Archie Sonic News: Corporate Warfare

[Mike Arcade]

http://www.tssznews.com/2016/08/02/a-lawsuit-against-archie-sega-america-has-been-filed-by-narrative-ark-entertainment

So recently yet another lawsuit has be filed against Archie and Sega of America, apparently this time not by Ken Penders, but former writer Scott Fulop, he was the one who created Mammoth Mogul and The Fearsome Foursome (who later got renamed by Ian Flynn as The Destructix), the Dark Mages who got butchered by Sir Connery, also created by Scott Fulop and finally everyone's favorite neglectful Uncle Merlin Prower.

It seems that Archie Sonic could once again be at risk once more, though since this is about characters no longer in use it could be due to Reprinting Rights. What do you guys think?

What do you think will happen to Archie Sonic and it's Reprints? Where will this lead? All we can do is wait and gather info as new info is released overtime.

[Wulfsbane]

TSSZ News has recieved several tips about this new lawsuit filed agaisnt Archie Comics & Sega. The plantiff is former Archie Sonic employee Scott Fulop who now works for Narrative Ark Entertainment. The Documents cite 6 counts of illegal activities by Archie Comics and SEGA, of which includes copyright infringement, violations of the Lanham Act, deceptive practices, unjust enrichment, and more. Fulop is apparently citing infringement on Sonic comics spanning from 1996-2012, and claiming republished and original work going up to 2009.  There are 953 cited examples of alleged copyright infringement in comics, printed and digital. This includes 441 alleged infringements over 348 re-releases of the main Sonic comic series. Under normal circumstances, the Statue of Limitations would have passed, as of August of 2015. However, since Archie has been re-releasing old issues via digital means, the statue is no longer active and Fulop is able to sue. Fulop, like Penders before him, secured the copyrights to many characters (such as Mammouth Mogul and Merlin Prower), story-lines, and artwork he allegedly created while working for the Sonic comics. He is seeking back-payments and royalties for these issues and even tried settleing with Archie in 2015. Speaking of Penders, according to his twitter page, he is not involved but he believes he will be called to testify to the court.

 

Fulop’s attorney is Neil Burstein, who is high-profile and has several top-tier IP and entertainment clients. This is very bad news for Archie and Sega. His clients include movie actors, best selling authors, and video producers just to name a few. Some select testimonials show high praise for Burstein too. If he is apart of Fulop's legal team then he's going for it all and this could spell the beginning of the end of Archie Sonic. Fulop is demanding a trial by jury as well which also might not help with this case either.

As it stands, this isnt looking good. We could be witnessing the start of the event that could end Archie Sonic, even Archie Comics itself. And if Archie Sonic goes, The Scribes will lead the charge to bring home for SatAM, Archie Sonic of old and the Freedom Fighters. Stay with us as this story develops.

Information for this news update was accessed and cited from TSSZ News.

[Ishapar]

Bad news for Sega and Archie.  Everybody thought 2017 was going to look good for Sega.  Let's pray that whatever happens, we can at least help out in anyway possible.

[Akessel92]

I hope this comes out better than what happened with penders. This all happened because of a warehouse fire. Had it not happened things might have been different. People say we got the best things that happened in the 1990s. They also got the worst. 

[Wulfsbane]

There's not been a lot of updates of the story, after talking with SSF1991 a few weeks ago on Twitter it appears this case is still in the preliminary stages.

What the potential outcomes that can be... well, that's still unknown. They could be working to settle out of court or gearing up for a jury trial.

[Akessel92]

On September 28, 2016 at 10:10 PM, Wulfsbane said:

There's not been a lot of updates of the story, after talking with SSF1991 a few weeks ago on Twitter it appears this case is still in the preliminary stages.

What the potential outcomes that can be... well, that's still unknown. They could be working to settle out of court or gearing up for a jury trial.

I did hear from my lawyer friend that ip cases take forever to get word. Also, again this is more regarding reprints than ongoing issues post world's collide. Even though some believe it will end like the last one I doubt it. It will probably be something much more underhanded like say.... Giving billing to writers, artists, and editors whom had no part in said stories in edition of novelized or collection reprint. They did this for penders in some of these reprints already probably won't be long for Fulop or whomever to do the same. 

