Engine Troble

ENGINE TROUBLE

Let me explain this “rate” thing a bit. Back then, at no time at all were there ever any comics writers or artists who were salaried employees of any publication. They referred to us as ‘contributors” and that meant: freelancers who were paid a certain amount per page for our works that were published, at differing individual “rates”. Some contributors had the same rates of course. But, depending on several factors, the remunerations of most were higher than the payments of some and lower than those of others. Everything was usually just fine and cozy between the contributor and the comics managements (with an “s” because those rivaling publications were all alike when it came to this aspect). But the trouble always started though whenever a writer or illustrator attempted to ask for an “adjustment” of his or her present rate to a higher amount. Said managements always seemed to take this simple practical request of a contributor as a declaration of war! Seeking a better deal for yourself with those tight-fisted misers was really a very frustrating thing, and it was all in the matter of right timing; sometimes you got away with it, more often though you didn’t. At times it even backfired on you, like it did on Carl. I think he was disappointed that GASI hadn’t made a move voluntarily to give him a rate increase despite the huge success of our team-up in Devil Car, so he threatened to quit as illustrator for the novel if they didn’t give him a fatter paycheck. Wrong timing! Carl had decided to stop drawing Devil Car on its 78th chapter, when it was perhaps at its strongest and was then being driven more just by its own momentum. It already had a vise-like grip on the interest of its readers by then, and a change in its visual form wouldn’t really have mattered very much to them any more at that point. I think the GASI management tried to placate Carl by telling him that rate increases (not only his) were indeed forthcoming but he had to be a little more patient as they still had to deliberate on it. But the illustrator obviously had grown tired of waiting and listening to their B.S. and proceeded to make good his threat…