DJ COFFMAN and PLATINUM; Case fucking closed.

[James Patrick]

DJ got paid today. It’s on his blog. Case fucking closed.

But people still do not understand this situation, which is why this has been boiling inside me and I have to get it out. People still go on and on and use DJ for an example of their own agenda on creator rights and why you shouldn’t sell. And yes, selling your properties isn’t always the best thing; studios are out to own and exploit and make as much money as they can off your work; don’t‘ fucking do it if you don‘t want to fucking regret it. It’s really not that hard.

But the conflict between DJ Platinum isn’t about creator‘s rights. DJ getting back the rights to Hero By Night was a footnote in what the conflict was about. According to DJ, DJ getting back the rights came up from Platinum as a thank you for everything DJ had done for them, and was a way DJ could maybe continue Hero By Night and Platinum could maintain visibility for their project for the hopes of movie, TV, action figure, lunch boxes, and/or condom deals. Whether Platinum intended to or didn’t intend to isn’t important, this was a separate thing.

DJ’s issue and why HE stopped Hero By Night, according to him, was because they were late on payments. Payments coming in for work on the ongoing series. As is implied, they fulfilled all their Comic Book Challenge obligations, and then went beyond them, made Hero By Night and ongoing series, and continue to pay DJ to make it. According to Platinum, times got hard, payments were late. In the course of this, alternative ways to continue the series were approached, it was mentioned by DJ, and all people read was that line and saw creator’s rights! Creator’s rights! Creator’s rights! And their own agenda.

Hey, I’m all for creator’s rights. I’m a fucking creator. But saying that DJ should have known better than to sell his property, saying DJ didn’t learn by people in the past (about creator’s rights), did not and does not apply to this situation.

DJ wanted his book to continue and he wanted paid. As stated in his blog, he never regretted selling the rights to Hero By Night, never minded Platinum owning them, and doesn’t regret the time, money, and exposure that came with what Platinum did with Hero By Night. So don’t say he did. Don’t say he should have learned. He cashed his checks, he made his comics, and he had a smile on his face until the stops for the ongoing series stopped coming.

DJ’s been paid. As posted on other blogs and websites, he got an e-mail saying they would suspend talking about rights. It’s their right. They bought it and they paid him and it’s done.

Sincerely James Patrick; co-plotter and scripter of Hero By Night ongoing

[djcoffman]

Thanks Jim. Yeah, I'm all for Creator Rights too. It's tough when you have a bunch of loudmouths online with their own agendas trying to spin it into the "We hate Platinum, we told you so!" issues. I'm glad you get it, and I'm glad other people get it too.

And I'm no dummy when it comes to rights. I had a pretty big company offer to buy the rights to YIRMUMAH stuff before and I said nope, no way. It's not for sale! There was a company that wanted to make Llama dolls I never talked about, and BOY was that tempting!!! I mean, I want a fucking Llama doll, or a cute little bunny that says "fuck". And not only that, in talks with that company, they wanted to "tone down" Yirmumah before taking it on. Tone down Yirmumah??? That's like taking the cheese off a cheeseburger. It would be un-american!

The craziest thing to me has been the amount of calls and emails I've gotten either for or about or from lawyers. I never knew or realized their were the equivalent to "ambulance chasers" in the entertainment industry and I find that both frightening and incredibly amusing.

Onward!

[AndrewG]

James, that was very, very well said.
I've seen a lot online (at various sites) with people trying to form opinions about it one way or another and you spelled it out perfectly.
It'd be nice if your post could be the end of the speculation and the 2nd guessing.

[AndrewG]

Originally Posted by djcoffman

Thanks Jim. Yeah, I'm all for Creator Rights too. It's tough when you have a bunch of loudmouths online with their own agendas trying to spin it into the "We hate Platinum, we told you so!" issues. I'm glad you get it, and I'm glad other people get it too.

And I'm no dummy when it comes to rights. I had a pretty big company offer to buy the rights to YIRMUMAH stuff before and I said nope, no way. It's not for sale! There was a company that wanted to make Llama dolls I never talked about, and BOY was that tempting!!! I mean, I want a fucking Llama doll, or a cute little bunny that says "fuck". And not only that, in talks with that company, they wanted to "tone down" Yirmumah before taking it on. Tone down Yirmumah??? That's like taking the cheese off a cheeseburger. It would be un-american!

The craziest thing to me has been the amount of calls and emails I've gotten either for or about or from lawyers. I never knew or realized their were the equivalent to "ambulance chasers" in the entertainment industry and I find that both frightening and incredibly amusing.

Onward!

DJ,
Congrats on getting paid and for putting out a hell of a story.
A lot of people want to speculate and 2nd guess you (or any other creator who's in the same position) but I think if they were in the same position they would sell off rights for a lot less. It's easy to make assumptions from the sidelines about someone else should run their life or their creation, but it really is a personal issue that isn't anyone else's business.

[James Patrick]

Originally Posted by The Haven

James, that was very, very well said.
I've seen a lot online (at various sites) with people trying to form opinions about it one way or another and you spelled it out perfectly.
It'd be nice if your post could be the end of the speculation and the 2nd guessing.

I was just so surprised that people kept reading what they wanted to read into it. And people can discuss Platinum and creator rights, I just hated seeing them say stuff like "DJ should know better" or "he made a mistake or he regretted it" -- because he didn't -- they were just putting words in his mouth at that point.

[Kody]

Good post.

And "creator rights" includes the right of a creator to sell his property if he chooses. So I don't see why people freak the fuck out over such things. If the rights are stolen, that's a problem.

But if a creator chooses to sell those rights and is fully aware of the deal outlined in the contract, I don't see a problem.

[AndrewG]

Originally Posted by James Patrick

I was just so surprised that people kept reading what they wanted to read into it. And people can discuss Platinum and creator rights, I just hated seeing them say stuff like "DJ should know better" or "he made a mistake or he regretted it" -- because he didn't -- they were just putting words in his mouth at that point.

I also think that a lot of people saying that would sell rights to their work for a lot less. It's easy to bitch about how other people are governing their time and properties when they haven't had to deal with the same situation and probably never will.

I could have made a nice penny on the Life of Reilly book but the offer I got would have made me lose creative control over the content. It's not the same situation as someone who created a character but I think the most important part of the Reilly book is that I'm trying to get very, very deep into what really happened and I don't want anyone else to have a final say on what info stays and what goes.

Granted, I would sell out the book in a heartbeat but can't do it if the actual material that makes the book what it is is censored.

[PhilipClark]

Glad to hear this was resolved. DJ, what are your plans for HBN for the future?

[RandyOni]

I didn't think much of the criticism of Platinum had anything to do with creator rights.
Seemed to be more about other issues.

Glad everything worked out for you guys!

[Nick Spencer]

Glad it all got resolved and everyone is okay, sorry it all played out so publicly. Hope you guys can find a new home for the book elsewhere, best of luck.