QUANTUM & WOODY IN JULY!!!

[BugsySig]

Wow this move is already stirring things up-

Here is what Kevin Maguire had to say over at the BC message boards-

I will announce right now that if they have any intentions of re-vamping Trinity Angels without me, I will be 1000% against it. I should have the rights to the material, just as Priest/Bright should have the rights to Quantum and Woody.

Other poster-
Am I reading this right? Does this mean that you guys don't have the rights?

Maguire-
Nope. We Acclaim creators signed contracts before we started working on our projects that had a clause saying we could buy the rights to the material back for half the profits the material made in the previous 3 years. Several years after Acclaim went under, Priest and Bright tried to get the Q/W rights and were told that the contracts we signed were never submitted to a different division of Acclaim and were thus considered invalid. Someone else came in and bought up all the Valiant/Acclaim leaving us with nothing. I've been following what Priest/Bright were doing because I wanted the rights to Trinity Angels back. But the legal fees it would cost to get it back would just be too much for us. I'm pretty sure Priest/Bright are not pleased with the new Q/W, but I don't know that for a fact. As I said, I know if they went in and re-vamped Trinity Angels, I would be furious. There are only three properties that sprung completely from my imagination-Strikeback,Trinity Angels, and Tanga. I consider them my children and would not abide anyone else giving voice to those characters.

I don't like to be like this, but I have never heard of this dude, never heard of his other concepts, and only know Trinity Angels because I'm a VALIANT fan and that book stunk. I feel bad if Acclaim pulled shenanigans, but if anyone was really interested in creator owned work at that time, Image and several other options were available to them.

And based on the interviews it doesn't sound like Priest and Bright have any grudge if they are in contact with VEI and possibly working with them soon. This sounds like a bitter response from a bitter person.

I don't blame VEI one bit for choosing to run with the book either. They, and their investors, have a lot of money riding on the VALIANT IPs and this is one of the potentially most marketable. They are doing nothing wrong legally or morally.

[kevinbastos]

I think the last thing Valiant should do with any property is 'a revamp of Trinity Angels.'

One of my proudest accomplishments is to have read that book outside of fifth grade and survived. Someone must have liked it. It was not me. I will more than likely buy and read everything that Valiant writes.

I will think long hours before purchasing Trinity Angels. I would sooner purchase lengthy runs of Punx, Outcast, and a rebirth of Acclaim's Ninjak concept.

[hawkeyeps]

And there is more-

BC Poster- Kevin, don't know if you're aware, but Valiant has just started to put up TRINITY ANGELS digitally:
Trinity Angels #1 - Comics by comiXology

Are you compensated for that in any way? There are a few old Valiant comics I wouldn't mind getting digitally, but not against the original creators wishes and not without them getting a fair cut.

Kevin Maguire- Excellent question. I was wondering the exact same thing myself when I saw them online. I sent the publisher an e-mail last week asking that very question and I have yet to get a response. But I'm sure he's a busy guy.

[BugsySig]

And there is more-

BC Poster- Kevin, don't know if you're aware, but Valiant has just started to put up TRINITY ANGELS digitally:
Trinity Angels #1 - Comics by comiXology

Are you compensated for that in any way? There are a few old Valiant comics I wouldn't mind getting digitally, but not against the original creators wishes and not without them getting a fair cut.

Kevin Maguire- Excellent question. I was wondering the exact same thing myself when I saw them online. I sent the publisher an e-mail last week asking that very question and I have yet to get a response. But I'm sure he's a busy guy.

I know I'm probably kicking a hornets nest here, but do people realize what "work for hire" means? So maybe there was a deal with Acclaim that was scrapped...we have no way of ever knowing the details. If you want to challenge it, challenge through the courts, don't start bad mouthing a company that has nothing to do with it. Oh wait, he already said the legal fees wouldn't be worth it...so what's the problem? Not everyone can be Robert Kirkman, but if you want to be, try publishing through Image or another pro-creator rights company, not accepting a paycheck from a corporation and complaining about it later.

PS - If its that big of an issue, I'll send him the $0.27 VEI will make off of Trinity Angels.

