Creator Rights

Recently Gary Friedrich sued Marvel for using Ghost Rider in a movie saying he owned the rights to him since 2001. While I can’t comment on the specifics of this case it did make me think about creator rights. Now in the comic book industry the battle for creator rights started heating up in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s. I don’t want to discuss the history of this. You can find that anywhere on the internet as well as what I do want to talk about. I want to talk about the injustices that have been done to creators since then. Sure when the battle for their rights had ended many old time artist got their original art back and some of them got credit on the books of the characters they created as well as some cash back that was long over due. There were even companies that started publishing books that were creator friendly who let them keep their rights from the first issue. How many of those companies are still around today? There are a few when the dust finally cleared but not as many as there was when it started. The ones that are still around are owned out right or in part by the major companies. But, as Peter David would say, I digress. It seems to me that I am always hearing that the major companies are always using legal maneuvers to dodge paying the creator the money that is owed to him. I don’t know if this is the case with Mr. Friedrich but it may be and it has happened before. From Siegel and Shuster’s Superman to Steve Gerber’s Howard the Duck to Tony Isabella’s Black Lightning being replaced by Black Vulcan in the Superfriends and up to today. Another example is Marv Wolfman who actually created Nova as a fan in an early fanzine. When he brought it to Marvel he made a few changes and that was where he made his mistake. While in my mind and the minds of many comic book fans he is the true and sole creator of Nova and should have all the rights. However, the legal system said that there were enough changes that it was now considered a new character and considered a work for hire so that all rights to the character belong to Marvel Comics. Even the late and great Archie comics artist, Dan DeCarlo, was suing Archie for his creator rights on Josie and the Pussycats before he passed away. They had just made a movie out of the characters and Mr. DeCarlo said he created them on his own. He was on a cruise with his wife, Josie DeCarlo, and she put on a cat outfit that inspired him to create Josie and the Pussycats. He was still employed by Archie at the time but when he sued them as the movie went into production Archie comics fired the man after 4 decades of faithful service to them. Now from a business standpoint I understand how you would not want to keep an employee who is suing you but it isn’t a nice thing to do. You could work it all out if you would just communicate. Don’t slam the door in their face. Better yet the company should just pay the creator for their creations. Many of them have been loyal and faithful to the company for years and want to continue the relationship. If you pay them it is a win/win situation. The company makes money and so does the creator. The best part of all is that the company can avoid bad publicity nasty lawsuits that will cost them just as much or more to defend then if they paid the creators. Anyway that is my two cents on the situation.

Tributes to Johnny Hart

Here are some tribute cartoons to Johnny Hart that I saw on Creators Syndicate and one from Church Mice. I hope they don't mind that I borrowed them for my readers to view. According to Creators Syndicate his strips BC and Wizard of ID will continue. The Hart family will pick their favorite BC strips to be published in tribute. The top strip was drawn by Johnny Hart's grandson.

Isis On DVD

This just in. It looks like The Secret of Isis the Complete Series will be released on DVD July 24, 2007. Not much more info then that but I thgought you would like to know.

Black Lightning looks into Marvels future

In Justice League of America #173 the JLA asked Black Lightning to join their team and he turned them down. In looking back on that issue the two panels above show BL talking to Inspector Henderson of the Metropolis Police Department. In those two panels they discuss the vigilante law that may go into effect. Black Lightning isn't worried because that would stop Superman as well and he knows Metropolis won't let that happen. In a way this DC comic from 1979 sees into the future what would happen at Marvel with their Civil War Mini-series. Having the heros register and unmasking was a way to curb their vigilante ways. It was just what I thought of when I recently read this book.

