Newsgroup: it.arti.fumetti
Titolo: Jim Steranko chiede di boicottare il prossimo volume con le sue storie di Nick Fury

Ciao a tutti!
La Marvel Comics sta per pubblicare un volume con le storie di Nick Fury
create da Jim Steranko oltre trenta anni fa  (solo quelle in Strange
Tales. Strano, visto che poi ne fece anche due-tre in "S.H.E.L.D".  Se
le sono dimenticate?)
Per varie ragioni, tutte riconducibili a pratiche incredibilmente
arretrate da parte della Marvel, lo stesso Steranko chiede a tutti di
boicottare il volume (e giunge a dichiarare che se qualcuno gli
presentera' mai il volume da firmare ad una mostra, ci sputera' sopra.
Per i dettagli, ecco la Press Release:
--------------------------------------------
The following is a press release issued by Jim Steranko. This appears on
the San Diego Comicon site Splash for March 28:
 STERANKO ASKS READERS, RETAILERS TO BOYCOTT SHIELD COLLECTION! 
STERANKO CONDEMNS SHIELD COLLECTION! 
March 28: Jim Steranko is on the warpath! The writer/artist who defined 
the term 'pushing the envelope' for his groundbreaking and innovative 
work for Marvel in the sixties, is ripped at the company for its 
handling of past and upcoming collections of his work on NICK FURY, 
AGENT OF SHIELD.
The latest dispute has erupted over what Marvel is classifying a 
'FOREIGN REPRINT' of Steranko's SHIELD stories for STRANGE TALES, even 
though the book is being solicited in this country through Diamond 
Previews in an English language edition. The 'FOREIGN REPRINT' 
designation allows Marvel to avoid paying Steranko a reprint fee or 
royalties on his work. Steranko is so angry he has said he will not sign
copies of the collection and is calling on readers and retailers not to 
support the book.
Steranko has provided a statement to the SPLASH, describing some of the 
twists in the road between him and Marvel over the years and his 
feelings about the current collection fiasco. The SPLASH provides it to 
our readers in its entirety:
"Is it thoughtlessness, arrogance, or terminal greed? You decide.
This month, Marvel is soliciting a collection of my earliest work for 
them, culled from the pages of STRANGE TALES. The reprint is not a new 
idea. 
About five years ago, I received a call from an editor (no longer 
there), who wanted my input on the project and got it. A solicitation in
PREVIEWS was already underway. I knew it because I'd been called by a 
retailer who asked if I knew the book's price. I didn't and called the 
editor. He didn't have the vaguest notion, either. In the meantime, the 
dealer contacted Marvel and discovered that the price was still 
"undecided," but would probably be in the $200-300 range!
Imagine my surprise that the House of Ideas would solicit the 
HIGHEST-PRICED COMICS-RELATED BOOK EVER PUBLISHED with NO FANFARE. The 
ad was buried in the catalog, had no accompanying illustration, and very
little text. When I mentioned it to the editor, he was equally shocked, 
but then, he was just the book's editor. Why would he know anything 
about price and marketing? Impressive Marvel strategy.
We spoke about a new cover and I suggested a design that ran the title 
at the cover's lower edge (so it would look different from their other, 
lower priced offerings). He insisted that the title MUST be at the top 
because, when the book was racked, the title would show, rather than be 
hidden. I asked if he'd had a recent lobotomy. Why? he said innocently. 
BECAUSE NO DEALER IN THE UNIVERSE WOULD RACK A $300 BOOK, THEY'D PUT IT 
IN A GLASS SHOWCASE BY THE FRONT DOOR WITH A COUPLE SPOTLIGHTS ON IT!!!!
Yeah, I was beginning to lose it. Ultimately, the project was aborted 
because it solicited under a thousand copies, which they found 
DISAPPOINTING. Do some wholesale math and you'll see why I didn't get 
it. Then again, I didn't understand why they thought they could peddle a
book for hundreds of dollars reprinting decades old material featuring a
second string back-up character who didn't have super powers. Did it 
have anything to do with the executive mentality that dominated the 
company: That fanboys will buy EVERYTHING with the Marvel logo on it? 
Unbelievable, but true. 
Before I get to the current situation, let me cue you on an incident 
that occurred more than fifteen years ago: Another call from Marvel 
asking me if I had clean stats for a certain story I wrote and drew for 
them. Yes, I did; why? The answer was that a European publisher wanted 
to reprint my work, but Marvel didn't have all the material that was 
requested. So they called me. Great! I was pleased to work with them, 
and, by the way, what kind of residual do I get?
Residual? Marvel doesn't pay residuals for foreign reprints I was told. 
Really. Why not? It was JUST a matter of company policy. We're not 
talking BIG NUMBERS here, but a tiny percentage. In other words, the 
PURE GRAVY (no investment from the company) from a zillion reprints all 
over the world would NOT be shared with the creators. No reason, just 
that all revenue generated from reprint comics in Italy, France, 
