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INTEREST: Tokyopop's Stu Levy Appearance at AX Draws Ire from Artists


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Weazul-chan



Joined: 10 May 2005
Posts: 625
Location: Michigan
PostPosted: Sat Jun 30, 2018 12:41 pm Reply with quote
DirtyCircle wrote:
Correct me if I'm wrong but can anyone recall a episode of ANN or something where TokyoPop contracts were brought up? I could swear I remember Zac and possibly Justin discuss this once and what complete rookies could expect from a first time contract or if TokyoPop's was grossly different. Anyone else recall this?
not from this site, but there's this article about the old Tokyopop contracts:
http://www.comicsreporter.com/index.php/more_on_terrible_tokyopop_contract/

it also links to a post from livejournal that doesn't exist anymore about the same thing by Bryan Lee O'Malley (and sadly there's no archived version in the wayback machine either).

There's also this:
http://www.comicsbeat.com/tokyopop-hey-dude-totally-bad-contract/
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horseradish
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Joined: 27 Oct 2015
Posts: 574
Location: Bay Area
PostPosted: Sat Jun 30, 2018 5:18 pm Reply with quote
DirtyCircle wrote:
Correct me if I'm wrong but can anyone recall a episode of ANN or something where TokyoPop contracts were brought up? I could swear I remember Zac and possibly Justin discuss this once and what complete rookies could expect from a first time contract or if TokyoPop's was grossly different. Anyone else recall this?
Pretty sure that was ANNcast 073: Pop Vulture with Lissa Patillo and Erica Friedman. Justin did not participate in this discussion, so you may be referring to a different episode. After a quick listen, I think they (specifically Erica, but Zac and Lissa do not disagree) said that the contracts actually weren't that awful despite the outrage at the time. They were written "condescending[ly]", since Tokyopop thought that artists who signed were young and inexperienced and therefore did not understand intellectual property. Attempting to reduce legalese backfired on Tokyopop big time. They also note that artists potentially had unrealistic expectations as first-time authors.

Zac and Justin chat with Mike Kiley, the former Senior Vice President of Tokyopop, in ANNcast 095: Guy Kiley. Don't recall if they mention contracts, but they do talk about The Rising Stars of Manga era.
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Mr. sickVisionz



Joined: 28 Oct 2007
Posts: 2173
PostPosted: Sat Jun 30, 2018 7:02 pm Reply with quote
The quotes from that contact are some of the most "plain speak" I've ever seen in a business contract. They break down and explain things on a conceptual level rather than just legalese. I don't think anyone can claim to be tricked. You wouldn't even need to hire a fancy lawyer. They wrote it at like 9th grade level. Did the people "tricked" actually read it at all? Like even an attempt? I hate the idea of "I couldn't be bothered to read this so it means you tricked me." Especially on a legalese free contract.

The bubble broke and some series got dropped as a result. Some books got less marketing than others.

He doesn't seem like the villain people are making him out to be. Especially when it's like "ban this guy from anything manga related".
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overlordrae



Joined: 16 Dec 2010
Posts: 90
PostPosted: Sat Jun 30, 2018 9:12 pm Reply with quote
xchampion wrote:
I'm a firm believer in if you sign the contract then you got to honor the contract. Also if you didn't read the fine print then that's your own fault. It seems to me all these problem couldn't all be on Stu Levy and TokyoPop's side. There are always two sides to every story.

You mean honoring the contract like actually paying the artists for the work they do?
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