Interesting JMS Facebook Posts & Tweets

[Jan]

This is just *stunning*!!

Okay, totally freaking stunning...space journey doc comprised only of actual images, no CGI/VFX. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNce_8WHTGc#at=145

Jan

[Jan]

Somebody who grabbed JMS' name off of the credits from WWZ thought that it would be a good idea to post some drawn-out idea for a WWZ sequel on JMS Facebook page. (For those not familiar, that's the *only* request JMS has made for being accessible to fans - NO story ideas):

Just had a guy come on here and post a lengthy pitch for the next WWZ movie. Understand that for legal reasons there are NO story ideas allowed here, ever, and if someone is foolish enough to post one, especially this blatantly, the response is not just deletion but banning. I've been very clear about this over the years and yet there's always somebody who doesn't get the message. This is one of the few things that will earn someone the nuclear response of being banned. Just a reminder to all and sundry, especially sundry, as they always seem to be the last to get the message.

And there ensued the usual conversation about how unlikely it was that anybody would ever sue JMS over an idea, etc., etc....

Jonathan: your argument is purely theoretical and philosophical and has absolutely nothing to do with the realities of being a working writer in a deeply litigious society. Writers have found themselves the targets of lawsuits and injunctions and other legal problems based on fan material/stories/ideas. Don't believe me? Go check into what happened to Marion Zimmer Bradley. That's just one story. There are many others.

Yes, of course there are many books and movies out there -- most of them written by professionals who understand that simultaneous creation happens -- but more to the point: THEY'RE ALREADY PUBLISHED. It's not the same in any way manner or form as someone -- in particular an amateur who doesn't understand the rules -- throwing a story at you that has NOT been published. That distinction makes everything more dicey.

Key to any such litigation is access. Lots of books get published every day, but I don't read all of them, no one can, and if there's a bone of contention, proving access is essential. But when someone gets in your face on a public page where I or any other writer hangs out consistently, sticks a finger in their chest and says HEY I GOT AN IDEA FOR A STORY FOR YOU, then access is confirmed. Even if deleted. You saw it. And that puts you at risk.

Further to that point: when I'm working on a project, I make it a point to avoid any other work that might influence me. I have the ability to make that choice. When someone ramrods an idea into my face he takes away that choice. Of the millions of books and movies and stories out there, I would like to be the one who chooses which of those I wish to expose myself. I refuse to surrender that choice to a total stranger.

To Frank: the guy who stormed in here with this shit was not a fan. He said up front he had no idea who I was, he came in here SPECIFICALLY and ONLY to vomit forth his story idea. So what happens if they make WWZ2, and it resembles that story? He sues me, he sues Paramount, and I lose two years of my life in drawn out litigation. Sorry, but you cannot -- CANNOT -- weigh two years of lost work and angst and career against some yahoo's desire to post a story idea and get banned. Especially someone who is NOT a fan.

But let's say he WAS a fan. The same thing would happen. Sorry, it's not "biting the hand that feeds you." It's about responsible behavior. This is a private party, and if you go into the host's home and willfully, deliberately and for your own amusement piss on the new Indian carpet, you're going to get booted. Actions have consequences.

Those who ARE fans of the work know that in return for being online for over twenty years, and posting tens of thousands of messages about the business and art of writing, I have only ever asked for one thing: no story ideas. That's all. Either you respect and abide by that, or you don't. If you don't, then one of two things have to happen: I leave, or the poster leaves. Because I cannot be where that is going on.

I've been down this road plenty of times before, and there are always some who say it's not fair, it's not right...but the thing is, the only thing those who like the work are truly entitled to is the work itself. Everything else is a bonus. Just because someone is a fan does not entitle them to throw story ideas at me or behave badly. Because I'll just go. I'm not being paid to be here, I'm here because I enjoy it. It's fun. When it stops being fun, when it endangers my livelihood, I'm gone.

That simple.

And to one particularly stubborn poster:

And by the by, Jonathan...in terms of my "being confused"...I've been working as a writer since I was seventeen years old. I've written nearly 400 comics, 300 TV episodes, 5 movies and a buttload of articles. I've worked with corporate attorneys, literary attorneys, studio attorneys, litigation attorneys. I've helped other writers navigate the legal, corporate and financial aspects of being a writer for *decades*.

So what precisely have you done that equals that background that you feel you can describe me as being "confused" about my own fucking profession?

The whole thread is here: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.p...39652459402959

[JoeD80]

I saw that guy's World War Z post before it was removed; I figured a harsh response was coming. He totally said "I just saw WWZ, and this is the story that you that you need to do now! X,Y,Z...etc."

At least the fan on twitter had the decency to ask, "I have an idea, can I share?" "No."

And there ensued the usual conversation about how unlikely it was that anybody would ever sue JMS over an idea, etc., etc....

Of course that is exactly what is happening to him with the whole Red Cowl business.

[Ubik]

It was a painful thread to read, surprised it took the OP so long to catch on.

[Jan]

Oh, the OP was banned before the thread ever started, so he wasn't even part of the conversation! There's pretty much always a few who simply want to argue about it, though.

I had a guy on a FB page a couple of weeks ago who'd (as usual) lost all respect for JMS after he'd sent his idea to JMS in email and JMS was 'grumpy' about it. I explained the dangers and what did the guy do? He sent it to me! Never heard back when I told him I wouldn't read it either.

