![Before Grabbing Your Pitchfork… When Sonic #244 was released by Archie last month to much shock–and series writer Ian Flynn admitted he had to alter the storyline at the last […]](http://www.tssznews.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/archie_comics_generic_header.jpg "Chatter Suggests Archie, Not Penders, Pulled Plug on Disputed Sonic Comic Chars")
Before Grabbing Your Pitchfork…
When Sonic #244 was released by Archie last month to much shock–and series writer Ian Flynn admitted he had to alter the storyline at the last minute–plenty of fans pointed to the ongoing dispute Archie’s had with former writer Ken Penders regarding copyrights filed over several storylines and a few characters. The case took an unexpected turn when those terms of settlement were allegedly reached late last year, and many readers believe those preliminary terms, and in particular any directives set by Penders, may mean plenty of characters in the echidna universe will never be seen in the series again.
If that holds, the blame may not rest on who you think, if one person is to be believed. A comment on this site’s Sonic #244 reaction piece made earlier this week from BobR, who handles some backend administration for Penders’s website but speaking on his own accord, caught our attention. He alleges Archie dropped the characters on their own terms, not on Penders’s.
“I should point out the decision to use or not use a character lies strictly with Archie Comics,” BobR said. “For all those out there blaming Ken over the disappearance of your favorite character, you’re blaming the wrong party.”
If true, one can speculate the reasons as to why Archie would make such a move, be it out of caution in the wake of losing an important summary judgment decision, or as a good faith measure during negotiations. It’s also good news for concerned comic readers, because depending on the settlement outcome, it could mean those characters believed to have been wiped away in issue #244 can come back.
The truth is, we will likely never know the full outcome of this case should it be settled. If, however, we see even a partial reversal of the latest issue’s perceived purge, it may be a good sign Archie and Penders came to amicable terms. We will continue to update you on the matter.
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If he really love your characters – Release them all! Hay Mr. PENDERSATAN – Surrender and repent!
If he really love their characters – Release them all! Hay Mr. PENDERSATAN – Surrender and repent!
If he really love their characters – Release them all! Hey Mr. PENDERSATAN – Surrender and repent!
If he really love their characters – May he let his creation! Hay Mr. PENDERSATAN – Surrender and repent!
@Brian Walmer
The Encyclopedia was in the works long before the legal team changed. It was also published before the legal team changed.
Good grief, what a ridiculous article. “Don’t blame Ken Penders for this, Archie may have removed all his characters themselves!” Right, and what would have induced them to do that? Did someone in the company just wake up one day and say “you know, I’d like to completely screw over our creative team and make them redo several issues?” Or would it be more likely they did it out of fear of Ken’s lawsuit? And if it’s the latter, why should we not blame Ken? I’m sticking with blaming Ken. The man’s put me in a position I never wanted to be in: taking the side of Archie against a writer. I never thought I’d find myself in this position, but I didn’t count on someone being crazy and intellectually bankrupt enough to go to court saying “I own Amy Rose’s cousin, who looks like Sonic the Hedgehog and is a parody of the public-domain character Robin Hood”.
@BobR
Yes I’m very jealous that your buddy-buddy with a hack writer who can’t get past his own ego. I wish my best friend was a self-important asshole too.
Once again, another bait-and-switch type of article ALL stemming from the headline alone.
@Captain KaBlam!
As I’ve stated before, as long as Archie was content to stay with the comics, he had no qualms about his characters being used. But, they took work that he created and started doing other things with it, including reprints in digests, archives, electronic editions, and games — items that weren’t the comics. These are “recent” actions. Add to this his expansion of knowledge about copyrights through his time working with Hollywood productions and then the time it took to explore the copyright laws as they pertain to comic books by consulting with IP experts. Once he realized he still possessed the copyrights to his works it took more time, over a year actually, to register them. (Registration is required before any legal action can be taken concerning copyrights.) The copyright office was going slow because of the possible work-for-hire situation that would render Ken’s ownership moot. The copyright office even sent both Archie and SEGA letters about the registrations, to see if they had any formal objections. Both apparently just blew off the letters, as the copyright office heard nothing back from either entity. It all culminated into his copyright ownership notice to Archie in 2010, and Archie’s lawsuit against him in reply. This was not something Ken decided to do overnight on a whim, but was indeed “many years in the making.”
As for a publisher, one is already lined up, though Ken is exploring the idea of a digital product. As for readers, well, if you’ll pardon my own little pandering, “If you write it, they will come.”
What are people getting so butthurt about? The less crappy original Archie characters there are in the comics the better. Now if only they could permanently kill Sally, Rotor, and all the other pointless and boring SatAM characters, that would be perfect.
@BobR
Then why didn’t he just simply ask for royalties? What made him decide to go all out and start planning a graphic novel series?
It’s still a shame that all the disputed echidnas are gone, because now, we may never see the entirety of the fight that issue 243 was building up to. Quite a shame.
@SonicComicWorld
Hi SonicComicWorld. How are you doing?
