DC: "Would you like the Watchmen rights back, Alan Moore?" Alan Moore: "**** you, DC"

[Tron Bonne]

http://www.newsarama.com/comics/alan-moore-watchmen-rights-100721.html

Adding fuel to the rumors that DC Comics is planning - or at least hoping - to publish prequels and/or sequels to Alan Moore and David Gibbons landmark comic book series Watchmen, Moore has told Wired.com that the publisher recently offered him the rights to Watchmen back, in exchange for his agreement to new Watchmen projects.

“They offered me the rights to Watchmen back, if I would agree to some dopey prequels and sequels,” Moore told Wired.com on Wednesday, during what the online mag called a wide-ranging interview about his new multimedia spoken-word box set Unearthing and more.

“So I just told them that if they said that 10 years ago, when I asked them for that, then yeah it might have worked,” he said. “But these days I don’t want Watchmen back. Certainly, I don’t want it back under those kinds of terms.”

Wired.com goes on to detail the current state of strained relations between Moore and DC, but also to the comic book industry in general.
“I don’t even have a copy of Watchmen in the house anymore,” Moore said. “The comics world has lots of unpleasant connections, when I think back over it, many of them to do with Watchmen.”

Apparently reached for comment by Wired.com in the wake of Moore's comments, DC co-publishers Dan DiDio and Jim Lee told the mag, “Watchmen is the most celebrated graphic novel of all time. Rest assured, DC Comics would only revisit these iconic characters if the creative vision of any proposed new stories matched the quality set by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons nearly 25 years ago, and our first discussion on any of this would naturally be with the creators themselves.”

That statement and the Moore statements that preceded it probably raise more questions than they answer, however.

What one can construe is DC certainly didn’t refute the possibility of new Watchmen projects, and given its outstanding evergreen trade paperback sales, this should come as no surprise. Finding a creative vision that matches what's widely regarded as the greatest comic book story of all-time, will be the rub, however.

Does Moore’s washing of his hands of the entire concept now give DC the open door to pursue new projects with other creators in good editorial conscious and with the approval of the fan community? Perhaps with the participation on some level by co-creator Dave Gibbons?


The topic has certainly gotten a shot in the arm with Moore’s comments and DC should expect, and perhaps desires, questions to be asked about it this weekend at Comic-Con.

Okay, so maybe the title is a tad misleading since the offer came with a catch, but it still seems that the rights were offered back to some degree.

I mainly post this because, in honesty, I'm somewhat confused at this. I can't believe DC actually did this under any circumstances. Unless, of course, I'm misunderstanding the issue. Couldn't Moore have moved Watchmen somewhere else (or stopped it from being printed, period) if he had the rights? Or am I oversimplifying this? All I know is that rights were set to revert back to Moore if Watchmen went out of print for more than a year under the original contract, something DC never had any intention whatsoever of doing.

I have a feeling it's probably more complicated than that, or some serious strings would have been attached, because I simply can't believe DC/WB would risk this leaving them in any form. Call me a cynic, but I bet this was probably a thinly veiled PR move to cover any negativity that will come from whatever they plan for the Watchmen property.

I'm sure Alan Moore will get labeled 'pretentious' or 'a dick' for this (since fans and readers will always run to the defense of these companies at damn near anything over actual writers and creators; a fact we can always count on), since on the surface it does look like DC is extending a hand to him, but I think anyone who has followed anything from Moore in this last decade will not be surprised by this move on his part. It really wouldn't surprise me if DC knew that, too, if my theory of this as simply disguised PR is right. Either way, it definitely shows how truly divorced Moore is from the mainstream comic book industry.

I'm not particularly attached to Watchmen like so many others, so I don't care what they do with the property, but I found this a very interesting piece of news on several levels.

 

[Wesley Dodds]

I really like Moore's style. Why should he play ball with DC? They've almost completely dicked him around for like twenty years...



Also: NO WATCHMEN SEQUEL! Seriously, WTF?!

 

[hippie_hunter]

I really like Moore's style. Why should he play ball with DC? They've almost completely dicked him around for like twenty years...

True, but with Moore's absurdly arrogant attitude, I can't feel any sympathy for the guy.

 

[Blitzkrieg Bop]

Watchmen does not need, nor should ever have any sequel, prequel, spin off, or any thing else like that.

 

[Wesley Dodds]

True, but with Moore's absurdly arrogant attitude, I can't feel any sympathy for the guy.

Yeah, but I think that arrogance is warranted when it comes to his dealings with DC... It feels a lot more like defensiveness more than anything, and who can blame him?

 

[SuperFerret]

Moore is an absurdly arrogant, crazy old wizard, but he did the right thing here.

