Comments on: It’s official, Platinum Studios is now ridiculous.

By: Luke

Luke — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 04:54:34 +0000

DJ, I’ve never actually read HBN or your blog, and basically have little idea who you are, having followed a link here. I will change that now.

I like your attitude, your ideas (produce quality, pay your employees- how novel!), and I think if you can swing it, the suggestion about forming your own company might be a good move for you.

I also have a background in customer service coupled with a love of comics, when you go to hire that PR guy… Just sayin’.

Seriously, I hope it works out, and I look forward to checking out your work. If nothing else, you’ve gained one more fan out of this- I get the impression you’re the sort of creator to whom that means something.

By: Brian Woods

Brian Woods — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 10:30:21 +0000

I am really sorry that one more roadblock has been set up for potential comic creators. The whole concept that you need to have a lawyer with you (and maybe a whole team of lawyers) to make sure you can get a paycheck on time is beyond insane. It’s obvious there are a lot of people out there who are only looking to rip people off. Sometimes you will hear about folks working their asses off when things fall apart to repay their creators (Val Staples), but most of the time, people pretend things are fine and dandy until everything has fallen apart.

I managed to get myself so in debt it took me four years to get out of it. In that time, I missed absolutely no payments to ANYONE. I was actually making a pretty good salary, but all my money went to paying the debt, so I couldn’t enjoy anything. It made me sick to my stomach how I had totally fubared things.

When I was finally out of debt, oh my God, I can’t begin to explain the level of relief (and it enabled me to put my career on hold and join the Peace Corps for 27 months, natch).

All that is to say these people should honestly have trouble living with themselves. At least someone that jumps out the window of their ivory tower is feeling bad about something. But instead of jumping, they should hunker down and repay what is owed. The good will build up (again, a nod to Val Staples) will carry you though and on the other side you will feel like a complete, whole and honest human being.

DJ, if they violated your contract, I hope you are able to figure out a way to get HBN back.

By: The Angry Geologist

The Angry Geologist — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 14:01:26 +0000

Wow. Maybe you’ll be able to buy the rights to HBN back after these bastards go bankrupt?

By: Troy Bowen

Troy Bowen — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 17:07:04 +0000

I will just say one thing on this. I have worked for several companies in the Fortune 100 and they all operate this same way. Money is blown on high priced meals and extravagant travel by executives and middle management while everyone else is told to tighten their belts and not to expect very big raises. It is an epidemic in big business that will not go away until we quit rewarding CEO’s and other execs with huge bonuses for doing their job and living like kings. As long as they keep the bulk of the employees in check, their expenses get written off with little or no scrutiny. Investors only care about the bottom line, is the company in the red or black. And the way many stay in the black is cutting employee salary, benefits or the employees themselves. I once attended a dinner for completing a project in a major company. They invited twenty people who “helped” with the project. I could only count maybe five that I knew in the bunch that actually worked on the project and the bill was over $15k for the meal. Most everyone else received a tacky little desk ornament worth about $10.

By: D.J. Coffman

D.J. Coffman — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 11:09:27 +0000

Fuck you Donny.You don’t know that, and obviously you don’t know me to make that sort of statement. In fact the entire time I worked with Platinum any time I heard even the slightest rumor I hunted it down and asked questions. Who? Where? Why? If someone was wronged, they sure didn’t voice up about it or put out any facts to show how they were, or I’d of went to bat for them. If any creators ever reached out to me about their late pays (which many did) I ended up being a liaison for them asking why there was no communication. Ultimately all of those things are why I parted company.

By: CC

CC — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 07:38:11 +0000

Kudos for your brave and honest words! We can all learn a lot from your experience. I do question the integrity of “some really good people in the company” if they are willing to continue working for Platinum. Working for people who screw over others and perpetuate bad business and bad blood just to collect a paycheck is a total sellout. Doesn’t make them that much better than their COO no matter how good their intentions may be.

By: Donny

Donny — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 04:58:46 +0000

I like that you’re ranting here but a few months ago you would have been defending Platinum if they had done this sort of thing to another artist. CLASSY.

By: Tony

Tony — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 23:12:39 +0000

i made the top 50 this year, didnt make it to the top 10. intially i was bummed, but after reading this, not so much.
thanks for speaking your mind, much appreciated.

By: Dumok

Dumok — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 23:05:19 +0000

Dude, Have you considered starting your OWN company?
Seriously, Consider it.

By: Charlie

Charlie — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 22:47:52 +0000

VENOM-SPITTING-COBRA, BITCHES!! SPAAK!

Nicely done.