Unfair of Marvel to force Gary Friedrich to pay
6 Comments Published by Avi Green on Friday, February 10, 2012 at 12:20 AM.
Gary Friedrich, the creator of Ghost Rider in the early 1970s, has not only lost his suit with Marvel over getting any credit for creating the supernatural biker, he's even being forced to pay them $17,000! He can't even legally say he's the creator for any form of gain or advertising. And the worst part is that he's not in good financial shape, meaning that this could have a bad impact on his wallet.
He can file an appeal, but until then, the heads of Marvel today like Joe Quesada should be ashamed of themselves for belittling Friedrich, presumably because they think they can get away with slighting the writers who conceived minor heroes just because Ghost Rider doesn't have the recognition that Spider-Man and Capt. America do. If they don't want to grant him any special rights to the character, that's one thing, but throwing him out so cavalierly by forcing him into something that could put him in worse financial situation than he's already in is a very low act.
He can file an appeal, but until then, the heads of Marvel today like Joe Quesada should be ashamed of themselves for belittling Friedrich, presumably because they think they can get away with slighting the writers who conceived minor heroes just because Ghost Rider doesn't have the recognition that Spider-Man and Capt. America do. If they don't want to grant him any special rights to the character, that's one thing, but throwing him out so cavalierly by forcing him into something that could put him in worse financial situation than he's already in is a very low act.
Labels: Ghost Rider, marvel comics
Marvel sucks. The poor guy was having to charge 2 bucks an autograph at a show I attended a few years back. There oughta be a retroactive pension for some of the creators, not just the emergency aid from Hero Init.
You won, Qtip, maybe you even had the legal right, but don't piss on him while he's down.
Ah hell, judging from the crap they publish, how could I expect these idiots to understand the difference between legal and moral?
It reminds me of how a few NFL players from the 30s got hosed out of a pension due to an old loophole. Yeah, maybe contractually they didn't have the 'right' to it, but come on...sometimes you have to do the right thing. Without Gary, your precious Garth Ennis would've had one less IP to wreck. At least give him credit for that.
Unbelievable. Marvel, you suck.
I'm not sure what is more galling: the fact he lost, or the fact Marvel is forcing him to pay for it, too.
Timed just for the release of the new GR movie, too. Stay classy, Marvel.
I guess Marvel is having money problems so they need the $$$$$ to keep publishing books.
Here are a few sites working to help him raise the money to pay the judgment.
http://www.bleedingcool.com/2012/02/10/helping-raise-money-for-gary-friedrich/
http://www.bleedingcool.com/2012/02/14/neal-adams-helping-gary-friedrich/
http://www.comicsbeat.com/2012/02/10/help-gary-friedrich-new-donation-site-set-up/
Even though I am on disAbility I plan to find a way to donate this ^%^& court ruling.
Bobb
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