Gerry Conway Is Requesting Help For All Creators

[MedicAR]

Gerry Conway has been easing back toward comics collecting circles over the last year or so and has come forward with a request for fans everywhere. I don't know that I will scour my collection, but when I see characters that I recognize pop up in other media, I will certainly remember this article and try to help out.

 

Here is the original LINK

 

 

 

I need your help.

 

DC Comics is a great company.

 

It was the first major publisher to offer creator contracts on a regular basis, allowing the men and women who create characters for DC books to share in the profits those characters generate in other media. You may say, that’s only fair, but until the mid-1970s it was standard policy for comic book publishers to buy all rights in perpetuity upon payment for a single story. Writers and artists received no further payment for their work after that first check — no money for reprints, no money for toys based on characters they’d created, no money for movies or TV shows or games or trading cards.

 

Nada, zip, zilch.

 

DC Comics changed that.

 

Starting in the mid-70s DC offered creators an opportunity for what they called “equity participation.” With the appropriate paperwork submitted and signed, DC creators would receive a share of the profits generated by their creations. Like I said, you may think this is only fair, but in the ’70s it hit the business like a revelation. And for more than thirty years it’s given quite a few creators an extra bit of income — in some cases, for some older creators, the only real income they receive from comics.

 

So, to repeat, DC Comics is a great company.

 

But, like all companies, it’s a business, and its first priority is to reduce costs, increase efficiency, and maximize profits. So tracking which character was created by which writer and artist team thirty or forty years ago isn’t part of their business plan. It’s just too much work, and it requires a dedication and devotion to detail that only one group in the world has in abundant quantities:

 

You, the fans.

 

A personal note. I started this site because some of my fans alerted me to the use in the TV series “Arrow” of characters I co-created in the late 1970s, early 1980s. Without those fans I wouldn’t have known those characters were appearing. I wouldn’t have filed equity participation paperwork with DC. And neither I nor the artists I worked with would be eligible to receive money for the use of those characters. DC does not make payments retroactive. If a creator wants to claim equity participation in a character he or she co-created, they need to do so proactively.

 

Which is where you come in.

 

If you’re a fan of DC comics published since 1975, you can help your favorite pros — not just me, but any writer or artist who worked on DC’s titles. Go through your collection. Look for the first appearances of any character, major or minor, hero/villain/sidekick/bystander from the years 1975 on. Download and fill out the DC Comics Character Equity Request form (you’ll find the link below) and email it to the creators involved. Most creators have an active presence on the web, either on Facebook, or Twitter, or through their own web sites or fan pages. Reach out to them. Encourage them to file the paperwork you prepared with DC.

 

Help them get their fair share.

 

Obviously, I include myself (Gerry Conway) in this list. I can use your help, too.

 

Between 1975 and the mid-80s I wrote literally hundreds of comics for DC and created dozens of characters. FIRESTORM, JUSTICE LEAGUE, LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES, BATMAN, SUPERMAN, WONDER WOMAN, on and on and on. There’s no way I can single-handedly track down each and every character who made their first appearance in a story I wrote. But all of you working together, each doing one or two characters — you can crowd-source it.

 

Download the form, fill it out, attach a piece of art identifying the character, and send it to the email link below with the subject line EQUITY. To prevent duplication of effort by fellow fans (and to claim credit for your help!) post a comment to this blog identifying the character you’ve discovered.

 

On behalf of all the DC creators who would otherwise never know, literally, what they’re missing, thank you!

 

Here’s the link to the Character Equity Request Form:

 

And here’s the email where the filled-out forms for characters co-created by Gerry Conway, with the subject line EQUITY: comicsequityproject@gmail.com

 

Here’s a look at that form…

 

REQUEST FOR CHARACTER EQUITY

 

 

 

To:VP – Business Affairs, TalentDate:

 

 

 

Creators: Requested by:

 

Writer

 

 

 

cc:

 

ArtistGroup Editor

 

 

 

Eligibility: Character equity must be requested by a freelancer through his or her editor. The determination of whether equity will be granted rests in DC’s sole discretion, and is based primarily on the “newness” or originality of a character’s name, powers, appearance/costume, and origin, and function of the property. The creation should not be derivative of preexisting DC characters.

