DHep 196 5th Annual Award Show Spectacular

Things have been a bit rocky lately but we're back and getting back to a weekly show again. So here's the long over due award show spectacular. Enjoy

Spawn 400,000

The ten year old court battle between Neil Gaiman and Todd McFarlane has reach it final throws.  Back in February 2012 the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals laid the hammer down on Todd, saying he actually had to pay Neil for those characters and stories he came up with within the Spawn universe - which was one of those book that took full advantage of the 1990's comic boom turning Todd from a fan-favorite comic artist to a minor toy and to some extent media millionare.  Because of the verdict the Arizona Federal Bankruptcy Court has ordered the release of nearly $400,00 from an escrow account created when Todd McFarlane Productions files bankruptcy back in 2004. 

It's not clear to the immediate public how Todd is doing these day other the the bankruptcy, the lack of anything new seeming to come out of his toy company - Heroclix is the fever of the flava these days - and no one has heard dick from Spawn other then the comic that went off the rails when they made the lead character God.  On the one hand you have to praise the guy for taking his minor fame and flipping into into that toy company.  On the other hand while no one who is not directly involved can say precisely what the argument of the law suit involved, there is a pattern here that seem to point to Todd McFarlane acting like a complete dick towards creators who came to work with him, and even some he had nothing to do with at all.

Image comics was started to address the concerns of creators who felt that mainstream comic publishing was screwing them over - and the fact of the matter it was.  The stories about Jack Kirby was a 1000 pound Hulk in the room and every comic collecting circle and fanzine, and even got a mention in the press every once in a blue moon.  So creators like Marc Silvestri, Todd McFarlane and Jim Lee struck out on their own as a direct reaction to Marvel and DC treating like they bent over to pick up the soap.   It was when the 1980's passed the baton to the 1990's, right at the time people like Alan Moore, John Byrne, Neil Gaiman and Alec Ross were setting the stage for what we now know of at the 1990's Comic Boom.   90% of image comics published then were 24 page posters with the hint of a story somewhere in there, but they were selling by the millions like everyone else.  For Todd McFarlane to turn around 10 and 15 years later claiming rights to properties every motherfucker knows was not his to begin with - the story of every aspect of the Spawn books were published pretty much everywhere and Todd was getting TV time too and speaking on creator right way back in the early 1990's.   It wasn't like he was hosting his own talk show, but Spawn was one of those book that Hollywood wanted to capitalize on and pretty much did so interviews with him were kinda part of the whole frenzy.  Spawn was one thing, it was Todd's creation so many he figure he owned every aspect of it even if the law said different.  Todd McFarlane also tried to claim Miracleman - the Alan Moore classic reboot - which Todd had fuck all to do with.   So we may not know every line in the actual legal documents but a dick move is a dick move no matter how you look at it.

He Came, He Saw, He said "Heck no!"

Looks like Ghostbusters 3 will be pushing on without one of it's biggest stars.  Bill Murray, comedian, actor, voice performer and pop culture icon does not seem to want to do the next sequal to the classic horror/comedy.  We have all been hearing the buzz on this film for the last year and a half give or take.  Dan Akroyd has been talking about it, we know Harold Ramis is aboards, and I believe that Rick Moranis is also coming on board.   Throughout the geek reporting of this upcoming sequel were report that numerous script re-writes were sent to Mr. Murray with no positive response.   To be honest, the news has been vague on what exactly Bill's actual response it so it cannot be said he said "no."  However his decision is holding up the movie and Dan Ackroyd had to come out on Feb 29, 2012 and finally admit the movie must go on without Bill.

In terms of icon, Bill Murray has earned his figaritve battle scars.  He kicked ass in the 1970's as a member of the first and still greatest Saturday Night Live crew.  While Eddie Murphy was kicking ass all by himself with the 2nd SNL crew, Bill spent the 1980's kicking comedy movie ass and becoming a world wide pop culture icon.  In the 1990's Bill kick character and bit actor ass, still managing to be part of pop cultures most famous works in film (see Groundhog Day, Kingpin & Rushmore), and the the 21st century Bill Murray has be kicking some serious acting ass even in movie that might not have had great critical or box office success but being one of those things everyone liked about the given movie.  Everyone would like to see a full Ghostbusters team-up, even if it was for the purpose of passing the torch on in order to revive the franchise.   But Bill Murray has given more then his share while earning his well deserved pop culture stripes.  If he doesn't want to do it, can't hate on the man for not wanting to look back.