Marvel Comics writer and Spider-Man 2099 creator Peter David has been struggling with severe medical issues for some time, and the situation has gotten worse according to what his wife’s posted on Patreon.
Moral of the story: never work for Marvel or DC because no matter how good you are (and Peter David is one of my favorite comic writers ever), you're disposable to the big 2.
Sadly, nearly every job is like this. You're just disposable garbage to most companies. It sucks, and it feels like while most people go, "yeah, that sucks", nothing is ever done about these conditions. Nothing. At least, nothing that actually brings real change.
Anyone who is new to the industry should look at this and do everything they can to not end up in the same situation. How? No idea, but there has to be an answer.
We have a few (Image, Defiant, and Dark Horse in the 90s were the big ones), with new ones springing up constantly. But they're started by comics guys, not business guys, so the money in the indie scene isn't great because they aren't natural marketers.
Jim Shooter's company. He was dissatisfied with Marvel's business model, so he went and formed his own. Unfortunately, Marvel sued Defiant to death over the Plasmer title. Shooter only had two years in the business with his own company. It was repulsive.
It is true that the comics industry is merciless and it is probably impossible to make a good living or save for retirement. At the same time, Peter David is a complete idiot who refused to pay his taxes, has asked for handout after handout year after year, and managed to squander every cent given to him. I don't know why any of you are still falling for his snake oil pitch.
It's time to be real, he's one of those people that probably isn't malicious but just cannot manage money or make a good decision. Think Ted Beneke from Breaking Bad and you've probably got him in a nutshell. He needs to hit rock bottom before he'll change but all of you fall for his latest sob story- and there is one every year- and bail him out. Comics is truly the only industry where people think they "owe" someone who did that thing they liked when they were a child, no one is saying "Hey let's go do a GoFundMe for the guy who wrote a movie we all liked 40 years ago"
The difference here is that these 'chairs' are literally making companies billions upon billions while the people who created the ideas and told the stories, are left with nothing.
Disney really can't spare some money to care for the people who enabled their empire? Are they suddenly poor?
I am Peter’s wife. This is an ask me anything. There are certain things I can’t answer due to non disclosure agreements. Have any doubts, I am and have been Puppetermaker40 on live journal for years.
He did not refuse to pay. His ex wife took the money earmarked for the IRS. It’s in the story above. He did not ask for help lightly. He was about to loose everything and had a minor child to support along with an other in college.
1993 - Necronomicon in Tampa. Peter was scheduled to go straight from a panel to the judging of the Costume Contest. So he ordered pizza for himself and everyone in the room, which included me.
I think the moral of the story is that freelancers have to put away their own retirement money throughout their careers if they want to survive their golden years. And they have to pay for their own health insurance and not let it lapse. In Peter's case, he should have concentrated on his own original stuff that would generate royalties throughout his life. You don't get rich on work for hire.
PAD (Writer of Stuff) was the first comic writer I actively followed from book to book. I devoured his writing, bought his prose novels, and saw him at conventions, where each time I was thunderstruck, not because of how awesome his books were (I had him sign several dozen of my comics, some of which are falling apart because I re-read them, Hulkster at the Bat being my absolute favorite because of how ridiculous it is), but because he was really 'just a guy.' He put up with my nonsense, and even scribbled on my kindle because I didn't have a physical edition of his novel "Artful."
I hope the help comes through for him. I'll be joining his patreon. It won't be much, but if every one of his readers just gave him him a few bucks, his woes might be over.
Moral of the story: never work for Marvel or DC because no matter how good you are (and Peter David is one of my favorite comic writers ever), you're disposable to the big 2.
Sadly, nearly every job is like this. You're just disposable garbage to most companies. It sucks, and it feels like while most people go, "yeah, that sucks", nothing is ever done about these conditions. Nothing. At least, nothing that actually brings real change.
This is a crime.
Anyone who is new to the industry should look at this and do everything they can to not end up in the same situation. How? No idea, but there has to be an answer.
We need new comic companies, fuck Marvel & DC and their bs.
We have a few (Image, Defiant, and Dark Horse in the 90s were the big ones), with new ones springing up constantly. But they're started by comics guys, not business guys, so the money in the indie scene isn't great because they aren't natural marketers.
That’s a good point, I still like Dark Horse loved their old Conan run. I’m not familiar with Defiant. Who are they?
Jim Shooter's company. He was dissatisfied with Marvel's business model, so he went and formed his own. Unfortunately, Marvel sued Defiant to death over the Plasmer title. Shooter only had two years in the business with his own company. It was repulsive.
Agreed, it was disgusting.
It is true that the comics industry is merciless and it is probably impossible to make a good living or save for retirement. At the same time, Peter David is a complete idiot who refused to pay his taxes, has asked for handout after handout year after year, and managed to squander every cent given to him. I don't know why any of you are still falling for his snake oil pitch.
It's time to be real, he's one of those people that probably isn't malicious but just cannot manage money or make a good decision. Think Ted Beneke from Breaking Bad and you've probably got him in a nutshell. He needs to hit rock bottom before he'll change but all of you fall for his latest sob story- and there is one every year- and bail him out. Comics is truly the only industry where people think they "owe" someone who did that thing they liked when they were a child, no one is saying "Hey let's go do a GoFundMe for the guy who wrote a movie we all liked 40 years ago"
Look… I feel for the guy. But can anyone else think of an industry where poor choices and misfortune is… The end consumers problem?
Can you imagine if some furniture designer, started a go fund me to pay his bills because “You sat in a chair I designed twenty years ago!”
The difference here is that these 'chairs' are literally making companies billions upon billions while the people who created the ideas and told the stories, are left with nothing.
Disney really can't spare some money to care for the people who enabled their empire? Are they suddenly poor?
I am Peter’s wife. This is an ask me anything. There are certain things I can’t answer due to non disclosure agreements. Have any doubts, I am and have been Puppetermaker40 on live journal for years.
He did not refuse to pay. His ex wife took the money earmarked for the IRS. It’s in the story above. He did not ask for help lightly. He was about to loose everything and had a minor child to support along with an other in college.
1993 - Necronomicon in Tampa. Peter was scheduled to go straight from a panel to the judging of the Costume Contest. So he ordered pizza for himself and everyone in the room, which included me.
I think the moral of the story is that freelancers have to put away their own retirement money throughout their careers if they want to survive their golden years. And they have to pay for their own health insurance and not let it lapse. In Peter's case, he should have concentrated on his own original stuff that would generate royalties throughout his life. You don't get rich on work for hire.
Yes and we had to spend it all before he was eligible for Medicaid. It killed the two retirement accounts he has been putting into for years
Head for the UK everyone else is
She needs to ask for aid to continue.
PAD (Writer of Stuff) was the first comic writer I actively followed from book to book. I devoured his writing, bought his prose novels, and saw him at conventions, where each time I was thunderstruck, not because of how awesome his books were (I had him sign several dozen of my comics, some of which are falling apart because I re-read them, Hulkster at the Bat being my absolute favorite because of how ridiculous it is), but because he was really 'just a guy.' He put up with my nonsense, and even scribbled on my kindle because I didn't have a physical edition of his novel "Artful."
I hope the help comes through for him. I'll be joining his patreon. It won't be much, but if every one of his readers just gave him him a few bucks, his woes might be over.