Comic Creators Guild

October 25, 2007

Actors have the Screen Actors Guild, why can't comic creators?

In dealing with creators on a weekly basis, I'm always puzzled why there's no two creators with the same name. Come to think of it, there may actually be duplicate names and I wouldn't know. But I wonder, if my name was Jim Lee, is there some governing body that would tell me I couldn't use it? Would I have to use James Lee instead?

Now, S.A.G. does a bit more than preventing name conflicts. It's a labor union, making sure all members receive equitable compensation, benefits, and working conditions. We can cross out working conditions since writers and artists work from home. Although hostility between writers and artists could be construed as a negative working condition. Benefits are strictly for contract creators so we can cross that out too. But perhaps a union would make contracts (and thus benefits) mandatory? I'm just making shit up now.

I've spoken about comic creator compensation before. That could always improve. I doubt pay increases have been consistent with cover prices.

The only thing comics has in any way comparable is the Creator's Bill of Rights. But this is more of a manifesto and isn't a policy with any major publisher.

In lieu of a of a union, creators can always go it alone. If you can't beat them from within, you can always beat them from without.

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