Quote Originally Posted by KingsLeadHat View Post
Are you not aware that Kirby's main concern was "providing for his family" and leaving them something after his demise?
I am aware and simply don't care. He provided for them when he was alive. Providing for them after his death in this manner is just disingenuous. The job was done and the money was spent. Suing after the fact in order to double dip reeks of greed and sour grapes.

As a comic fan, I appreciate Kirby's massive contribution. I just don't think that he deserved any more money. It sucks that Kirby couldn't do more to provide for his family post mortem, but he wasn't entitled to any more from Marvel. The courts ruled on this. TWICE.

I think people are on the side of right when they shame, sue or otherwise cause a big stink to get these soulless corporations to do what they should have done in the first place.
Oh! Cry me a river. Save that Robin Hood spiel. This is business. Kirby's motivation in this lawsuit was money, not flowers and puppies. The estate was out for a payday whether it was owed to them or not. Well, congratulations. They got one.

That Kirby didn't get health insurance sucked. Sure. I agree. He could've gotten work elsewhere. That they didn't give him significant credit is as meaningless. They owned the IP, not him. They were entitled to the credit, not him. Legal? Sure. Fair? Probably not. Either way, he was a cog in the machine. He got paid. He took that pay. It doesn't get any simpler than that.

The paradigm is different when art is involved. Sorry, it's not just a product. These creators aren't manual laborers or otherwise non-creative cogs in a vast machine; they are the reasons these companies have any worth and its high time they're treated as such.
Oooh. Look who's all preachy, knowing it is what artists do or want. I am a working pro artist - digital variety. You're 100% right. We aren't just manual laborers or button jockeys. What we do takes time, effort, talent, and passion. Creating art is actual work and not everybody can do it.

At the same time, passion doesn't pay the bills. I know. Believe me, I know. I've been creating art for 25 years, 21 of them professionally. I work with contracts all of the time. I negotiate my terms. I don't cry after the fact. Trust me. There are times, especially in my younger years, when I've accidentally screwed the pooch and valued my services wrong. I didn't cry after the fact though. A deal is a deal.

Once again, I respect the work that Kirby did. I'm not taking anything away from it. The man was a master and genuine innovator. However, at the end of the day, he got what was owed long ago. This settlement is just gravy; a reward for crying until somebody paid them to just stop.

Anyway... I'm just happy that this is all over. Everybody's out of everybody's hair. That's all that matters. I may not like the outcome, but whatever. It doesn't affect me. As I said, I have no vested interest in this out of court settlement. It just offends my business sensibilities and rubs me the wrong way. Oh, well. It's done. That's all I can say.