Frank Cho drawing variant covers

[Awonder]

When a cover artist can support a title that is devoid of words/plot/characterization/and so on..., that artist can draw whatever he wants.

Exactly. If you want creative freedom, there's always self-publishing. Work-for-hire comes with editorial approval.

[numberthirty]

Exactly. If you want creative freedom, there's always self-publishing. Work-for-hire comes with editorial approval.

Not even editorial approval.

A cover artist is the creator most easily replaced. If it is the writer or your cover and the writer has a veto built into his agreement, your cover is probably what will go.

It's not like we are talking about a situation where there is a lone cover artists in an entire industry.

[rayray1127]

I wonder how many writers actually care about covers, especially variant covers.

I wonder how many writers have it in their contract that they can control which covers to use. I feel for artists to have their work censored by writers and not the actual editor of the book.

This was not "censoring"! As was pointed out before, if you work for a company, whoever has editorial control AT that company has the final say. In this case, Greg Rucka is that authority on Wonder Woman. If he didn't like what he saw, he had every right to say so. Do I think maybe in this case it was a TAD overzealous on Rucka's part? Sure... And I really like Cho's art, ESPECIALLY these WW covers as I think they're very regal and since buying 2 at my lcs is discounted, I've been getting both and that's HUGE for me cause I'm a meiser!

That said, will I drop the book entirely? NOT A CHANCE! So far, this story FEELS like a Wonder Woman story, and for me, it's been a long time since that's been the case. I'm sorry to see Frank go, I wish it weren't the case, but that in NO WAY detracts from the beautifully told and drawn story so far. Just my humble opinion.

[Carabas]

I wonder how many writers actually care about covers, especially variant covers.

I wonder how many writers have it in their contract that they can control which covers to use. I feel for artists to have their work censored by writers and not the actual editor of the book.

Writers who have had their books defaced with crap like this might care a great deal about control over covers...

[Jabare]

Exactly. If you want creative freedom, there's always self-publishing. Work-for-hire comes with editorial approval.

He was told he had creative freedom that's why he took the job. If DC was upfront with him from the start he wouldn't have taken the role.

[Gaelforce]

I wonder how many writers actually care about covers, especially variant covers.

I wonder how many writers have it in their contract that they can control which covers to use. I feel for artists to have their work censored by writers and not the actual editor of the book.

Here's the point though.

Rucka's contract *makes* him an editor of the book, including the variant covers.

It put him in charge of the content, and for him to exercise that editorial control isn't 'bullying,' it's him doing the job he was contracted for; having full editorial control of the book.

He was told he had creative freedom that's why he took the job. If DC was upfront with him from the start he wouldn't have taken the role.

And that's where the issue lies, I think - not with Cho or with Rucka but with whoever it was at DC that didn't communicate the matter to Cho correctly. Rucka negotiated a contract. Cho was given verbal information that was wrong, so he operated under an incorrect assumption through no fault of his own.

[Carabas]

He was told he had creative freedom that's why he took the job. If DC was upfront with him from the start he wouldn't have taken the role.

And he should have known better because there is no such thing as absolute creative freedom in work-for-hire.

[Frank]

Obviously, the next logical step is to hire Greg Land or Ed Benes to do covers. ;-)

[cranger]

Here's the point though.

Rucka's contract *makes* him an editor of the book, including the variant covers.

It put him in charge of the content, and for him to exercise that editorial control isn't 'bullying,' it's him doing the job he was contracted for; having full editorial control of the book.



And that's where the issue lies, I think - not with Cho or with Rucka but with whoever it was at DC that didn't communicate the matter to Cho correctly. Rucka negotiated a contract. Cho was given verbal information that was wrong, so he operated under an incorrect assumption through no fault of his own.

Your opinion is that he did not abuse that power, others are of the opinion that he did. Stating the fact that he had the power is not proof either way. It seems there are plenty of Rucka supporters who think he must have pushed Cho off deliberately the way they are congratulating him.

[Herowatcher]

Doesn't Wonder Woman have a back flap like the front? Would an undergarment be showing?

I like the actual cropping of the issue 3 variant myself.

[Awonder]

He was told he had creative freedom that's why he took the job. If DC was upfront with him from the start he wouldn't have taken the role.

I totally understand Cho being frustrated with DC for that misunderstanding. What I don't support is the way Cho has chosen to publicly put all the blame on Rucka. Did Rucka promise Cho that creative freedom? If not, how can it all be Rucka's fault?

Your opinion is that he did not abuse that power, others are of the opinion that he did. Stating the fact that he had the power is not proof either way. It seems there are plenty of Rucka supporters who think he must have pushed Cho off deliberately the way they are congratulating him.