Showcase Presents the Haunted Tank

I have just read Showcase Presents the Haunted Tank. It was a fun read as I never read the Haunted Tank while growing up so all the stories were new to me. However, there are a few problems with this series. First I don't understand why a military genius like Col. Jeb Stuart was chosen by the writer to be the focal point of the series. He was a leader in the South in the Civil War and they lost the war. I would have chosen a Northern military leader to guide the tank and its crew. I know the tank commander and the tank itself were named after the Col. and that is why he was guarding them. Still the writer could have changed the name to something like U.S. Grant or another military leader. At the start of the series the says that tank comander Jeb Stuart Smith and his three friends Rick, Slim and Arch grew up together and played on Jeb's farm. I know that there are farms in the North but I and most people I know usually think of the South when farms are mentioned. So for more then half of the book I thought I was reading the war stories of 4 southern boys and a ghost. Suddenly the ghost seems angry that he is guarding 4 northern boys. What gives? I know that writers back then treated comic books as if they were not going to last and be thrown away but when put together there are continuity errors. Don't take this as I didn't like the book. I did and I will buy the second volume. I just noticed these errors and wanted to mention them. The stories were well written otherwise and the art is top notch.

Rest in Peace Johnny Hart

I have always been a fan of BC and Wizard of ID by Johnny Hart. I always found them very funny. Espically Wizard of ID. My local papers don't seem to carry Wizard of ID anymore but they continue to carry BC. Many people got to not care too much for them because of Mr. Hart's Christian point of view. Most of the time, from what I have read, Mr. Hart was telling the truth. Like what was in this Easter Sunday strip that you see above that was published this past Sunday. I remember reading an interview with him. According to what Mr. Hart said in the interveiw it was when he was at the peak of his popularity with his two strips that he was invited to partys that many celebrities where attending that he thought he had it all. He was at that time not a practicing Christian. He was having work done on his house by two contarctors and they were listening to a Christian radio station. He heard the sermons and music and after they left he started listening to the station and before long he was a Christian. Anyway Mr. Hart is with his maker now. May he rest in peace.

Happy Easter

Wishing you all a Happy Easter in our risen Lord Jesus Christ. If you would like to read an original story that was written for my other site For God so Loved you can click here. It is a science fiction story mixed in with the events of the Bible. Hope you enjoy it and again Happy Easter to all from On My Mind.

This is Tom Jones on DVD

Earlier on this site I mentioned Tom Jones Variety series called This is Tom Jones. It was hit show where he had guest ranging from Peter Sellers to Herman’s Hermits to Edward G. Robinson. It was quite a popular show in the early 1970's and now Time Life has it available on DVD. You can get to their site to look it up if you click on the button below. It will be available in late may but you can preorder it now.

For God So Loved

Over time I have gotten e-mails from things I subscribe to and e-mails from family and friends that were to be uplifiting and to teach me things. I have put some on this pop culture blog On My Mind and may still put some there but now I will put some on at For God So Loved.
Stop by once in awhile and check out on or around Easter Sunday. I hope to have an original story on that site for Easter.

Metal Men movie

Everyone is talking about the possible Metal Men movie. Well we all know how this works. Get word of mouth going on the project before you sign a cast so it seems like there is interest and big stars will want to sign on for the film. Will there be a movie? I doubt it but I would be interested in seeing it if it does come out. Actually I would like to see a Metal Men cartoon series. I have always thought they were taylormade for the cartoons. Maybe Cartoon Network will do one if the movie is a hit.

I wonder what stars would sign on to have their faces hidden under the metal? As far as who will play Doc Magnus I would like to suggest Kurt Russell. Anyway that is my 2 cents on the subject.

This Day in Music History: The Beatles and Can't Buy Me Love (43rd record setting anniversary)

When you of great Beatles songs you think of "Something", "Yesterday", "In My Life" or "The Long and Winding Road." However, there is another song that deserves to be mentioned on the list of great Beatles songs. That song is "Can't Buy Me Love." What is so great about this song? Isn't it just a nice little pop tune? Actually, it has one big thing that would make it added to the list of great Beatle songs. It was #1 on this day in music history, April 4, 1964 when the Beatles set a record that has never been broken. That week the Beatles estabilished the biggest domination of the top 5 in the history of the Billboard charts. What helped this happen was when Capitol records made the Beatles a hit in America other smaller labels, like Swan and Tollie, who held the American rights to their other songs jumped on the band wagon by releasing them. So the top 5 this week was held by the songs as follows.
1. Can't Buy Me Love
2. Twist and Shout
3. She Loves You
4. I Want to Hold Your Hand
5. Please Please Me