@BobR
Okay, I like you. First things first, this publisher have a name? It’s not that I doubt you, it’s just that until I have something to go on, I’m going to picture the book being published by Shadoloo (not because I think he’s evil, but because I think he’d jump at the chance to work with Raoul Julia (who wouldn’t?)).
Secondly, he finds out the characters may (emphasis on the may) belong to him, fine, but why fight for it? He shoulda known they wouldn’t take it lying down (Archie’s a classy dame like that, you gotta wine her and dine her before jumping to that). I mean sure it could be argued it’s money he’s not getting, but it’s not exactly like it was dough he had in his pockets in the first place. Besides, the rep should be what’s more valuable to him than the rights. He get’s to put The Sonic and Knuckles comics to his name as a writing credit, and when asked what he did on said comics he may very well end up writing his own ticket (well maybe not so grand as that, but you see my point). Fact is, at the end of the day, if Penders is right, Geronimo can stamp and shout all day, that doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll get his land back. And even if he does, he’s going to be awfully lonely.
@ihog
Well, excuse your SEGA loving snazz, but those characters that you want to get rid of are what started this comic in the first place. It sold very well for years because of them and the. comic wouldn’t even be here today had they not done well to keep people entertained with those omics.
The second the story or comic started to die was whenthe newer SEGA characters started being slung into the comics. =\
I enjoy the games and game characters myself, however, they are NOT good comic material for an established comic fan base because crap like this happens.
You have old fans and new fans fighting to keep their characters and “plotline”. I say keep the game characters who have no personality or abilty to develope, but manage to screw with pairings and established back story out of the comics!
Characters like Rouge, Big, Shadow, Marine, Cream, Blaze, Vanilla..etc, hinder and put stress on the comics. They HAD their own comic but didn’t so well enough so guess what happened to it?! Traaasshed!
So apparently these satam/comic characters you’re so willing to get rid of are doing something right that the SEGA ones aren’t!
@iHog
You DO realize that there are probably just as many pointless and boring Sega chars (some even with redundant powers) rite? Why extend your worthless comment on why fans should care on just the Archie ones?
Seriously, this is getting so tiresome already. I’m mad enough that Rob O hedge and his family didn’t appear in the chaotix arc as expected. The original cover even had him. Now the echidnas are all gone?! Even Julie-Su and Lien-Da? I enjoyed those characters so much. Dunno about you people but it can’t be a coincidence that all of penders characters are disappearing, Geffory disappeared from sonic select vol 7 and legacy 2 covers and Julie Su from 244. The comic itself isn’t as well written as before ever since team freedom forming. So stale, I don’t blame Ian, he’s a good writer that amazes me even with all the obvious changes. But this whole thing is really ruining the comic. Why can’t it stop already? Disappointed with the fact the storyline had to be changed. If Archie told them to stop using those characters it obviously should be because of the lawsuit, what other reason can it be? Urgh, forgive me, really upset about this nonsense.
@iHog
Because believe it or not some people like characters you don’t.
@The Shadow Emperor
Well, it went sort of like this:
Ken: “Hey, Archie, I’ve got my copyrights. Let’s talk!”
Archie: BAM! Lawsuit!
Ken: “Oh, so that’s the way you want to play…”
@Captain KaBlam!
Well, thank you! You’re not so bad yourself! Unfortunately, I can’t say who the publisher Ken has lined up right now, as there is still litigation pending. This is in case one of the litigants tries to bar access with another lawsuit or other legal beagle eagle furfsneagle thingy. After everything is all tied up, it’ll come out in any announcement about same. It’s also possible the graphic comic might be a casualty of the agreement…I really don’t know at this time.
As for your second point, yeah, that’s always a possibility. I’m sure Ken will cross that bridge when he comes to it.
@SonicComicWorld Is that really you? The guy who used to upload the comics and review them on Youtube and deleted his account for copyright reasons, and has also been dead for several years? So is it really you back from the dead?
Blugh…you’re getting really annoying, BobR. Think about this thing rationally, if there’s even a rational cell in your brain. Work-for-hire, which is what ALL Archie Comics writers work under, does not entitle a person to OWN characters. From numerous sources in law (including a good friend of mine, who would’ve refused a case like Penders’s if he’d been offered it), Penders’s hands are too dirty to ever really clean up in this matter. If he weren’t so nebulous and cagey about this whole damn thing, he could’ve gotten what he was entitled, which was a scant royalty at best. Really, he’s entitled to nothing, and is whining about it.
Penders is going to end up committing business suicide, and as we’ve seen in many cultures including our own, business suicide leads to bodily suicide. If he weren’t on welfare and obviously avoiding jobs just to work on a pipe dream that will never come true (Sega will not permit this atrocity to be published in any respect relating to Knuckles), he might actually be able to support himself. He got lazy, dreamed and didn’t act, and then when his chips were gone he tried to bilk people for money he doesn’t deserve.
He’d make a perfect amoral CEO if he wasn’t so obviously flawed and unpopular. Goldman Sachs he ain’t…I’d say cut your losses and move on. You’re backing a dying horse.