My opinion is that there has yet to be shown any actual EVIDENCE of Rucka's wrong-doing. People are dog-piling on Rucka, calling him a "bully," dropping the book and such, WITHOUT KNOWING what he actually said nor how he, and Cho, handled it.

Exerting editorial influence is what editors do; that is not an "abuse of power." From Cho's own account, Cho sounds like he wasn't really willing to listen to anything Rucka had to say.

The misunderstanding part of this looks to be DC's fault. If DC gave Rucka that type of editorial influence in his contract, everyone, including the variant cover guys, needed to be aware of that. The ball got dropped there due to no fault of Cho nor Rucka.

Was Rucka too "nit-picky" as an editor? Well, one person's nit-picky is another's attention to detail. I can't really agree or disagree with what Rucka said without knowing what he actually said. Since, I've never heard of any other artist complain about working with Rucka before, I tend to give him some benefit of doubt.

My guess is that ALL parties could have handled things better, such is the nature of misunderstandings and creative differences.

[Drz]

Frank Cho Gives Timeline Over Leaving Wonder Woman To The Mary Sue

Wonder Woman was my dream job at DC Comics. I love and respect the character very much. When I was invited by DC to draw the 24 variant covers for Wonder Woman, I was ecstatic. I was told that I had complete freedom on the variant covers and the only person in charge of me was the senior art director, Mark Chiarello, who I greatly respect. Win-win for everyone.

Now the variant covers are handled by entirely separate editorial office than the rest of the books. I was given assurance that I would not have to deal with the Wonder Woman book writer or editor at all, and were told I would only be dealing with Mark Chiarello. So I came onboard and started working right away.

Everything went smoothly at first. I turned in my first batch of cover sketches and Chiarello approved them, and I started finishing and inking them ASAP since these were biweekly covers and we had limited time. Then Chiarello started getting art notes from Greg Rucka ordering him to tell me to alter and change things on the covers. (Remove arm band, make the skirt longer and wider to cover her up, showing too much skin, add the lasso here, etc.) Well, Chiarello and I were baffled and annoyed by Greg Rucka’s art change orders. More so, since the interior pages were showing the same amount or more skin than my variant covers. (For example: Issue #2, panel One, etc.) I requested that Greg Rucka back off and let me do my variant covers in peace. After all, these were minor and subjective changes. And let’s face it, being told by a non-artistic freelancer what I can and cannot draw didn’t sit too well with me.

Then things got ugly. Apparently unbeknownst to Chiarello and me, DC, for whatever reason, gave Greg Rucka complete and total editorial control on Wonder Woman including variant covers by contract. My promises of creative freedom were verbal. I think this is a case of complete miscommunication and things falling through the crack during the post-DC headquarter move to LA. Had I’ve known Greg Rucka had complete editorial control over the variant covers, I would have never came onboard Wonder Woman.

Since we were on the same team with the same goal – making great Wonder Woman comics, Mark Chiarello and I tried to reason with Greg Rucka to back off and let me do the variant covers in peace. But Rucka refused and tried to hammer me in line. Things escalated and got toxic very fast. The act of a freelance writer art directing me, overruling my senior art director, altering my artwork without consent was too much. I realized after Rucka’s problems with my Wonder Woman #3 variant cover, my excitement and desire for the project have completely disappeared and I decided to bow out quietly after I finish my Wonder Woman #4 variant cover. (This was around end of May.) But DC wanted me to stay and finish out #5 and #6 covers to give them some time to find my replacement.

[Carabas]

Frank Cho Gives Timeline Over Leaving Wonder Woman To The Mary Sue

So basically somebody at DC misinformed him, and he has a hard time adjusting to reality, and isn't handling it very well at all.

And for some reason seems to believe this is Rucka's fault instead of the guy that hired him and lied to/misinformed him.

And yeah, sometimes freelance writers get more influence than freelance cover artists. And sometimes not.

Personally, I'm happy to see Cho go. Rucka has had more than enough history of being saddled with terrible T&A covers he couldn't do anything about at the time.

[Fused]

Writers who have had their books defaced with crap like this might care a great deal about control over covers...

Am I supposed to start clutching my pearls or something?

[SteveGus]

Your opinion is that he did not abuse that power, others are of the opinion that he did. Stating the fact that he had the power is not proof either way. It seems there are plenty of Rucka supporters who think he must have pushed Cho off deliberately the way they are congratulating him.

It may not be 'censorship' in the sense of 'First Amendment violation', but it still seems like a prevalent kind of priggish nonsense to me. There shouldn't be anything unexpected about cheesecake in a Wonder Woman book. It's one of the things she's there for.