Tune in Tokyo... Pop

The debate rages on! I'm talking about the new Tokyopop Pilot program and subsequent contract/pact of course.

I'm kinda late here. I'm still in Greece-(I'll be back June 5th, right in time for Mocca, although unfortunately Vasilis Lolos won't be joining me- you can catch him at SDCC though)- I'm not paying attention 100% to the internet, or anything else really, besides matters at hand so for the last week or so this subject didn't really interest me.

I guess it still doesn't interest me that much but all this debate it's sparked has been fun to follow (debate is usually fun to follow). Speaking for myself (since that's all I can do at the moment), and my own dealings with Tokyopop, I was smart enough to run my contract by a lawyer so I knew the details of it. I was also able to negotiate a competitive rate for each book. Of course there's been some bumps in the road and some aspects of my relationship with the company (not any particular person, mind you) that I wasn't too thrilled with, but when all is said and done I don't feel like it's been a bad experience and I definitely don't feel as if I've been screwed over, although it's highly unlikely I'll ever work with them again after my second book considering all the better deals and publishers available to me at the moment.

Now, back to the matter at hand. Tokyopop surprises me with the question "What were they thinking?!" all the time, so I'm not really surprised about this. Looking at their new contract all I can say is that I personally wouldn't sign it. You know though, it's easy for me to say that since I've got other options. On the other hand, I think if a creator reads the "pact" over and understands it in full, realizing what they're signing, I think they're entitled to their decision and shouldn't be criticized for making a decision based on what they feel is best for them.

If a creator fails to fully realize the contract before they sign it then hopefully they will lean from their mistake and never make it again. Mistakes are best made when you're young (I've made a few, on and off the field), and a lot of the creators TP signs are of the youthful persuasion. From where I stand it definitely seems like some are being taken advantage of by signing something a contract that just sounds sleazy. I agree with Brian O'Malley, that I'd rather see young kids self-publishing their own books, selling them to local stores at at cons, or putting their work online before taking a deal like this, but I bet not everybody in TP's Pilot program are young, inexperienced, unpublished kids. For some this might be a deal they want to accept.

I think all of the hot (and really good!) debating has brought a lot of attention to not only the TP contract, but ALL CONTRACTS IN THE WORLD! I think we've learned a lot here, so please, make sure you have somebody else go over the contract with you, and make sure you understand what all the legalese means. Even if the legalese is written in the vernacular. I guess what I'm trying to say is that a contract is a personal thing. It's very important to have one, and it's important to know what it means.

As far as TP goes - (I always thought it was a bad choice to name a company with an abbreviation that's the same as toilet paper- moving on...) - their Pilot program may not have a good contract, but their licensed books don't sound bad to work on, if you're looking for work. I don't see how the Pilot program will make much money for their company though, besides just gaining rights to more properties. Who knows what will happen next. I'm surprised they put the contract online too, that was an interesting move.

Also- one last thing- With so many interpretations of the contract out there, it left me wondering- What exactly DOES the contract mean? Is it a cipher? Some sort of secret code that only the lawyers at Tokyopop can decipher? One thing to me is sure: there shouldn't be this much debate over what a contract means. It's one thing to argue if it's good or bad, but I've read so many different interpretations of the wording that I don't know what it means. That's not good, a contract shouldn't have any flexability in it's interperation. I'm at a loss! Whatever! Also, the Earth is falling apart! Agh!! I totally didn't mean to write so much about this.

EDIT: The phrase I needed for this paragraph is Contra Proferentem. Hint: It's not a spell I learned at Hogwarts.

Note: I almost cried out of sheer joy after seeing the new Indiana Jones. Oh man, I haven't felt like that since Jurassic Park! I feel bad for anyone who didn't like it, I had so much fun watching it.



Note 2: Speaking of Tokyopop's Pilot program, let me turn your attention now to George Alexopoulos and his new comic Newport! I'm a big fan of George's, and hope you get a chance to peep his new comic. George, if you read this, I hope you make it to Mocca this year. :)