 

[Tron Bonne]

Eh, at the end of the day, Moore really isn't more arrogant than many other high end writers. People just seem to zoom more on him because he's against 'their' companies or whatever.

Watchmen does not need, nor should ever have any sequel, prequel, spin off, or any thing else like that.

Well, it's something that's been talked about for awhile now. Apparently, the only thing that held back sequels/prequels/spin-offs/etc. were Levitz. Now that he is out of editorial power, it's probably free game.

 

[Blitzkrieg Bop]

Great. Now I'm upset.

 

[hippie_hunter]

Yeah, but I think that arrogance is warranted when it comes to his dealings with DC... It feels a lot more like defensiveness more than anything, and who can blame him?

Yes. It's one thing to bash the big two like Kirkman does in order to inspire more independent creators, but it's another to act like you're the greatest thing to ever grace comics and acting all high and mighty.

 

[Tron Bonne]

Yes. It's one thing to bash the big two like Kirkman does in order to inspire more independent creators, but it's another to act like you're the greatest thing to ever grace comics and acting all high and mighty.

Geez, maybe a little lighter on the hyperbole next time...

 

[fifthfiend]

Comic creators aren't obliged to be polite to companies that **** them over and vandalize their works.

It's not Alan Moore showing up on DC's doorstep asking for favors so as far as I'm concerned he can act as high and mighty as he wants to them.

 

[hippie_hunter]

Geez, maybe a little lighter on the hyperbole next time...

No I'm serious. The man acts like his **** don't stink. I just really can't stand it when people have that kind of attitude.

 

[Tron Bonne]

No I'm serious. The man acts like his **** don't stink. I just really can't stand it when people have that kind of attitude.

Well, I'm going to stay away from having another 'OMG, Moore is so pretentious and awful and overrated and blah blah' discussion.

All I say is I do think it's probably fair to call him a little pretentious and arrogant, but many of the higher end writers are. I mean, have you read some of the stuff Grant Morrison has said towards readers and his work? It's just something that happens with a lot of artists. Though, has Moore ever made any implication that he's never done anything bad or that he's the 'greatest thing' in comics or disavowed his co-creators and influences? **** no, that's just nonsense quite frankly. I think people just zoom in on him and what he says because he doesn't hold back on bashing the main comic industry, and readers and fans are always crowding to that, pretending like they have some type of connection with DC and Marvel just because they publish characters they like. Well, that and Moore's work can be didactic, which is almost an instant label of being pretentious to some people.

Like I said, I have no desire to turn this into one of 'those' arguments since the point is irrelevant to anything, but Moore's level of 'arrogance' is overblown by most. It may be there, but no more than many other writers.

 

[hippie_hunter]

Well, I'm going to stay away from having another 'OMG, Moore is so pretentious and awful and overrated and blah blah' discussion.

All I say is I do think it's probably fair to call him a little pretentious and arrogant, but many of the higher end writers do. I mean, have you read some of the stuff Grant Morrison has said towards readers and his work? It's just something that happens with a lot of artists. Though, has Moore ever made any implication that he's never done anything bad or that he's the 'greatest thing' in comics or disavowed his co-creators and influences? **** no, that's just nonsense quite frankly. I think people just zoom in on him and what he says because he doesn't hold back on bashing the main comic industry, and readers and fans are always crowding to that, pretending like they have some type of connection with DC and Marvel just because they publish characters they like. Well, that and Moore's work can be didactic, which is almost an instant label of being pretentious to some people.

Like I said, I have no desire to turn this into one of 'those' arguments since they're pointless anyway, but Moore's level of 'arrogance' is overblown by most. It may be there, but no many than many other writers.

I'm not a fan of Morrison's attitude either. But just like Moore, I'm not going to let the who the man personally is, affect my liking of their works.

I'm in the opinion that people who create things for other people to enjoy should be more polite.

 

[fifthfiend]

Yeah this "**** don't stink" meter is so precisely wrong it is dizzying. People like Grant Morrison, Geoff Johns, Brian Bendis, Joe Quesada, I could go on for days, these are gentlemen which give every appearance of imagining a zero-stink quotient in their ****. Moore however is a man who has repeatedly acknowledged the stinkiness of his ****. I don't know what your actual issue with Moore is but this thing you are complaining about is much, much truer of pretty much every big-name creator than it is of him.

 

[fifthfiend]

Oh my god I can't believe I left out Frank Miller, anyone who could make The Spirit and then continue to produce creative works instead of committing seppuku to expunge his dishonor is pretty much the all-time world champion of ****ting and then imagining that ****'s lack of stinkage.

 

[Tron Bonne]

I'm in the opinion that people who create things for other people to enjoy should be more polite.

That is definitely something we can both agree on

Moore however is a man who has repeatedly acknowledged the stinkiness of his ****.