Germany, England, Australia, Japan, Belgium, Sweden, Spain, Brazil, 
Argentina, Mexico, and other countries was strictly withheld from the 
personnel who originally produced it. NEVER MIND THE AVALANCHE OF 
LICENSED MATERIAL GENERATED BY THE WORK! Not a lousy peso, Jack!
I asked the voice on the phone if they thought I was a moron. They were 
puzzled. A MORON!!!
Why the hell would I help Marvel strip the skin off me and sit still for
the insult in the bargain? Didn't this end with Dachau? The voice on the
other end of the phone was flabbergasted at my response. Why, they'd 
even pay me for the copies!!! I said I needed to be paid by the hour, 
that it would probably take three hours to locate and duplicate the 
stats, and that I'd bill my time at $1000 an hour. The voice choked. I 
hung up.
Unbelievable, but true.
Now, Marvel is again soliciting a collection of my work, but this time 
there has been NO communication about the project, not even a courtesy 
call to advise me that such a book is underway. What does courtesy have 
to do with Marvel, anyway? Am I kidding?
I wondered why someone hadn't been in touch with me about the 
possibility of new covers, an introduction, new computer coloring, or 
about the odd juxtaposition of pages (numerous double and quadruple page
spreads) caused by the elimination of ads. The answer, of course, was 
obvious they KNEW I'd ask the forbidden question: WHAT'S MY RESIDUAL?
The collection is being printed in Europe, in multiple language editions
to lower production costs (changing the black plate only) and, by doing 
so, becomes a FOREIGN reprint which, as Marvel policy demands, does NOT 
qualify for a residual payment. The House of Ideas has finally figured 
out how to squeeze the last drop of blood from its creators. Excelsior, 
true believers!
Can you imagine Stephen King or Francis Coppola being told that they 
won't be paid for any money their product makes south of the Mason-Dixon
line? Or would Bill Gates settle for only making a profit on streets 
that run east and west.? Should Marvel personnel be thrilled that the 
company hasn't narrowed their percentage residuals only to states 
beginning with the letter Z? Wake up, comic book execs before you drown 
in the ocean of terminal greed and take the industry with you.
Yes, I did work for hire at Marvel, but eventually also scribbled off 
the illegal rubber-stamped provisions on the back of checks that striped
away all my rights. Am I trying to weasel out of a deal I made? 
Absolutely not. They have every right to print anything I did for them 
under work-for-hire terms. BUT I WILL NOT SUPPORT THOSE EFFORTS AND I 
ENCOURAGE EVERY DEALER AND CONSUMER TO FOLLOW MY LEAD. Every book sold 
violates my conviction that Marvel's policies are unrealistic, 
antiquated, and unethical. They should know WHERE YOU STAND and this is 
the ONLY language they comprehend.
If you wondered why Marvel took twenty five years to collect the SHIELD 
series, I'll give you a clue. Unless you believe in wild coincidences, 
you'll realize that their reprint has been timed to capitalize on Dark 
Horse's promotional campaign for RED TIDE, my upcoming visual novel. 
Another bankrupt strategy from the House if Ideas.
Then, there's the solicitation ad. The image used is NOT from the 
STRANGE TALES series, but from the SHIELD series: the B&W cover with the
psychedelic patterns from issue four. Their reproduction, however, is a 
four color shot that turned the graphic device to MUSH. On top of that, 
the damned image is CROOKED!
In the past few months, I was contacted by several firms about special 
editions and signed copies and gave them all the same answer: THAT I 
WILL NOT ENDORSE ANY MARVEL PRODUCT GENERATED UNDER THEIR OUTRAGEOUSLY 
UNFAIR POLICIES.
I also warn anyone purchasing the book NOT to put it in front of me at 
any personal appearance I make. I WILL NOT SIGN ANY COPY OF THIS BOOK, 
BUT I MIGHT SPIT ON IT!
I don't need the microscopic residuals that would be forthcoming from 
such projects, but I do resent being treated like scum and having to 
endure the insulting, mindless, dishonorable attitude from a company I 
helped build. What Marvel does best is piss on its talent and I've had 
enough.
It's time to wise up, Marvel. If you need to elicit the cooperation of 
your creators, you must give them a fair share of honesty, courtesy, 
respect and perhaps even a crumb of gratitude. Any other response will 
only drive you deeper into the Twilight of the Marvel Age--and from 
where I stand that drive isn't very far."
Steranko 
**** Ho cambiato indirizzo e-mail*****
Il nuovo indirizzo si ricava da 
toglim...@bigfoot.com
ricordandosi di togliere il "togli" all'inizio...  ;-)
Per un po' sara' valido il vecchio indirizzo (che uso
ancora per postare) ma non ancora per molto...
Ciao,
/\/\oreno 
(please remove "togli" from email address to write me.)
Ho modificato il mio indirizzo e-mail per evitare di avere la
 casella e-mail intasata da pubblicita'. 
Per ottenere il mio vero indirizzo e-mail, togliete "togli"