 

Character name and any aliases:

 

This character’s first appearance was/will be in which publication? (If character’s first appearance has not yet been scheduled, please provide proposed date):

 

 

 

Title:Issue: Cover/Publication Date:

 

Please provide a brief description of the character, including its powers, origin and, if applicable, its derivation from any existing DC character or property:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

An illustration of the character must accompany this request.

 

[Prince Namor]

Good idea.

 

[seanfingh]

 

I have three Conway books. The first appearance of Power Girl and the first appearance of Codename: Assassin are two of them. I am pretty sure he gets at least co-creator status on both. He also helped -script the first appearance of the Quality heroes (Freedom Fighters #1) in the DCU.

[Buzzetta]

Wouldn't CGC be like the Elias Sports Bureau in this case? I imagine that CGC has a database for something like this to help them out with their labeling system.

[Dale Roberts]

I can't stand Gerry Conway. He killed Gwen Stacy.

[ChrisInBaltimore]

I can't stand Gerry Conway. He killed Gwen Stacy.

 

Best thing he ever did! Everyone knows Redheads are more fun.

[shadroch]

I'm sorry, but if I was going to make money off of my creations by filling out those forms, I'd be all over them in a heartbeat.

I'd have it done in less than a week using the web.

By the way- Freedom Fighters 1 isn't the first appearence, they guest starred in a JLA/JSA crossover starting in JLA 107.

[chrisware]

Um...yeah, no thanks.

 

I've got my own life to lead and it doesn't include filing papers so that Gerry Conway can get some royalties.

 

What is he, 5 years old?

 

It's your money, dude, hire a personal assistant or do it yourself.

[Speedy-D]

Um...yeah, no thanks.

 

I've got my own life to lead and it doesn't include filing papers so that Gerry Conway can get some royalties.

 

What is he, 5 years old?

 

It's your money, dude, hire a personal assistant or do it yourself.

for serious!

[Ares]

I can't stand Gerry Conway. He killed Gwen Stacy.

 

Best thing he ever did! Everyone knows Redheads are more fun.

 

You can sleep with a blonde and a brunette.....But you never get any sleep with a redhead

[MedicAR]

Um...yeah, no thanks.

 

I've got my own life to lead and it doesn't include filing papers so that Gerry Conway can get some royalties.

 

What is he, 5 years old?

 

It's your money, dude, hire a personal assistant or do it yourself.

 

For every Stan Lee, Will Eisner, and Bob Kane, there are dozens or hundreds of Bill Fingers, and Gary Friedrichs. Not everyone was able to reap the rewards of their labor even though the companies that they created characters and ideas for have brought in literally billions of dollars. Not all of the creators have gone on to bigger and better things as Gerry Conway has.

 

Their creations have made many of us happy through reading the stories and collecting their adventures. Without a doubt, you paid your money and got what you paid for. But as comics enthusiasts, we have a wealth of obscure knowledge on obscure characters. If we happen to notice one of those characters in a new TV show, movie, or video game, is it too much to ask to drop the creator a note? You don't have to fill out the paperwork for them, but let them know so they have the opportunity to share in the profits of their work and creativity.

 

I guarantee that if it worked the other way and it was you getting the money from something you created 30 years ago, your attitude would be vastly different. Some of these people were lucky and moved on to greener pastures or even managed to do very well within comics, most did not and anything they have a right to would be very welcome. Most don't have the money for a "personal assistant" if they did, they wouldn't need this kind of help.

[seanfingh]

I'm sorry, but if I was going to make money off of my creations by filling out those forms, I'd be all over them in a heartbeat.

I'd have it done in less than a week using the web.

By the way- Freedom Fighters 1 isn't the first appearence, they guest starred in a JLA/JSA crossover starting in JLA 107.

 

I forgot about those JLAs! I checked GCD, 107 was written by Len Wein.

[mrmyst]

Um...yeah, no thanks.

 

I've got my own life to lead and it doesn't include filing papers so that Gerry Conway can get some royalties.

 

What is he, 5 years old?

 

It's your money, dude, hire a personal assistant or do it yourself.

[MedicAR]

Wow, I'm shocked at how many on a message board about collecting comics, really don't get it.

 

Go collect your comics, search for references and appearances that will make you a little extra on eBay. Try not to think about how many of the people responsible for those books can't make their rent, afford medication, or afford food. Don't think about how many died unknown and penniless. This is a way for you to give back a little bit, but please, don't go to any real effort. I'm sure someone else will do it.

