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Comics International
news Round Up
In addition to
David Bishops alarmingly uncontroversial feature on Brits making it big in America,
Comics International
had a number of 2000AD related articles this month
Dodgy Rebellion Contracts
The first and most
notable was from Alan Grant, who has been scanning Rebellion's new contracts.
According to Grant, 2 issues emerge.
The first was that
"by signing the commissioning letter, creators/contributors automatically
give up all rights to their stories and characters which previously appeared in
2000AD or the Megazine" The second was the setting up of a Syndication company,
which grant alleges will result in lower royalties for freelancers.
As the letter was
highlighted on the cover of the issue - expect a response from Rebellion in the
near future...
McKenzie defends use of Steel Claw
Alan McKenzie also
decided to respond to an assertion by the ever vocal David Bishop regarding his
assertion that McKenzie used a number of characters for a 2000AD special (such
as Steel Claw) without even checking out their ownership. McKenzie stated that
the MD/Publisher and "everyone else at Fleetway at the time" believed
Fleetway owned the characters. The truth became clear much much later.
As for now, Wildstorm
owns the rights and there are rumours that they'll use the characters to attract
British creators, and maybe get Alan Moore involved.
 More
2000AD movie news?
A recent press
release on the Hollywood Reporter site read:
LONDON -- A
group of British investors said Wednesday that they have picked up the rights
to characters and story lines from the comic strip library 2000 AD for the development
of screenplays and live-action films. The group, which obtained the rights for
an undisclosed sum, aims to develop features based on the Britain-based comic
books, whose characters include Judge Dredd, Strontium Dog and Rogue Trooper.
Working under the banner 2000 AD Films, the group's management team comprises
Jason and Christopher Kingsley, co-founders of U.K. computer games company Rebellion.
Andrew Curtis, the founding partner of media law firm Drew & Co. Solicitors,
is a partner in the venture. Also on board is film financier and production executive
Daniel Figuero ("The Scarlet Tunic").
So what does this
mean? It's clearly following on from the recent issuing of shares, but details,
as ever with the Dredd films, are scarce. Daniel Figuero's credits on
the IMDB don't offer much hope, and after much searching I've yet to find
anything on Drew & Co. Hopefully things will become clearer, but film development
is a slow business, so don't hold your breath...
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