Liefeld Watch
Yesterday's
LITG has been updated with comments from Rob Liefeld (I'll
reproduce Liefeld's comments below, but visit
LITG
to see the full item
in case you don't know what Rob's responding to):
Rob Liefeld chose to comment on this rumour
and
speculation...
"The update on all my plans, Arcade, Marvel and beyond are as follows,
both Genesis and Brigade have fallen victim to talent jockeying,
specifically, coloring and inking setbacks. The colorists and inkers I
have been working for have become much more popular with the two big
pub's following the release of 'Youngblood: Bloodsport' and
'Youngblood: Genesis' and as a result, I have patiently pushed back
deadlines in order to accomodate the quality of the work on these
titles. I have made no bones about the fact that I would rather have a
job I liked than one that is slapped together by interns in order to
meet a dealine. I also don't mind pushing back some deadlines in order
to accomodate the aspirations of the extremely talented folks around
me. Marvel and DC seem to be the only career facelifts worth a lick to
young talent and in the long run if it makes folks happier and the work
is better than it's a good thing.
"'Youngblood: Bloodsport' is my fault as always as I continue to
re-draw pages until they are as good as my meager talents can produce.
Unfortunately, my main career earnings for the last half decade have
come outside the comic business and as I uphold those commitments it
pushes everything back. I fully understand that whether it's a big 100
million movie like Disney's 'The Alamo' or my little 'Bloodsport'
projects being shuffled around the schedule, the media has an interest
and a right to know the facts behind the decisions that drive the
public batty. That said, 'Bloodsport,' 'Genesis' and 'Brigade' are on
target for release early in 2004, say around January-February.
"As for any Marvel plans, for now my sole contribution to Marvel is
providing 'Cable/Deadpool' covers.
"I am not intimately aware of Marat's commission prices, but if he has
cut them in an attempt to generate more interest it is no doubt in
direct correlation to his being stiffed by CrossGen after producing
issues of 'The First' that are currently on sale. He was hired at San
Diego to do a number of fill ins for CrossGen and after failing to
receive a single penny for the issue that was released 2 weeks back
despite their numerous promises to pay him, I have increased his
workload in the hopes to take his mind off of the runaround he is
experiencing. He is currently producing 'Brigade' #2 and another top
secret project for next year."
As for Arcade, Liefeld tells me, "No chance of bailing and that
revolution is still on it's way, look for an exciting partnership
coming to a computer hard drive near you in the very near future..."
Rob is "working for" his colorists and inkers? I suppose,
considering
past
allegations about Liefeld not paying creators who worked on his
books, it makes more sense to say he's working for them if that's the
only direction money is flowing in. And I can see why the
colorists and inkers would turn to the Big Two, where they're more
likely to receive actual payments for their work.
Also, the line "look for an exciting partnership coming to a computer
hard drive near you in the very near future" made me mentally equate
Arcade Comics with a computer virus. If he can't get people to
buy
his comics, Liefeld will just surreptitiously install them on your
PC. So watch out for future spam with the header "Craving More
SHAFT???"
