Is there a financial benefit to writers introducing new characters?

[tib2d2]

If you're writing for DC, and you create a new character, DC still owns it completely right? Its not like if Warner Bros decides to make a movie or show off a DC character a writer in 2005 created, that they need their permission?

So besides the prestige of the "created by" credit, is there any financial benefit to a writer who creates a new character for DC?

[Jon Clark]

If you're writing for DC, and you create a new character, DC still owns it completely right? Its not like if Warner Bros decides to make a movie or show off a DC character a writer in 2005 created, that they need their permission?

So besides the prestige of the "created by" credit, is there any financial benefit to a writer who creates a new character for DC?

None.

But if you are writing comics as a way to do more than put food on the table, clothes on your back and a roof over your head you are in the wrong business.

And who has a better chance to be seen in a TV or Movie: Character X (created by you) for DC Comics or Character X (who you alone own)? Someone like Mark Millar or Robert Kirkman is less likely to be you than you are to hit the lottery.

[iron chimp]

Len wein said he got paid far more for Lucius Fox appearing in Batman films than he ever got for Wolverine appearances so I guess it depends on the company and the deal you cut.

[DragonsChi]

Yes.

If a writer and/or artist develops a completely new character they have the opportunity to receive royalties for said character for as long as DC is in business, when DC uses said character in other mediums and in their own books.

So a character like Signal/Duke Thomas would be eligible for royalties as Signal/Duke Thomas but a character like Damian Wayne/Robin/Batman would not since he isn't a real "original" character. DC had Robin/Batman already though his actions/personality may be different he is still the same property.

[smb5445]

How does Dick Grayson/Nightwing work then? Marv Wolfman and George Perez get credit for creating Nightwing. But Dick Grayson was created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger and the Nightwing persona was created years before.

[Jim Kelly]

In the late 1970s, DC began offering royalties/creative rights that were more attractive than what Marvel was offering and many writers and artists came to DC from Marvel for that reason. But I don't know the whole story. You have a case like Black Lightning, where DC didn't want to pay out and they stopped using the character. And I would imagine that all these cases are work-for-hire, so there had to be an extra deal to sweeten the pot, otherwise I don't know why DC would owe them anything.

But that deal, which lasted for quite awhile, is why DC has to give higher royalities on work produced in that period--unless they negotiate down on the deal. And it seems to me that most of the reported cases of writers getting generous royalties are for characters introduced during that era, like with Len Wein and Lucius Fox. In the case of the New Teen Titans, Wolfman and Perez (who had both come to DC from Marvel) would have gotten this royalties deal and co-creative rights--so maybe that extended to Nightwing, as well, once Dick took on that identity. DC was willing to extend those rights, because these Marvel expatriates were helping them get back on top.

Later on, when TPBs took off and there was much more film and TV adaptations, it bit DC in the butt--since they were on the hook to pay for stuff they hadn't counted on being so valuable in the future.

[Lee Stone]

None.

But if you are writing comics as a way to do more than put food on the table, clothes on your back and a roof over your head you are in the wrong business.

You forgot 'because you enjoy it' or 'it's your passion'.
Even then, you may want a second job.

[iron chimp]

You forgot 'because you enjoy it' or 'it's your passion'.
Even then, you may want a second job.

Plenty rich successful people in comics.

[Jon Clark]

Plenty rich successful people in comics.

I think it's more like claiming there are rich actors, when for every Hollywood A-lister there are hundreds of people who'd kill for a minor role in an off-off-Broadway show. Can you get rich- sure. Will you get rich- not likely.

[Jon Clark]

You forgot 'because you enjoy it' or 'it's your passion'.
Even then, you may want a second job.

Actually I meant to imply those two were the main reason to have the job. I think you need to balance your passions with what you need to live, but most of the arts should be jobs you don't go in expecting to get rich

[Jim Kelly]

I think the most thankless task was the letterer--at least back in the day when there were people who really did letter comics by hand. I read an article, many years ago now, by one fellow who had been a letterer at DC and he never got any rest. He had to be lettering all the time just to make ends meet and the publisher made all kinds of demands on him, without any compensation for the extra hours he had to put in, the page rates being so low. And you can imagine how much strain it puts on your hands to be doing all that hand-lettering, every day, for hours and hours.

And then, of course, with the advent of computer lettering programs many of those guys were put out of work with nowhere to go.

[skyvolt2000]

If you're writing for DC, and you create a new character, DC still owns it completely right? Its not like if Warner Bros decides to make a movie or show off a DC character a writer in 2005 created, that they need their permission?

So besides the prestige of the "created by" credit, is there any financial benefit to a writer who creates a new character for DC?

NO.

It is far more to your advantage to OWN your crap than do it for a major company.
Because you have more freedom to do WHATEVER you want.

Yeah that "created by" is NICE and will get you the chance to charge higher for your autograph at cons but you are powerless when that company does whatever they want to your creation.

How do you think ChrisCross & Dan Jolley feel with how Jason Rusch has been sent packing out of the Firestorm universe?
There is a reason Milestone OWNS Static.

You can get movie deals and shows without DC and Marvel-Image is proving that and that is not counting Walking Dead.

[Vakanai]

NO.

It is far more to your advantage to OWN your crap than do it for a major company.
Because you have more freedom to do WHATEVER you want.

Yeah that "created by" is NICE and will get you the chance to charge higher for your autograph at cons but you are powerless when that company does whatever they want to your creation.

How do you think ChrisCross & Dan Jolley feel with how Jason Rusch has been sent packing out of the Firestorm universe?
There is a reason Milestone OWNS Static.

You can get movie deals and shows without DC and Marvel-Image is proving that and that is not counting Walking Dead.

Just curious, what movie/tv deals not including Walking Dead does Image have?

[9th.]

Just curious, what movie/tv deals not including Walking Dead does Image have?

Pretty sure Spawn has had a movie in development hell for like 10 years. Deadly Class also has a show on Syfy

[jetengine]

Pretty sure Spawn has had a movie in development hell for like 10 years. Deadly Class also has a show on Syfy

Deadly Class was cancelled