[DaddlerTheDalek]

First Penders. Now Fulop...

[Wulfsbane]

What still bothers me is the timing of Fulop's lawsuit.

Wouldnt it have been easier to join in with Penders' lawsuit?

[TheRedStranger]

Do we have any updates on this, gang?

[Mike Arcade]

http://sonic.wikia.com/wiki/Ken_Penders'_legal_cases

So I've been trying to look up and find any new info regarding it but I can't find anything yet, however I did come across this link here that can fill in for those of you who are confused on the matter. Supposedly this also has the list of just about all the mandates that Archie Sonic has to contend with and a list of all the characters rendered unusable, which seems to be quite legitimate as they listed off even the most obscure of characters.

If there is anything I can find I'll let you all know as well.

[ByTor, Prince of Ro’den]

Now, if this is true it has confirmed my suspicions and fears about the comic. However, outside of the court documents and stories about the cases that were referenced, this wiki article, which anyone can write on, has references to other "facts" attributed to a anonymous blog posts with some obviously written by a biased fan who in and of him/herself did not reference any ascertains therein. That being said, it is fascinating and is a good read that happens to fit the facts.

 

Here's some points I find very interesting.

 

"Sonic is not allowed to “lose”. He can be 'put down' and experience hardship but is not allowed to completely 'fail'."

This flies in the face of almost everything I like about Sonic as set down by Len Janson; with this mandate there is no high drama or threat; there'll be no reason to wonder how it's going to end. And with them apparently locking down most of the baddies that are alternates to "Eggman" it'll be Sonic beating the developmentally disabled fat guy ad nausium.

 

"Due to the Penders v Archie Comic's lawsuit settlement ending in Penders' favor because of ACP failing to produce the relevant contract of Penders' time of work (resulting in a settlement in Penders' favor), other ACP-exclusive characters/stories not created by Ken Penders or Ian Flynn by previous members of the Archie Team (eg. Karl Bollers' 'Mina Mongoose', 'Megan Acorn' and others) were also systematic purged from the continuity in the form of the Super Genesis Wave. This may be relevant (but not limited to) to two primary reasons:

1. To ensure similar legal complications do not arise again.
2. To keep the comic series' universe and stories more in line with the games at Sega's behest."

 

#2 saddens me; it shows me that Archie will be unable to move beyond the boring game based storylines and will not be able to innovate.

It's weird that they consider Maximilian Acorn a Penders character... everything but the name came from SatAM/DiC same as Sally and the rest of the FF; heck, I think she still has the Acorn surname, but I guess they did butcher all the characters just like Max and Naugus. I guess I shouldn't be surprised.
 

Tails says it best:

 

[Mike Arcade]

https://www.pacermonitor.com/public/case/15373746/Narrative_Ark_Entertainment_LLC_v_Archie_Comic_Publications,_Inc_et_al

Apparently Fulop's team is going to be dropping the lawsuit, thoughts guys?

I do gotta wonder why now after trying to go through with this, we'll update this as soon as we get more info.

[Mike Arcade]

http://segabits.com/blog/2017/03/24/sega-and-archie-still-in-talks-over-sonic-the-hedgehog-license/

Sonic Overdrive and the 5th volume of the Post-Reboot Sonic Paperback are confirmed to be cancelled! It looks like Archie and Sega are discussing the future of Archie Sonic. If anything more is said we'll let you know but the future of the comic is very uncertain now.

[Wulfsbane]

Part of me thinks it's Archie that's trying to drop the comic, not Sega. I mean, why would Sega cancel the heavily promoted Mega Drive series?

My thought process: Archie isn’t doing well financially. They took a massive gamble with Riverdale. Even with it be rewarded a 2nd season, it’s not getting the revenue Archie was expecting. I think Archie wants to drop the series as a cost saving move but Sega doesn’t want to drop the comic. I think Archie’s stalling for time to either make Sega take the comic off the table or to sure up funds for operating costs to publish more comics.

