it, he said "I'm sorry, I don't sign these. My work was stolen from me."

 

I apologized for presenting the book, and he very nicely stated, "It's not your fault, but I won't sign those books,as I never got paid for them." It was shocking and surprising to me. And I think to other folks as well, as there were a number of copies there waiting to be signed and SS'd. Does anyone know the rest of the story?

[moonlite]

Something to do with the copyright and then the fact that Eclipse went out of business, probably before paying him.

 

Looooooong saga here:

 

http://www.worldsgreatestcritic.com/miraclemansaga.html

[nearmint]

I don't get it. Why punish the fan?

[Pirate]

It appears it wasn't even new art, but reprints of old stuff that he probably got paid for, not that it changes anything, but Alan saying they stole his work I think is a little extreme. interesting.

[moonlite]

I don't think he got paid to reprint it in the USA.

[spoonerism]

Recently, I mailed Alan, Neil Gaiman, Todd McFarlane and the director of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund and suggested that all the folks who hold claim to the various rights of Miracleman get together and sign that they will allow the work to be reprinted in an expensive edition for the benefit of the CBLDF (and/or the Hero Initiative).

 

Alan wrote back almost immediately with:

I refuse to allow the art I drew for Marvelman to be reprinted as a matter of principle. My motivation for doing so has been in print on a number of occasions and all relevant parties know I still own absolute copyright to all of the art and designs I contributed to the series.

 

Alan Davis

 

I responded with:

Alan --

 

I'm sorry that this escaped me. I've read everything I can get my hands on about Marvel/Miracleman (Kimota, the Comics Journal article, message boards). There were always hints of something, along with the acknowledged fact that you own your art and designs, but I never knew that you refuse to allow reprinting in any form.

 

Could you explain? Or point me to a source where I can read your point of view? I just registered at your site's forum so I could search on there, and still didn't get anything.

 

I've always been a big fan of yours -- from Miracleman to Excalibur and everything inbetween. Thanks for responding.

 

--James

 

... and have received no response.

 

I thought I'd read everything on MM, and I googled around to see what he was talking about, but couldn't find anything.

 

I'll go read this page to see if it sheds any further light on the subject.

 

In any case, though, I can see not allowing reprints, but not signing a book for a fan? What's up with that?

 

Edit: After reading that page, I am even more confused. It says there that Alan Davis signed his rights over to Gary Leach when Leach took over the art duties on the book. (As Alan Moore had done to Neil Gaiman when Gaiman assumed writing duties.)

 

Does anyone have a reference to Davis' motivations?

 

 

[Pirate]

Recently, I mailed Alan, Neil Gaiman, Todd McFarlane and the director of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund and suggested that all the folks who hold claim to the various rights of Miracleman get together and sign that they will allow the work to be reprinted in an expensive edition for the benefit of the CBLDF (and/or the Hero Initiative).

 

Alan wrote back almost immediately with:

I refuse to allow the art I drew for Marvelman to be reprinted as a matter of principle. My motivation for doing so has been in print on a number of occasions and all relevant parties know I still own absolute copyright to all of the art and designs I contributed to the series.

 

Alan Davis

 

I responded with:

Alan --

 

I'm sorry that this escaped me. I've read everything I can get my hands on about Marvel/Miracleman (Kimota, the Comics Journal article, message boards). There were always hints of something, along with the acknowledged fact that you own your art and designs, but I never knew that you refuse to allow reprinting in any form.

 

Could you explain? Or point me to a source where I can read your point of view? I just registered at your site's forum so I could search on there, and still didn't get anything.

 

I've always been a big fan of yours -- from Miracleman to Excalibur and everything inbetween. Thanks for responding.

 

--James

 

... and have received no response.

 

I thought I'd read everything on MM, and I googled around to see what he was talking about, but couldn't find anything.

 

I'll go read this page to see if it sheds any further light on the subject.

 

In any case, though, I can see not allowing reprints, but not signing a book for a fan? What's up with that?

 

Edit: After reading that page, I am even more confused. It says there that Alan Davis signed his rights over to Gary Leach when Leach took over the art duties on the book. (As Alan Moore had done to Neil Gaiman when Gaiman assumed writing duties.)

 

Does anyone have a reference to Davis' motivations?

 

 

Nope, but glad I played football in HS to catch the 9.8 miracleman 4 that was tossed my way after putting it down in front of alan

[joe_collector]

In any case, though, I can see not allowing reprints, but not signing a book for a fan? What's up with that?

 

There are lots of things celebs won't sign, like Sim and the Cerebus counterfeits, so what's the big deal? If Alan Davis feels scammed by the publishers, then it's his right not to sign anything related to that bad experience.

[spoonerism]

In any case, though, I can see not allowing reprints, but not signing a book for a fan? What's up with that?

 

There are lots of things celebs won't sign, like Sim and the Cerebus counterfeits, so what's the big deal? If Alan Davis feels scammed by the publishers, then it's his right not to sign anything related to that bad experience.

 

Of course it's his right. It just seems a little petty.

[General Zod]

Bruce Campbell won't sign certain books either. I can sympathize if there's bad blood.

[PeasOfCrap]

Bruce Campbell won't sign certain books either. I can sympathize if there's bad blood.

 

which wont brucie sign?

[mschmidt]

In any case, though, I can see not allowing reprints, but not signing a book for a fan? What's up with that?

 

There are lots of things celebs won't sign, like Sim and the Cerebus counterfeits, so what's the big deal? If Alan Davis feels scammed by the publishers, then it's his right not to sign anything related to that bad experience.

 

Dave Sim will happily sign the Cerebus #1 counterfeits - he just won't use his own name. I have one he signed "Neal Adams" and I sold one that was signed "Frank Frazetta" a little while ago

[PeasOfCrap]

In any case, though, I can see not allowing reprints, but not signing a book for a fan? What's up with that?

 

There are lots of things celebs won't sign, like Sim and the Cerebus counterfeits, so what's the big deal? If Alan Davis feels scammed by the publishers, then it's his right not to sign anything related to that bad experience.

 

Dave Sim will happily sign the Cerebus #1 counterfeits - he just won't use his own name. I have one he signed "Neal Adams" and I sold one that was signed "Frank Frazetta" a little while ago

 

 

that is pretty funny!

[spoonerism]

In any case, though, I can see not allowing reprints, but not signing a book for a fan? What's up with that?

 

There are lots of things celebs won't sign, like Sim and the Cerebus counterfeits, so what's the big deal? If Alan Davis feels scammed by the publishers, then it's his right not to sign anything related to that bad experience.

 

Dave Sim will happily sign the Cerebus #1 counterfeits - he just won't use his own name. I have one he signed "Neal Adams" and I sold one that was signed "Frank Frazetta" a little while ago

 

 

that is pretty funny!

 

Seriously! Now I want one of these!

[MedicAR]

Bruce Campbell won't sign certain books either. I can sympathize if there's bad blood.

 

which wont brucie sign?

 

The books from Dynamite Publishing.

[Ogami]

In any case, though, I can see not allowing reprints, but not signing a book for a fan? What's up with that?

 

There are lots of things celebs won't sign, like Sim and the Cerebus counterfeits, so what's the big deal? If Alan Davis feels scammed by the publishers, then it's his right not to sign anything related to that bad experience.

 

Dave Sim will happily sign the Cerebus #1 counterfeits - he just won't use his own name. I have one he signed "Neal Adams" and I sold one that was signed "Frank Frazetta" a little while ago

 

 

that is pretty funny!

 

agree.

 

what would be especially awesome would be a SS book with "Signed by Dave Sim" in the notes, with the fake name on the book.