[manga4life]

Count me in for the first few issues at the very least, but if I don't like the series much like I didn't like Archer & Armstrong than I probably won't stick with it past issue #3 or so. But I'm banking on this book being enjoyable, so we shall see what happens, it's just that these duo pairings with a hint of comedy don't resonate well with me and never have.

[GGSAE]

Haha, listening to this guy worry about 'Trinity Angels' is the funniest thing I've read all day....

[GGSAE]

Count me in for the first few issues at the very least, but if I don't like the series much like I didn't like Archer & Armstrong than I probably won't stick with it past issue #3 or so. But I'm banking on this book being enjoyable, so we shall see what happens, it's just that these duo pairings with a hint of comedy don't resonate well with me and never have.

I'm still in A&A...like I'm halfway through the steps of AA, but don't know whether to continue or hit the pubs....this is what surprises me even more to see this Q&A announcement. To be fair I've never read any of the acclaim books, so I'll give this a shot and if it doesn't mesh I'll keep it on a much-shorter leash.

[GGSAE]

And there is more-

BC Poster- Kevin, don't know if you're aware, but Valiant has just started to put up TRINITY ANGELS digitally:
Trinity Angels #1 - Comics by comiXology

Are you compensated for that in any way? There are a few old Valiant comics I wouldn't mind getting digitally, but not against the original creators wishes and not without them getting a fair cut.

Kevin Maguire- Excellent question. I was wondering the exact same thing myself when I saw them online. I sent the publisher an e-mail last week asking that very question and I have yet to get a response. But I'm sure he's a busy guy.

I know I'm probably kicking a hornets nest here, but do people realize what "work for hire" means? So maybe there was a deal with Acclaim that was scrapped...we have no way of ever knowing the details. If you want to challenge it, challenge through the courts, don't start bad mouthing a company that has nothing to do with it. Oh wait, he already said the legal fees wouldn't be worth it...so what's the problem? Not everyone can be Robert Kirkman, but if you want to be, try publishing through Image or another pro-creator rights company, not accepting a paycheck from a corporation and complaining about it later.

PS - If its that big of an issue, I'll send him the $0.27 VEI will make off of Trinity Angels.

Hehehe....he also doesn't seem to care that the *SQUEE* comics Acclaim put out, helped put the company into chapter 11 from an initial 65 mil. investment.

[BugsySig]

Count me in for the first few issues at the very least, but if I don't like the series much like I didn't like Archer & Armstrong than I probably won't stick with it past issue #3 or so. But I'm banking on this book being enjoyable, so we shall see what happens, it's just that these duo pairings with a hint of comedy don't resonate well with me and never have.

I'm still in A&A...like I'm halfway through the steps of AA, but don't know whether to continue or hit the pubs....this is what surprises me even more to see this Q&A announcement. To be fair I've never read any of the acclaim books, so I'll give this a shot and if it doesn't mesh I'll keep it on a much-shorter leash.

Some readers do not like the comedic elements when they get to a certain point, which I totally understand. But with books like Deadpool, Chew and others that skirt that line being so successful, I can see why VEI would go this way. If you also take into account the Superhero and street level action elements, it has its place in the VALIANT Universe.

[hawkeyeps]

If they do Trinity Angels again it will be Faith, Flamingo and Kay

[hawkeyeps]

Wow the powers that (used to) be at Acclaim were real scum bags-

http://uk.gamespot.com/news/former-accl ... cs-6132505

[jmatt]

Hehehe....he also doesn't seem to care that the *SQUEE* comics Acclaim put out, helped put the company into chapter 11 from an initial 65 mil. investment.

Yeah, selective responsibility. You didn't see Acclaim shareholders suing the creative teams for compensation for their losses.

And as another poster noted, they didn't get the matter resolved when the bankruptcy proceedings were taking place. But now that somebody else did the legal legwork and resurrected the line, suddenly there's a moral obligation to surrender IP rights and profit.

I understand artists feeling they want to control and own their creations. But they conveniently forget that there's an entire corporate apparatus spending money and effort to bring said creations to the masses.

[erwinrafael]

Well...that's an underwhelming choice for a writer.

Also, there's a different editor for this book?