[Prince Namor]

Some of the same people who complain about how lame modern Marvel and DC comics are, also think work for hire contracts of the past (in an industry of creativity) are just fine and 'they should've known what they were signing'.

It's directly related.

Once creators realized that any ideas they produced for the Big Two under these terms, they'd see no further financial benefit from, the new characters, new villains, and new ideas started to dry up. The 'House of Ideas' became the 'House of rehashing Old Ideas'.

DC paved the way for changing this, no matter what BS Jim Shooter tries to annotate history with, but the amount of merchandising is just so vast, that it'd be impossible to keep up with.

He's just asking for fans who appreciate the work of these creators to help... Not go out and do a bunch of research or go out of their way... But just if they notice something, to drop an e-mail and point it out.

[Prince Namor]

Wow, I'm shocked at how many on a message board about collecting comics, really don't get it.

 

Go collect your comics, search for references and appearances that will make you a little extra on eBay. Try not to think about how many of the people responsible for those books can't make their rent, afford medication, or afford food. Don't think about how many died unknown and penniless. This is a way for you to give back a little bit, but please, don't go to any real effort. I'm sure someone else will do it.

 

I'm sure when Jerry Siegel was living in a one room roach infested apartment in the mid-70's, practically penniless, there were some fans who shrugged and said, "Oh well."

Sad. People who grew up reading stories of heroic behavior, not only don't have the same compassion for other people as their heroes, they don't even have it for the people who CREATED those heroes.

[Speedy-D]

Wow, I'm shocked at how many on a message board about collecting comics, really don't get it.

 

Go collect your comics, search for references and appearances that will make you a little extra on eBay. Try not to think about how many of the people responsible for those books can't make their rent, afford medication, or afford food. Don't think about how many died unknown and penniless. This is a way for you to give back a little bit, but please, don't go to any real effort. I'm sure someone else will do it.

 

I'm sure when Jerry Siegel was living in a one room roach infested apartment in the mid-70's, practically penniless, there were some fans who shrugged and said, "Oh well."

Sad. People who grew up reading stories of heroic behavior, not only don't have the same compassion for other people as their heroes, they don't even have it for the people who CREATED those heroes.

We are scum.

[vaillant]

Um...yeah, no thanks.

 

I've got my own life to lead and it doesn't include filing papers so that Gerry Conway can get some royalties.

 

What is he, 5 years old?

 

It's your money, dude, hire a personal assistant or do it yourself.

 

Chris, this is really mess.

Gerry Conway has been one of the most meaningful writers in the bronze age. It‘s just fair to ask, if one does not want to help, fine.

 

On my part I can’t, as I have no familiarity with DC whatsoever, but I hope some will be able to do so.

 

I’d also be honored to know Gerry.

[ChrisInBaltimore]

I can't stand Gerry Conway. He killed Gwen Stacy.

 

Best thing he ever did! Everyone knows Redheads are more fun.

 

You can sleep with a blonde and a brunette.....But you never get any sleep with a redhead

 

Is that a bad thing?

[ChrisInBaltimore]

Some of the same people who complain about how lame modern Marvel and DC comics are, also think work for hire contracts of the past (in an industry of creativity) are just fine and 'they should've known what they were signing'.

It's directly related.

Once creators realized that any ideas they produced for the Big Two under these terms, they'd see no further financial benefit from, the new characters, new villains, and new ideas started to dry up. The 'House of Ideas' became the 'House of rehashing Old Ideas'.

DC paved the way for changing this, no matter what BS Jim Shooter tries to annotate history with, but the amount of merchandising is just so vast, that it'd be impossible to keep up with.

He's just asking for fans who appreciate the work of these creators to help... Not go out and do a bunch of research or go out of their way... But just if they notice something, to drop an e-mail and point it out.

 

See I wonder about all this though. Didn't they know what they were getting in to when they created their work? Don't creators now know what they are getting in to when they create characters. It is and comes with the job.

 

And to blame the Big Two for the loss of creativity again makes me scratch my head. If people didn't have enough integrity to do their job because they didn't feel like they were getting paid than that is on them. They should have gone and created their own company Blaming your boss for not paying you well enough is just an immature attitude.

 

Now I respect Gerry Conway and what he did for comics - Spider-Man especially. If I stumbled upon one of these moments I'd help him out. But the truth is that he should do the work himself or have kept better records back then. If I was getting paid with the possibility that my characters would make tons of money I'd keep a pretty good record of the characters I created.