• danc4498@lemmy.world
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    4 days ago

    On the one hand, most people in similar situations aren’t so whiny about it. He sold his comic book rights for money, now companies are using those rights for adaptations/spinoffs. It’s how things go.

    On the other hand, my feelings about him are largely based on articles I read and comments I’ve seen online. It’s entirely possible publicists for the publishers put these articles out to make people dislike him so they will watch the adaptations. Maybe he’s not so whiny after all.

    • Prunebutt@slrpnk.net
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      4 days ago

      I think it wasn’t as easy as that he “sold” the rights. If I recall correctly it was more like “we get the rights or the comic won’t happen”.

      Remember that this was the 80s, where you needed a publisher for comics.

      One of the core messages of Watchmen was that the concept of a superhero is in core a fascistic one. It’s highly unlikely that further adaptions of the sourge material take the same, heavy stance.

      • ChickenLadyLovesLife@lemmy.world
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        3 days ago

        Remember that this was the 80s, where you needed a publisher for comics.

        IIRC Cerebus and Elf Quest were self-published. Of course, that may be why they’re utterly unknown today.

      • danc4498@lemmy.world
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        4 days ago

        He’s definitely got a different mindset than most people that have done similar things. Which is why he has the reputation he does.

    • crpknkr@lemmy.world
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      3 days ago

      It wasn’t quite as simple as that. From what I remember, the rights to Watchmen were supposed to revert to him after the book went out of print. But DC just kept the book in print forever, denying Moore any say in what was done. Keep in mind this wasn’t normally done at the time, it was a pretty underhanded move they pulled, especially after Moore did so much good work for them (Swamp Thing, Green Lantern, the Phantom Stranger, etc.).

      They screwed him, make no doubt.

      • danc4498@lemmy.world
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        3 days ago

        Makes sense. He made a deal in good faith and they proved why that should never be done