It also helped the Beatles set other records. One was the greatest monolopy of the top 100. By April 11 they had 13 songs in the top 100. Can't Buy Me Love also achieved the biggest leap to number 1. It debuted at #27 and the next week it was #1. The song helped the Beatles achieve the most consecutive number one singles. Ath the time the record was held by Elvis with 2 consecutive #1's but the Beatles had 3 with IWant to Hold Your Hand, She Loves You, and then Can't Buy Me Love. With all this the last record it set should come as no surprise being largest advance sales. The song was not available on any album at that time. Capitol records only released it as a single. So the sales # of 2,100,000 should not have surprised anyone. With all it achievedfor the Beatles it should be considered their greatest song of all.

Lose Weight with help from Ayds!

Yes this diet candy was sold for years to help people lose weight. It sold very well but once the Aids virus start this product was doomed. I think they stoped making this product then. Perhaps they just changed the name.

Johnny "Double No-Hit"

Today is Opening Day for the baseball season. My favorites and my home town team, the Cincinnati Reds, have always been the team to open the season by playing the first game of the season. In past years other teams have tried to sneak in the day before or even a few hours of minutes before to claim that they played the opening game that year. Those teams need to get back to the real world. No matter what the baseball season doesn’t start till the Cincinnati Reds play their first game. It is a long standing tradition. Today I want to tell you about an old Cincinnati Reds pitcher. His name was Johnny Vander Meer. Vander Meer was from Midland Park, New Jersey. Most people there were Brooklyn Dodger fans. On June 15, 1938 some of them for a brief time became Cincinnati Reds fans. Five days earlier Vander Meer had beaten Boston, then known as the Boston Bees 3-0. He was a rookie and pitched a no-hitter. His second game was against the Brooklyn Dodgers. History was about to be made. A crowd of over 500 people were there that night and it included Johnny’s parents. The game was going well for Vander Meer and by the fourth inning the Reds were leading 4-0. By the 6th inning no Dodger had gotten farther then 2nd Base. Even faithful Dodger fans were starting to root for the Reds and the rookie pitcher as he was on the verge of pitching a second no-hitter in a row. That would be a feat that no one had ever done up to that time. During the 7th inning he walked the first two batters and the fans switched back to the Dodgers. Johnny worked his way out of the situation.
In the 8th inning he struck out Woody English. The second batter grounded out. Then the third batter was struck out. When the 9th inning of the game came and Johnny walked out to the mound the crowd gave him an ovation. Vander Meer and the crowd was starting to feel the tension. Every pitch created a sense of excitement in the air. The first batter hit the ball up the first base line. Johnny fielded it himself and tagged the runner out. Babe Phelps the catcher was up at bat. A record was on the line and the young Cincinnati pitcher walked him but Phelps was a slow runner and was taken out for a pinch runner. Despite his best efforts Vander Meer could not get the ball over the plate and walked the next two batters. Now the bases were loaded. The fans were on the edge of their seats and despite the late hour all the fans stayed to see if history would be made as they hoped. Everyone hoped except the Dodgers themselves. Dodger center fielder Ernie Koy hit a grounder up the 3rd base line. It could have been a double play to end the game but the 3rd baseman was cautious and threw slowly to home plate to get the out but by that time Koy was on first base.

Shortstop Leo Durocher he was considered a weak hitter but would come through under pressure. The crowd leapt to its feet when he hit the first pitch like a shot down the first base line. However, it curved foul and went into the stands.
Durocher stepped back to the plate. Johnny let loose with a fast ball and Durocher hit it to center field. Reds outfielder Harry Craft was there and caught the ball to end the game. Vander Meer had put the Dodgers away with a score of 6-0. When he completed this incredible feat he earned a nickname as Johnny “Double No-Hit.”

I found this to be a very interesting story. The first time I read it was in the book “Strange But True Baseball Stories” by Furman Bisher. It was published by Scholastic Book Services in 1972.

Happy April Fool's Day

Just wanted to say Happy April Fool's Day! Oh! Your shoes untied. Ha! Made you look.