I think the cards are stacked in Sega's favor, they could have left Archie during the last delay too but they are showing faith in their long time publishing partner

[ByTor, Prince of Ro’den]

Dang, this is really not looking good. 

If they're in negotiations with Sega it can only be the cost of the license and/or Sega's mandates/demands placed on the comic.

With the comic's sales plummeting like it is the license is probably costing them more than they're making. From the sounds of it they're trying to hammer out a deal where if Sega continues its draconian mandates the price of the license gets lowered and/or Archie wanting more freedom with the writing going forward so they can make appealing stories that will sell.

let's hope that cool heads prevail and the comic gets better out of this. As it sits as SoJ and video game only content goes it's just not going to sell with those mandates and they might as well end it now or at #300.

[F07E]

I'm kinda hoping they end it at issue 300 or so, and make another sonic comic series not so bogged down by mismanagement.

(though crazy theory here: maybe the hiatus is thanks to sega wanting to procure/ensure the rights to the egg bosses from the comic are theirs to use for forces, without starting another pendersgate. if so I pray they don't use witchcart and the battlekukku armada, I still hate their utilization and retcons in the comic.)

[TheRedStranger]

Any updates so far?

[Mike Arcade]

http://www.tssznews.com/2017/04/19/sonic-291-listed-as-cancelled-email-going-to-subscribers-about-sonic-comics-later-in-april/

Here's some big news guys, Archie Comics' Sonic the Hedgehog issue 291 has been listed as cancelled, at the end of April subscribers will get an email regarding both Sonic Comics that were currently running before the hiatus, what that may mean isn't known at the time but this could be the end of Archie Sonic everyone.

Once the news breaks we'll let you know what the results are during the beginning of May everyone.

[Ishapar]

Looks like it has been going back and forth.  Only time will tell.

[Wulfsbane]

http://www.tssznews.com/2017/05/10/rumor-sonic-comics-cancelled-sega-wants-more-licensing-money-archie-not-wanting-to-renew-it/

I really dont like reporting these rumors but since TSSZ had something to say I might as well.

I'm not really inclined to believe this guy from the SSMB the article sources however. Considering how many people claim to have "insider sources" over the years in regards to anything involving Sonic. If it is right, however, it proves my theory that Sega wants to continue the comic but Archie doesnt.

As it stands, I think this may be wrong. I dont know

[ByTor, Prince of Ro’den]

Definitely a rumor, but it wouldn't surprise me. Archie has Sega micromanaging them through draconian edicts on wot they can and cannot write, and if it's true they want more money for the license whilst the comic is cratering sales wise, it makes a good business decision.

If you look at it the comic was a promotional tool to get Sonic out there and noticed in the early days, which Sega of America undoubtedly started with Archie, being as it was based on the cartoons/American Cannon. It's really a holdover from those early days; it's just has been really venerable. Now that the comic is more or less totally based on the games it's lost its appeal and thus is falling to the same problems as with the games thanks to SoJ's meddling.

Now, I know that I cannot lay this all at SoJ's feet; Penders and his lawsuit really messed things up. In my opinion he just sped up Sega's micromanaging of one of their ignored properties. It's really a "chicken and the egg" debate as to what is cause and affect of the current situation, but I can't without a doubt point all the blame at Penders; SoJ has just as much if not more blame.

Anyway, it's still unconfirmed and I'm still holding out hope that the comic might be restored to its former glory, but with each passing day it look less likely. Bottom line is Archie really needs to be straight with us; the longer they wait, if it is truly not canceled, they leave it open for rumours and such like this which cause a lot of damage to the comic in and of itself if it's not true.

 

Just my 2 cents. 

 

Edit: also: http://bumbleking.com

Ian Flynn no longer lists Sonic as any of his projects.

[Wulfsbane]

Considering he hasnt worked on Sonic in over 5 months with everything up in the air, it's probably just him trying to clear up his schedule and not give people false hope that the comic is coming back

[ByTor, Prince of Ro’den]

 

1 hour ago, Wulfsbane said:

Considering he hasnt worked on Sonic in over 5 months with everything up in the air, it's probably just him trying to clear up his schedule and not give people false hope that the comic is coming back

If the comic isn't dead he should be giving the fans hope, not taking it away.