[MoonChild]

Agreed with everything said on page 4 of this post

[dornwolf]

Don't know if any of the other links have it but IGNs article has words in the previews, I've noticed CBR's didn't

http://ca.ign.com/articles/2013/03/26/q ... ant-comics" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[erwinrafael]

Don't know if any of the other links have it but IGNs article has words in the previews, I've noticed CBR's didn't

http://ca.ign.com/articles/2013/03/26/q ... ant-comics" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Oh...not to pass judgment but Asmus treats the blackouts as tounge-in-cheek, instead of Priest's use of irony. The three pages reads like a Daniel Way Deadpool comic book, which makes me nervous. So I am keeping my fingers crossed that the rest of the book would, if not be able to rise to Priest leve, at least be a Joe Kelly Deadpool. Or something like that.

[Chiclo]

This cover makes me think of the old theme song to the Ernest tv show - "Hey Vern, I'm on tv!" The goat is back, baby.

Sook is one of my favourite cover artists in the business.

[davidb]

Wow this move is already stirring things up-

Here is what Kevin Maguire had to say over at the BC message boards-

I will announce right now that if they have any intentions of re-vamping Trinity Angels without me, I will be 1000% against it. I should have the rights to the material, just as Priest/Bright should have the rights to Quantum and Woody.

Other poster-
Am I reading this right? Does this mean that you guys don't have the rights?

Maguire-
Nope. We Acclaim creators signed contracts before we started working on our projects that had a clause saying we could buy the rights to the material back for half the profits the material made in the previous 3 years. Several years after Acclaim went under, Priest and Bright tried to get the Q/W rights and were told that the contracts we signed were never submitted to a different division of Acclaim and were thus considered invalid. Someone else came in and bought up all the Valiant/Acclaim leaving us with nothing. I've been following what Priest/Bright were doing because I wanted the rights to Trinity Angels back. But the legal fees it would cost to get it back would just be too much for us. I'm pretty sure Priest/Bright are not pleased with the new Q/W, but I don't know that for a fact. As I said, I know if they went in and re-vamped Trinity Angels, I would be furious. There are only three properties that sprung completely from my imagination-Strikeback,Trinity Angels, and Tanga. I consider them my children and would not abide anyone else giving voice to those characters.

So what was the deal with this book? It looks like an ill-conceived, PG-13 Powerpuff Girls that lasted an undoubtedly riveting 12 issues. Was it anything good?

No. I've read almost all of the Acclaim stuff, and this is the worst book that they published in my opinion. If Maguire wants the rights back, I'd be all for Valiant management giving them to him. And that's not because of my usual support for creators' rights. The book is that bad.

[kevinbastos]

Wow this move is already stirring things up-

Here is what Kevin Maguire had to say over at the BC message boards-

I will announce right now that if they have any intentions of re-vamping Trinity Angels without me, I will be 1000% against it. I should have the rights to the material, just as Priest/Bright should have the rights to Quantum and Woody.

Other poster-
Am I reading this right? Does this mean that you guys don't have the rights?

Maguire-
Nope. We Acclaim creators signed contracts before we started working on our projects that had a clause saying we could buy the rights to the material back for half the profits the material made in the previous 3 years. Several years after Acclaim went under, Priest and Bright tried to get the Q/W rights and were told that the contracts we signed were never submitted to a different division of Acclaim and were thus considered invalid. Someone else came in and bought up all the Valiant/Acclaim leaving us with nothing. I've been following what Priest/Bright were doing because I wanted the rights to Trinity Angels back. But the legal fees it would cost to get it back would just be too much for us. I'm pretty sure Priest/Bright are not pleased with the new Q/W, but I don't know that for a fact. As I said, I know if they went in and re-vamped Trinity Angels, I would be furious. There are only three properties that sprung completely from my imagination-Strikeback,Trinity Angels, and Tanga. I consider them my children and would not abide anyone else giving voice to those characters.

So what was the deal with this book? It looks like an ill-conceived, PG-13 Powerpuff Girls that lasted an undoubtedly riveting 12 issues. Was it anything good?

No. I've read almost all of the Acclaim stuff, and this is the worst book that they published in my opinion. If Maguire wants the rights back, I'd be all for Valiant management giving them to him. And that's not because of my usual support for creators' rights. The book is that bad.

