Moral rights are overrated
“Moral rights” is a fancy term (the French thought it up) that basically has to do with having your name attached to your creation (your credit!) and the right to approve or disapprove certain changes to your creation. Of course, we want you to get credit for your creation, and we want to work with you in case there are changes, but we want to do so under the terms in this pact instead of under fancy French idea. So, in order for us to adapt the Manga Pilot for different media, and to determine how we should include your credit in tough situations, you agree to give up any “moral rights” you might have.”
Those bloody “fancy French” and their lofty ideas about “moral rights”. Hang on… This wasn’t written by Dr. Evil, but Tokyopop! Seriously, I don’t think I’ve ever read a more ill-conceived, smarmy paragraph, and from a multi-national manga publisher no less, that’s so clearly intent on hoodwinking aspiring comic artists. After reading the above, would you sign this agreement?
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Wow… That’s just… wow… Where did that come from? And why? I mean if I was a creator who saw that I’d go running for the hills. First run distribution rights, that’s all those guys should get.
(This is of course why book authors are generally the most spoiled of all the creative professions.)
@Cameron: Here’s a link to the ANN story:
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-05-28/tokyopop-manga-pilot-pact-signs-away-legal-rights
What’s most insulting about the above, aside from the casual racism, is just the way they have worded the contract, as if they think that using all this tripped-out hip speak will suddenly make them “down wit’ tha kidz” or whatever.
I didn’t quite ‘get’ what they were trying to say but a quick re-read makes it sound so much worse. Honestly, who the hell do these people think they are trying to kid?
I’m guessing they’re aiming to blind potential artists with jargon but I hope that the artists in question will see past the spiel and cavalier xenophobic slurs. *shakes head*
Yeah. It’s more like they’re trying to appeal to the anti-establisment sentiment in the artistic community. I mean just a straight explanation would do.
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