Wednesday, November 11
Variety writes that a Delaware bankruptcy judge has given Warren Beatty the go-ahead for a lawsuit against Tribune Co. to retain the TV and movie rights to the Dick Tracy character. Beatty directed the 1990 movie Dick Tracy, which was adapted from Tribune's comic.
Apparently, Tribune Co. gave Beatty an ultimatum in November 2006, saying that if he did not begin production on a new Dick Tracy project within two years, the company would take back the rights. In November 2008, Beatty claims he informed Tribune that production had begun on a Tracy TV project, but Tribune denies that Beatty gave such notice.
The judge ruled in Beatty's favor after Beatty produced evidence that the judge called "sufficient, under the circumstances, to support a slight showing of the probability of success on the merits." Beatty had tried to get the lawsuit underway a year ago, but Tribune's recent bankruptcy slowed the process down.
Posted 11/11/2009 by Rich Z
Related: Warren Beatty | Dick Tracy
Friday, November 6
With the San Diego Comic-Con now running like clockwork as one of the biggest gatherings for comics, movies, and any other vaguely nerdy pop-culture ephemera in the world, it's hard to believe that it's largely the work of one man.
Shel Dorf, a comic book collector who moved from Detroit to San Diego, put together the first con back in 1970, which was attended by 300 people. The most recent SDCC, this past August, was attended by 125,000+ people, with next year only promising more.
Dorf, who died on Tuesday, stopped running the convention after 1984, complaining that it had been taken over by Hollywood and other media pursuits when originally it really was just about appreciatiating comics, their creators, and their collectors. While Dorf's fanaticism for the medium's fandom dropped off a bit later in his life, he is fondly remembered for the recognition he brought the art form during the long years before it reached widespread acceptance.
SDCC has posted a remembrance from R.C. Harvey, Comics Journal columnist and longtime friend of Dorf, here.
Posted 11/6/2009 by reelz
Related: Dick Tracy