Jan

[JoeD80]

They don't have much respect for JMS in the first place if they can't follow his wishes about story ideas.

[Ubik]

Oh, the OP was banned before the thread ever started, so he wasn't even part of the conversation! There's pretty much always a few who simply want to argue about it, though.

Jan

God, right... so that was someone else arguing the point bullheadedly?

[Jan]

Two very different posts by JMS last night:

http://alessandrodd.deviantart.com/gallery[/url]

Like lots of other people, I've watched with growing horror and dismay the sheer number of Republican-backed laws being shoved through limiting women's rights and in general going out of their way to kick women really really hard...and a thought occurred.

I don't talk about it a lot, but my father was not only a drunk and a deadbeat but also a wife-beater. Anything could set him off, but the one thing guaranteed to get a punch in the face was any attempt to "talk back" or act in ways he didn't like and/or couldn't control. Because in the end, these things always come down to control.

Looking at the last two presidential elections, but in particular the last one, it was women voters who tilted the results toward Obama in a big way. 55% of women voted for Obama, vs. 44% of women who voted for Romney (52% of men voted for Romney). In 2008 56% of women voted for Obama. These are voters who are almost certainly never going to vote Republican, and the party knows it.

Maybe it's curbside psychology, but I wonder if on some subliminal, cellular level, the more patriarchically inclined Republican leaders are reacting like abusive husbands, trying to punish the women out there who are talking back and not acting as they're supposed to (by some lights). It's the logic of "I'll give you something to cry about."

Anyway...just a thought.

As always, discussion of either topic to Off Topic.

Jan

[Jan]

Found on Twitter. JMS responds to somebody complaining about how women are portrayed in 'Ten Grand' and that it fails the so-called Bechdel Test*:

@____ and the uncritical application of numerical, agenda-based analysis of creative work that ignores context fails my test.

*1.It has to have at least two women in it,
2.who talk to each other,
3.about something besides a man
<sarcasm> Of course it's supposed to be applied to movies, usually about two hours long so *of course* it's applicable to a 22-page comic! </sarcasm>

I love that he can fit so much in so few characters!

Jan

[JoeD80]

Well the main complaint was about "women fridged" - the Bechdel thing was an aside at the end of the tweet.

I dunno; while I do think litmus testing art is silly on the surface, I did notice last time watching B5 that women interacting happened more often in scripts penned by the other writers. The woman in distress thing happens in B5 too, but I think he answered that nicely when Na'Toth was the one who rescued G'Kar, and having Marcus die when we thought Ivanova was going to go was a nice flip too.

However I think it's a blind spot in his writing that does exist a little bit - quite good at writing well-defined women characters; not so good at getting them to interact with each other. I haven't totally examined this in his other writings, just something that popped in my head recently.

I haven't read 10 Grand yet but I did buy the first three issues.

[Jan]

Interesting points. Taking it down to the Ten Grand thread to reply.

Jan

[Jan]

JMS mentioned at SDCC that he almost didn't make it to the con because of this infection. Looks like he may have overdone it because he had a relapse afterward.

To those who've noticed and inquired...I've been off the grid a lot lately in terms of posting. Long story still long: first week of July I got hit with a subcutaneous infection that turned into cellulitis, which if not treated quickly can actually turn fatal really fast. In and out of emergency rooms and spent 17 days on various antibiotics. Figured I was in okay shape for comic con even though I was still pretty shaky. Wrong. Came back to LA with a bit of a relapse and complications from all the treatments.

Better now, feeling like myself for the first time in over a month. (Prior to this I was feeling mostly like Eleanor Roosevelt. I have no explanation for this.) Downside is that even though I was still getting some writing done, I lost a lot of work time, which I'm now striving to make up. (Consequently Ten Grand 5 may be slightly delayed, just by a week or so; I wasn't in any condition to give finalizing the issue the attention it needed for it to get to the printer in time.)

Which is another reason why I'm not posting much at the moment...figure it's better to use that time on work than indulging myself on posts. I'll do a bit, to be sure, but will still be ramping up for a while on this.

So all is good, have no fear, I'm past the worst of it, chugging probiotics, on the mend and catching back up on the work.

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=623300497704817&id=139652459402959

Jan

[Looney]

WOW! Glad Jan didn't miss this because I would have. I have to drive over fifty miles to the shop where I get my Ten Grand and I would have hated to make the trip and then find out the release was delayed. Thank you Jan!

[Jan]

JMS has been pretty good about posting preview pages so we'll probably find out for sure right after Labor Day.

Jan

[Dan Dassow]

To those who've noticed and inquired...I've been off the grid a lot lately in terms of posting. Long story still long: first week of July I got hit with a subcutaneous infection that turned into cellulitis, which if not treated quickly can actually turn fatal really fast. In and out of emergency rooms and spent 17 days on various antibiotics. Figured I was in okay shape for comic con even though I was still pretty shaky. Wrong. Came back to LA with a bit of a relapse and complications from all the treatments.

This has me truly concerned about Joe. I am surprised that the doctor for the emergency room did not admit Joe to the hospital. Celluitis can quickly turn into sepsis, coma and death if not treated. The broad spectrum IV antibiotics typically used to treat celluitis, Vancomycin, Cafepime and Zocyn have to be monitored closely, since they can cause liver problems. The preferred oral antibiotic, Clindamycin, can also have nasty side effects.