••

Never assume.

In fact, I have over the years signed a pretty thick sheaf of "New Character Agreements." These detail the particular characters, and when and where they were created. Marvel even had me sign some more, recently, to be sure everything was covered.*

(I sense Disney in this, wanting to make sure everything is properly accounted for.)

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* As I signed them, I could not help but remember Marv Wolfman testifying under oath that I do not create characters.

A reminder of how much the industry has changed since I started at Marvel with a flat page rate, lo these many years ago! I remember being perfectly content to work on a third or fourth tier book like IRON FIST, because the excitement came from doing the work, not making the money. Over the decades that changed, and the lure was all about working on the highest paying books -- something that was not an issue when the page rate was the same no matter what the title!*

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* Once upon a time Jim Shooter called me up to inform me I was getting a raise, and that I would then have the highest page rate at Marvel. "Except for John Buscema."

"Huh?" I asked.

"Buscema has it in his contract that he gets the highest page rate. Whatever you get, he'll always get more."

"Fine," I said, "he's worth every penny. But don't tell me I'm getting the highest page rate when there will always be a rate higher than mine!"

As I signed them, I could not help but remember Marv Wolfman testifying under oath that I do not create characters.

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Alternative facts, JB. Alternative facts.