JMS vs TopCow ... what gives?

I have been following Rising Stars since issue 1, in spite of its erratic scheduling, but it is now getting concerning and frustrating. It is a good three (or maybe four) months since the last issue (#21) and no sign of the next appearing.

I get the impression from some of the postings on JMSNews that there is some kind of dispute going on between JMS and TopCow, with JMS' feeling being that TC have reneged on their arrangement.

Anyone know what is going on, and whether there is likely to be any chance of it being resolved?

Or am I going to have to settle for yet another uncompleted JMS opus?

As i posted some days ago in other thread:

>One more question - do these issues surrounding the Rising Stars comic have
>anything to do with the MGM film that was in the works, which you scripted
>and was in the process of being rewritten?
>

No comment.

jms

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One more question - do these issues surrounding the Rising Stars comic have anything to do with the MGM film that was in the works, which you scripted and was in the process of being rewritten?
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No comment.
jms

Click to expand...

When JMS says "No comment." it typically means "read between the lines", or "you're right and I can't say so."

Not always, but typically. Good catch!

-Tim

Hmmm ... didn't see that posting - thanks guys.

JMS' "no comment"s tend to tell you most of what you need to know.The key thing is "watch this space" then I guess.

Exactly, JMS' "no comment" comment was very interesting.

As a side note, it appears that he is not the only creator having issues with Top Cow:

http://www.comicscontinuum.com/stories/0306/10/turner.htm

Without wanting to stray too far off topic, it looks to me like Top Cow are panicking over losing two of their top creators to pastures new.

JMS certainly brought new readers to them (me being one), and though I haven't much time for Michael Turner's stuff he was certainly popular - his much trumpeted return after a long break fighting cancer making that absolutely clear.

Without those two it is difficult to see where they might score big next - my wife used to be a big reader of Witchblade (well so she says - I think she just enjoyed the half-naked pictures of Ian Nottingham myself) but some pretty poor story lines (some of which completely ruined established continuity) and much chopping and changing of writers/artists have driven her away from it.

Let's hope the RS situation gets resolved - knowing JMS' quite correct feelings on intellectual property rights I can only assume the dispute is along the same lines as that with Michael Turner, i.e. TopCow wanting a piece of the Risings Stars movie action even though it is a JMS "product".

Ahh ... the joys of the entertainment world.