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Welcome to You Heard it Here Last where we talk about news, you’ve already heard.
Let’s kick things off with the seedy underbelly of publishing.
https://www.enworld.org/threads/diamond-bankruptcy-settlement-hits-snag-as-sparkle-pop-files-objection.720559/
Well, maybe that’s not fair, although this is where my friends who aren’t fans of capitalism point to me and say “Told Ya So”.
We talked last month about the long running Bankruptcy of Diamond Comics Distribution and the fact that several game companies had millions of dollars of stock held up due to the bankruptcy proceedings. This has led to Paizo having some cashflow problems and laying off staff. Other companies like Green Ronin have had to lean into crowdfunding for legal bills, all while trying to get back their product from Diamond Comics.
This is a very complicated case, Bankruptcy isn’t as simple as somebody unable to pay their bills, especially when you get into the distribution and consignment side of things.
Then along comes Sparkle Pop. Sparkle Pop is a spin off Limited Liability Corporation that spun off of Ad Populum and collectible and toy holding company. They were created right in the middle of the bankruptcy case for the sole purpose of sliding in and purchasing warehouses owned by Diamond Comics, which would give the access to the contents of said warehouses. They then started selling the product in the warehouses against court orders.
You would think that would get them into hot water, but it hasn’t. Instead, they are holding up the entire settlement saying they haven’t gotten their money. Money, they didn’t earn, money they shouldn’t have access to, and money that is hurting businesses in our hobby.
Have I oversimplified things, mostly. But I have a history of keeping things simple. And this is, in my opinion, simply unethical.
Christina, as our in-house ethicist, let’s talk.
[Kick to Christina]
Since we started off with a pretty negative story, we might as well stay in the headspace.
Ok, that’s not fair, and maybe I should try a positive spin on this next piece of news.
https://www.wargamer.com/dnd/dan-ayoub-interview-ogl-lessons
In a recent interview with Wargamer. Dan Ayoub the Head of Wizards of the Coast Dungeons and Dragons talked about his first year in the position and the steps D&D has taken to fix some mistakes made during the OGL scandal. Dan says the biggest thing he has done is to listen and his work will never be done listening.
It reminds me of the answer everyone gives when doing a job interview: What’s your biggest negative, the thing you don’t do well. And you answer with “I work too hard”
Bullshit.
The whole interview just screams bullshit. I trained in PR and making press statements and after reading the interview twice I still can’t find where he answered a damn question.
But, to be fair and try and stay positive let’s point to the fact that D&D had a strong presence at GenCon for the first time in decades and that they have made amends with some of the old creators and worlds that made D&D what it is today. So maybe there are positive things coming out of WOTC right now, just don’t look for them in this interview.
Chistina, what did you take away from this interview?
[Kick to Christina]
And there you have it, all the news, you’ve already heard.
