Coming next from IDW comics?
- Thread starter Therin of Andor
- Start date
Without going into too much detail, let me say that Therin and 8of5 are both pretty much spot-on when it comes to the question of an Enterprise comic, the likeness approvals for it, etc. etc.
In general, though, I would also note that the likeness-approvals list at CBS/Paramount is an evolving document; actors who didn't initially sign away their likeness rights may have done so at a later date--perhaps because it was required by a later project, such as a TOS character who went on to appear in another series (Kang, Koloth, etc.), or a film produced after their TV series went off the air (which would be a contract separate and apart from their TV deal). Sometimes, though, CBS/Paramount just decides that it wants to have the rights, and contacts the actor to negotiate a new payment.
As for actors/characters making cameos from series not covered by the IDW license (Voyager, DS9, etc.), most of this is indeed done on a case-by-case basis, but usually only when there's a canonical reason for it. For example, Tuvok appears in Last Generation because Voyager established that he had served on Sulu's Excelsior at the time of the Khitomer Conference, which is exactly the event on which Last Generation is based.
But I didn't think we could use the character Quark, since I didn't really have any canon justifying his reason for being there; and so instead we made him Letek, the first Ferengi played by Armin Shimmerman, from the TNG episode "The Last Outpost" (which, as an Easter egg, is the name of the bar where Letek appears). In fact, I specifically included art notes in the script to make sure Gordon Purcell drew the character as Letek, with a different nose, etc., and not as Quark, because Armin wore different makeup appliances when he appeared on DS9. (Coincidentally, Gordon had been the artist on Malibu's DS9 comic, so it would have been cool for him to revisit Quark.)
But, you know, CBS/Paramount was really easy to work with and could be extremely accommodating as well. Annika Hansen was allowed to appear in Last Generation pretty much only because they (quite generously) said that she could; it was just a cameo, she's not central to the storyline, and she appeared only as "Annika" rather than her more familiar "7 of 9" persona.
In general, though, I would also note that the likeness-approvals list at CBS/Paramount is an evolving document; actors who didn't initially sign away their likeness rights may have done so at a later date--perhaps because it was required by a later project, such as a TOS character who went on to appear in another series (Kang, Koloth, etc.), or a film produced after their TV series went off the air (which would be a contract separate and apart from their TV deal). Sometimes, though, CBS/Paramount just decides that it wants to have the rights, and contacts the actor to negotiate a new payment.
As for actors/characters making cameos from series not covered by the IDW license (Voyager, DS9, etc.), most of this is indeed done on a case-by-case basis, but usually only when there's a canonical reason for it. For example, Tuvok appears in Last Generation because Voyager established that he had served on Sulu's Excelsior at the time of the Khitomer Conference, which is exactly the event on which Last Generation is based.
But I didn't think we could use the character Quark, since I didn't really have any canon justifying his reason for being there; and so instead we made him Letek, the first Ferengi played by Armin Shimmerman, from the TNG episode "The Last Outpost" (which, as an Easter egg, is the name of the bar where Letek appears). In fact, I specifically included art notes in the script to make sure Gordon Purcell drew the character as Letek, with a different nose, etc., and not as Quark, because Armin wore different makeup appliances when he appeared on DS9. (Coincidentally, Gordon had been the artist on Malibu's DS9 comic, so it would have been cool for him to revisit Quark.)
But, you know, CBS/Paramount was really easy to work with and could be extremely accommodating as well. Annika Hansen was allowed to appear in Last Generation pretty much only because they (quite generously) said that she could; it was just a cameo, she's not central to the storyline, and she appeared only as "Annika" rather than her more familiar "7 of 9" persona.
Yep. I remember really liking the Early Voyages comic but never reread it. Now that I have the omnibus, I've read fourteen or so of seventeen issues, and it's every bit as good as I remember, both art and story. Damn, it'd be nice to see Abnett, Edginton, and Zircher or Collins working on a follow-up for IDW.
I'm just going to wildly and somewhat unrealistically suggest "Alien Spotlight" become a continuing series and feature all those aliens and more. As for the current series, can someone fill me in? We've had another Romulan, a Klingon, a Tribble, and a Q. I heard we were getting Betazoid, Tholian and Ferengi, but there's only two slots left. Which one got axed? I hope it's Ferengi, not because I dislike them but because Tholian and Betazoid would be more interesting. Not much action in a Betazoid story, I imagine. It would be nice to see how they worked that, and nice to see a Betazoid story not involving telepathy, perhaps?
This second Alien Spotlight series has been remarkably unpromoted by IDW. Most of the info on Memory Beta comes from announcements made over a year ago, before the series was delayed. And then the series has had a really staggered release, with a gap now before we get the Q issue, and at least a month without an issue after that. I assume it's still going to be six parts, but no idea what those last two parts will be anymore.
If IDW did that I would love them forever. I swear Early Voyages was solid gold throughout, every element of it was just perfect. Best star Trek comics ever.
Same here, and I was hoping that was their thinking behind doing this omnibus - except with IDW not paying any royalties to the original writers and artists of their reprint program, they've managed to really annoy a lot of potential contributors. Mike Barr has posted elsewhere that fans should be choosing not to support the IDW reprint omnibuses of DC, Marvel and Malibu material until IDW pays out.
In that case, I'll get the DVD set of Star Trek comics and skip the omnibus editions.
Wow, that sucks! What about original to IDW stuff? Do the writers and artists get royalties on those trades?
I assume it's covered by their current contracts.
Obviously, agreement to pay royalties on older material, originally published by other companies, wasn't covered in any clauses in the old contracts.
Would that usually be done for something like the DVDs? Because that would be alot of royalties to pay. Not that I'm saying they shouldn't if they're supposed to.
DVDs as a storage medium for paper-based products weren't even a blip on people's minds when those early Gold Key, DC, Marvel and Malibu ST issues' contracts were being signed. And if royalties were to be owed, the unit price would have had to be made much, much higher... or the few cents per contributor wouldn't be worth pursuing.
Interesting though, that the company making that DVD was not supposed to distribute it outside of the USA, so there was some kind of ruling made?
Sonuvabitch!
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