'You know, I really need to get around to having my name taken off Voodoo.'

 

[Kurosawa]

http://www.newsarama.com/comics/alan-moore-watchmen-rights-100721.html

Okay, so maybe the title is a tad misleading since the offer came with a catch, but it still seems that the rights were offered back to some degree.

I mainly post this because, in honesty, I'm somewhat confused at this. I can't believe DC actually did this under any circumstances. Unless, of course, I'm misunderstanding the issue. Couldn't Moore have moved Watchmen somewhere else (or stopped it from being printed, period) if he had the rights? Or am I oversimplifying this? All I know is that rights were set to revert back to Moore if Watchmen went out of print for more than a year under the original contract, something DC never had any intention whatsoever of doing.

I have a feeling it's probably more complicated than that, or some serious strings would have been attached, because I simply can't believe DC/WB would risk this leaving them in any form. Call me a cynic, but I bet this was probably a thinly veiled PR move to cover any negativity that will come from whatever they plan for the Watchmen property.

I'm sure Alan Moore will get labeled 'pretentious' or 'a dick' for this (since fans and readers will always run to the defense of these companies at damn near anything over actual writers and creators; a fact we can always count on), since on the surface it does look like DC is extending a hand to him, but I think anyone who has followed anything from Moore in this last decade will not be surprised by this move on his part. It really wouldn't surprise me if DC knew that, too, if my theory of this as simply disguised PR is right. Either way, it definitely shows how truly divorced Moore is from the mainstream comic book industry.

I'm not particularly attached to Watchmen like so many others, so I don't care what they do with the property, but I found this a very interesting piece of news on several levels.

I'd imagine DC is just that desperate to have him back if they were willing to give him any % of Watchmen ownership. I also wonder how Dave Gibbons would have figured or does figure into all this. Either way he's doing what he feels is the right thing and I always support the creator. I'm sure Moore knows even if he had ownership DC wouldn't be willing to print just anything that he wanted to do.

Comic creators aren't obliged to be polite to companies that **** them over and vandalize their works.

It's not Alan Moore showing up on DC's doorstep asking for favors so as far as I'm concerned he can act as high and mighty as he wants to them.

This is why the Siegel and Shuster families are suing DC and why Kirby's family is suing Marvel. Well, that and money. If I were a member of the Siegel family I'd be willing to trade a certain % of money for a creative say so as to keep DC from running Superman further into the ground (thus cutting into the value of the character in the long run).

 

[Tron Bonne]

I'd imagine DC is just that desperate to have him back if they were willing to give him any % of Watchmen ownership. I also wonder how Dave Gibbons would have figured or does figure into all this. Either way he's doing what he feels is the right thing and I always support the creator. I'm sure Moore knows even if he had ownership DC wouldn't be willing to print just anything that he wanted to do.

You know, I won't be surprised if Gibbons might be a little happy that Moore isn't taking the deal, to be honest. Thanks to Moore's general disowning of the property, Gibbons got all of what would have been Moore's cut of the royalties from the movie and movie-based licensing. I assume the story will be similar for all the potential sequel/prequel stuff that may see light.

Not to paint Gibbons in a bad light or anything, but it is probably a good thing for him in the end, financially speaking

 

[Kurosawa]

You know, I won't be surprised if Gibbons might be a little happy that Moore isn't taking the deal, to be honest. Thanks to Moore's general disowning of the property, Gibbons got all of what would have been Moore's cut of the royalties from the movie and movie-based licensing. I assume the story will be similar for all the potential sequel/prequel stuff that may see light.

Not to paint Gibbons in a bad light or anything, but it is probably a good thing for him in the end, financially speaking

His contributions to the entire series were always badly ignored anyway, so I'm happy for him.

 

[Red Mask]

Good for Moore. It sounds like Didio and Lee are a bunch of PR hacks.

 

[Hush]

Yeah with out Gibbons gorgeous artwork that got all the themes across you do not have Watchmen. Moore wrote a good story but Gibbons makes it for me.

 

[Spade]

Final Crisis gave us Allen Adam, an analog take on Dr. Manhattan.

Morrison has a Charlton inspired universe worked into Multiversity.

Let's forget the Watchmen spinoff ideas and leave it at this.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Eh, there are no good guys in this situation to me. DC should've given Moore the rights way back when, Moore's a huge dick anyway, DC shouldn't be making sequels or prequels or anything other than new and inventive reprints of the existing Watchmen story, DC shouldn't offer the rights back to Moore with strings attached, and Moore is still a huge dick.

 

[Watchman]

So it seems once Levitz left the floodgates have been open and DC is publishing whatever the hell they want. I'm more frightened as to what Plan B is since Moore shot them down.