[Wulfsbane]

At this rate it can be perceived both ways

[Wulfsbane]

According to Archie's PR department, they are still working on it. TSSZ has stated that Sega wants the comic to continue.

From what I gathered it's just down to money terms at this point.

[TheRedStranger]

Any updates on this? 

[Wulfsbane]

No updates so far. Just the usual "in talks" from Archie's PR on twitter. Fans are getting rather antsy with them (and understandably so)

[ByTor, Prince of Ro’den]

They just don't want to refund people's subscription money, plain and simple.

[TheRedStranger]

On 6/12/2017 at 0:32 AM, Prince By-Tor said:

They just don't want to refund people's subscription money, plain and simple.

They will rethink that if there is a join-suit... That is fraud.

[Wulfsbane]

According to Ian Flynn, there should be some news at the end of July.

[Akessel92]

7 minutes ago, Wulfsbane said:

According to Ian Flynn, there should be some news at the end of July.

Well what should we do when that happens, get ready for a funeral or something else? 

[ByTor, Prince of Ro’den]

Still hoping that something good comes out of the negotiations; as long as they're talking there is still hope that the comic will survive and get better.

[ByTor, Prince of Ro’den]

The evidence is piling up:

 

http://www.tssznews.com/2017/07/08/archie-update-archie-not-going-to-san-diego-comic-con-sonic-freelance-artist-looking-for-work/

 

"Rafa Knight is a freelancer 3D artist for Archie Comics. Her most recent works in the Archie Sonic comics is Sonic #275, which was released in mid-2015, and Sonic Universe #85. The latter came out just 5-6 months before the hiatus started. However, she is now looking for freelance work elsewhere. The hiatus has been hitting Archie Sonic freelancers hard. If that’s not enough, she mentioned the word “cancelled” when bringing up the comics.

Hello, I’m Rafa Knight!
I work at the Sega of America, doing some works for the Sonic Team, and sometimes some works for the Sonic the Hedgehog social media, as a freelancer 3D artist.

It’s a job that I like to do, but it has always been more like a secondary thing or a hobbie, because as much as I wanted, it is not something that give enough return to be my main job, maybe you understand how it is.
For these reasons my main job was on the Archie Comics, where I worked for about 2 years, which also was a very pleasant place to work, but that ended up canceling the comics where I worked."

 

http://www.tssznews.com/2017/07/09/archie-will-be-at-san-diego-comic-con-after-all-archie-comics-forever-riverdale-and-beyond-event-planned/

They will be at San Diego's Comicon, so maybe we'll hear something?

[Wulfsbane]

I mean 7 months of no word people have drawn to conclusions that it's cancelled.

We're supposed to receive official word by the end of the month. If they intended to cancel I would think they would have said something by now. Maybe the Archie run is over and they are gonna change publishers?

I'm not so sure right now. There's not a lot of information and a lot of speculation. I think the fans just want a final answer at this rate.

[ByTor, Prince of Ro’den]

 

1 hour ago, Wulfsbane said:

I mean 7 months of no word people have drawn to conclusions that it's cancelled.

We're supposed to receive official word by the end of the month. If they intended to cancel I would think they would have said something by now. Maybe the Archie run is over and they are gonna change publishers?

I'm not so sure right now. There's not a lot of information and a lot of speculation. I think the fans just want a final answer at this rate.

Like I said before, the only reason I could see that they are holding off on announcing it is because they'd have to refund subscription fees. It would behoove Archie a lot earlier to say that it was not cancelled because it's just leading to speculation and people saying that it's cancelled; they are ticking off their consumers this way. And a lot of the speculation is based on circumstantial evidence like the one I posted above, so people are seeing smoke and when you see smoke there is usually flame.

[Wulfsbane]

https://twitter.com/tssznews/status/908200315849203712

Fullop Lawsuit has been dismissed

 

[Akessel92]

1 hour ago, Wulfsbane said:

https://twitter.com/tssznews/status/908200315849203712

Fullop Lawsuit has been dismissed

 

Woopie do/s