 presentera' mai il volume da firmare ad una mostra, ci sputera' sopra.
Argh!!!!!!!! Ho gia ordinato il volume!
Cazzo qui mi scatta una crisi morale:
Comprare comunque una delle ristampe che attendevo con maggior trepidazione
di sempre e godermi di nuovo le avventure di Fury nell'inimitabile stile di
Steranko...o rispettare le volontą del suo autore e uccidermi nel mercato
degli arretrati (oramai non possso pensare di rinunciarvi)?
Lo spirito di corpo m'imporrebbe la seconda soluzione...ma Steranko non
saprą mai che l'ho comprato!!!
Il dubbio mi strugge.
Saluti
RRobe!

boicottare il volume
;__________;
__
Marco Pesce - la vera e-mail e' 
mpe...@libero.it

Il dubbio mi strugge.
Ma vuoi mettere l'onore di avere un volume di Steranko con un suo
scaracco sopra? Io lo comprerei e lo porterei anche a firmare... ;-)
Cmq, io l'avrei ordinato, ma il dubbio ora strugge anche me...
Senno' ecco la soluzione: Ce lo facciamo regalare ^_^ (se vuoi io lo
regalo a te e tu a me).
--
ciauZ, mauZ.
La vera ironia si usa solo in casi di emergenza.
L'uso prolungato la fa diventare la voce di gente
in gabbia che ha finito per amare le proprie sbarre

 regalo a te e tu a me).
Ottima idea!!!!
Saluti
RRobe!

 presentera' mai il volume da firmare ad una mostra, ci sputera' sopra.
Che fare? Rispettare l'autore, calpestato dalla casa editrice, o pensare al
proprio tornaconto?
Ah, aggiungiamolo al "teorema della Marvel".
--
Nii hao!
Giuseppe Gigante
Remove #nopub#to answer   mailto:
wexdg...@tin.it
  Togli #nopub# per
rispondere
mailto:
wexdg...@libero.it
"640Kb ought to be enough" Bill Gates 1981
"Non posso essermi ridotto cosě" Ranma Saotome 1996
ODIO LA GRAFICA ANSI!!!

proprio tornaconto?
Sarebbe interessante sapere se anche la DC e gli altri applicano la
stessa politica.
Ciao
Paolo
I bought me an illusion an I put it on the wall
I let it fill my head with dreams and I had to have them all
But the taste is never so sweet as what you'd believe it is
Well... I guess it never is
Guns n'Roses