This Day In Music History and The Bangles and Eternal Flame

Songwriter Billy Steinberg had been a fan of the Bangles since their first album. After a Bangles concert Billy met with Susanna Hoffs and she agreed to write with him and his other writing partner Tom Kelly. After their first time of writing together none of the songs were recorded but a relationship was established. Later their first recorded effort was done not by the Bangles but by Belinda Carlisle on her first solo album self-titled Belinda. The song she chose was called "I Need a Disguise."
When they wrote "Eternal Flame" Tom and Billy said they wanted to write something that sounded like a Beatles melody. Susanna is a fan of 60's music and loves groups like the Beatles, The Monkees and the Byrds. Billy said that "Eternal Flame" to him sounds like the Beatles meet the Byrds.
The inspiration for the song was part of the eternal flame that burned in Graceland for Elvis and a childhood memory of Susanna's from when her sunday school class was showed a red light that they were told was called the eternal flame.
The song almost didn't make the final cut for the new album. Most of the songs were geared to sounding like a rock and roll garage band as the group wanted to show off thier songwriting and musicianship skills. Suddenly here is the beautiful ballad and it needed a different production style.
The first single from the album was "In Your Room" and it peaked at #5. "Eternal Flame" was the follow up and on this day in music history it reached #1 on the Billboard charts for 1 week. After this the group said they were going on hiatus. Not long afterward the hiatus was officially announced that it was really a break up.
You can click on the You Tube link below to view the music video.

Green Arrow Straight Shooter

While searcing the internet for Black Lightning material I came across this book. I have not read the book myself as this is the first time I have seen it. From what I have read the story line is pretty good and it revolves around a monster that inhabits a construction site. This is a reprinting of Green Arrow issues 26-31. I thought Black Lightning would be a co-star in the adventure but as it turns out it is only a cameo. If you are interested in the book You can go here if you wish to buy Green Arrow Straight Shooter

This Day in Music History: Connie Francis and Don't Break the Heart That Loves You

Singer and actress Connie Francis had the #1 hit in the country on this day in music history on March 31, 1962 with the song "Don't Break the Heart That Loves You." Connie had her first #1 hit with "Who's Sorry Now" which was written in 1923. It was her Father who advised her to record the song. So when he thought "Don't Break the Heart That Loves You" would be a hit Connie took his advice and recorded it. It was the third #1 hit of her singing career.
When looking back on her acting career she said her acting was amateurish and would never replace her singing career. She kept a notebook of her bad reviews because she thought they were hilarious. Her films were Where the Boys Are, Follow the Boys, Looking for Love, and When the Boys Meet the Girls. Connie was the sex symbol of her day. When the movie Where the Boys Are was remade in 1984 she was asked to be in the film but she didn't like the script and declined. She has suffered many set backs in her personal and professional life but has always bounced back. Connie Francis is a true survivor.
You can click on the video below to hear a few clips of her songs. None of them in the video are the featured song. If you want to hear a clip of the song you can if you click here.

Shadow Chasers

These videos reminded me of a show that was televisions attempt to bring the Bill Murray type of Ghostbusters to prime-time tv. I guess they couldn't get the rights to bring the movie version to TV so they created a cheap knock-off but I really liked it when I saw it. It starred Trevor Eve, Dennis Dugan and Nina Foch. If I remember correctly Trevor Eve was a college professor who on the side was a ghost buster. Nina Foch was his boss and he was relucently teamed up with Dennis Dugan who was a writer for a National Enquirer type of newspaper. Each week they went to prove that a place that was haunted by a fake ghost or demon but would sometimes find out that it was real. The series didn't last long and it was co-produced by Brian Grazer who later helped Ron Howard produce blockbuster movies and television series.
So here are two videos. One is a short commercial for the series and the second is the series opening.

We Will Rock You by Britney Spears, Pink and Beyonce

Here is Pepsi Commercial with Britney, Pink and Beyonce as warriors singing We Will Rock You.

If anything it proves that Pink and Beyonce can sing. Britney sing/talks.

Star Wars: Don't Let Friends Drive Drunk

Here was a pretty good Star Wars PSA aboiut drunk driving.