I will give a SLIGHT defense to Trinity Angels. The art is pretty good. And some pretty cool homage covers. But the puns and names are so darkly sophomoric, it's an insult to fifteen year old pimple covered nerds. If there was a sophomoric synonym that indicated fourth grader (instead of tenth grader) obsessed with giant racks, that could be the best equivalency.

[Daniel Jackson]

Hehehe....he also doesn't seem to care that the *SQUEE* comics Acclaim put out, helped put the company into chapter 11 from an initial 65 mil. investment.

Yeah, selective responsibility. You didn't see Acclaim shareholders suing the creative teams for compensation for their losses.

And as another poster noted, they didn't get the matter resolved when the bankruptcy proceedings were taking place. But now that somebody else did the legal legwork and resurrected the line, suddenly there's a moral obligation to surrender IP rights and profit.

I understand artists feeling they want to control and own their creations. But they conveniently forget that there's an entire corporate apparatus spending money and effort to bring said creations to the masses.

Well said.

I'm not even sure if Q&W will stand a solid chance of being a success (even though I like the concept). I really don't see Trinity Angels making a big splash in the comic scene though, no matter who owns the rights. If VEI can make it work, then good for them. They certainly didn't work out the first time around....

[BugsySig]

Hehehe....he also doesn't seem to care that the *SQUEE* comics Acclaim put out, helped put the company into chapter 11 from an initial 65 mil. investment.

Yeah, selective responsibility. You didn't see Acclaim shareholders suing the creative teams for compensation for their losses.

And as another poster noted, they didn't get the matter resolved when the bankruptcy proceedings were taking place. But now that somebody else did the legal legwork and resurrected the line, suddenly there's a moral obligation to surrender IP rights and profit.

I understand artists feeling they want to control and own their creations. But they conveniently forget that there's an entire corporate apparatus spending money and effort to bring said creations to the masses.

Well said.

I'm not even sure if Q&W will stand a solid chance of being a success (even though I like the concept). I really don't see Trinity Angels making a big splash in the comic scene though, no matter who owns the rights. If VEI can make it work, then good for them. They certainly didn't work out the first time around....

As far as the success, who knows, but I think this is definitely a title that will benefit from being in the second wave of books now that VEI has established themselves and the quality of their product.

I am also encouraged by the amount of news coverage I have seen on this and the chatter on various boards and comment sections. For every "I'll never read the book without Priest and Bright" there are 3 who say they either never read the original but are interested, or liked the original and will try this one even without P & B.

[KXXX]

I never read the original, but I totally like this just by the covers. I get the purist mentality, luckily I'm not swayed here.

[ncameron]

Q & W without Priest's unique voice and Doc's art seems like Watchmen without Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, interesting for some people but not my thing.

Put out a nice deluxe omnibus with all the Acclaim stuff, that I would be interested in.

-Neil

[nutflush76]

This is the first VEI title that I am kind of indifferent to. I will pick it up, but it's really going to have to wow me.

As for the Trinity Angels guy, I actually hope VEI publishes it and *SQUEE* him off. It serves him right. He had what, 10 years to get the rights back? What was he doing all that time?

I actually think it's more of the case of a guy putting it out there that he wants work.

[ncameron]

This is the first VEI title that I am kind of indifferent to. I will pick it up, but it's really going to have to wow me.

As for the Trinity Angels guy, I actually hope VEI publishes it and *SQUEE* him off. It serves him right. He had what, 10 years to get the rights back? What was he doing all that time?

I actually think it's more of the case of a guy putting it out there that he wants work.

Actually I would say as a the creator, who signed a contract saying he had the reversion rights, he does deserve some consideration. Per his posts trying to get the rights initially, meant going up at first against Acclaims lawyers, bankrupt or not, he would have gotten destroyed. Then look at all the years of *SQUEE* Dino & Co had to go through with bankruptcy and (cough) Not Dynamite (/Cough) trademark nonsense, I would say he was fairly sensible.

By all account Trinity Angels was one of my least favorite books in VH2, having said that, doesnt mean I wouldnt want the creators fairly compensated. Saying it serves you right for being interested in a future plans for a comic you created with the promise of creator ownership, seems kind of shortsighted.

-neil