'Spawn' Creator Todd McFarlane in Bankruptcy: - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Claeren · 12-18-2004, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Todd McFarlane Productions Inc. of suburban Tempe filed for Chapter 11 protection from creditors Friday in U.S. Bankruptcy Court.

A jury in St. Louis awarded former NHL player Tony Twist $15 million after concluding that McFarlane and his company profited by using Twist's name without permission and that Twist's publicity rights were infringed.

Yahoo News

That is what you get for associating with the Oilers...

Claeren.

FlamesAddiction · 12-18-2004, 12:59 PM

I would have thought that $15 million was pocket change for him.

Sammie · 12-18-2004, 01:10 PM

I'd declare bankruptcy too. Why give my money to some thin-skinned greedy hockey player who obviously didn't invest his money well while he was playing. You'd think a player of very limited skills would be honored to have their name immortalized in a comic book. Twist obviously takes himself far to seriously and has no sense of humor.

Is his agent the infamous Mr. Frost?

Deelow · 12-18-2004, 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Sammie@Dec 18 2004, 08:10 PM
I'd declare bankruptcy too. Why give my money to some thin-skinned greedy hockey player who obviously didn't invest his money well while he was playing. You'd think a player of very limited skills would be honored to have their name immortalized in a comic book. Twist obviously takes himself far to seriously and has no sense of humor.

Is his agent the infamous Mr. Frost?

Screw that, if someoe took advantage of my name and my career I would want a piece of the pie too. Maybe not $15Mil, but still IMO it was well within Twist's rights.

Sammie · 12-18-2004, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Deelow+Dec 18 2004, 02:16 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Deelow @ Dec 18 2004, 02:16 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteBegin-Sammie@Dec 18 2004, 08:10 PM
I'd declare bankruptcy too. Why give my money to some thin-skinned greedy hockey player who obviously didn't invest his money well while he was playing. You'd think a player of very limited skills would be honored to have their name immortalized in a comic book. Twist obviously takes himself far to seriously and has no sense of humor.

Is his agent the infamous Mr. Frost?

Screw that, if someoe took advantage of my name and my career I would want a piece of the pie too. Maybe not $15Mil, but still IMO it was well within Twist's rights.[/b][/quote]
You may be right. I think I see the light. I know a number of people who have the same name as me and I'm sure I can find more. I think I'll go see my lawyer about getting a cut of their action. It's not right that they're make a living using my name!

dangler22 · 12-18-2004, 01:52 PM

He did more than just use his name he based the entire character around him without Tony Twists consent and then profited off it. I don't see your logic at all.

FlamesAddiction · 12-18-2004, 02:00 PM

99% of lawsuits are pretty stupid, but that doesn't change the fact that a court decided that Tony Twist should be compensated. I'm sure that McPharlane could pay him out without declaring bankruptsy. The guy should just live up to his duty instead of playing games.

JiriHrdina · 12-18-2004, 02:15 PM

I think its important to note that Todd McFarlane Productions Inc declared not Todd McFarlane the person (at least based on what I read). This is important because Todd McFarlane the person could still be a huge millionaire, but his company is the one declaring bankruptcy. Which is of course exactly why people incorporate - to protect themsevles against exactly these type of situations.

icarus · 12-18-2004, 03:02 PM

Don't buy baseballs for $1M!!!

nfotiu · 12-18-2004, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by icarus@Dec 18 2004, 10:02 PM
Don't buy baseballs for $1M!!!

wasn't it 3 million?

albertGQ · 12-18-2004, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by nfotiu+Dec 18 2004, 03:48 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (nfotiu @ Dec 18 2004, 03:48 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-icarus@Dec 18 2004, 10:02 PM
Don't buy baseballs for $1M!!!

wasn't it 3 million? [/b][/quote]
The Maguire 70th home run ball cost him $3M, while the Bonds 73rd cost him only $500,000

icarus · 12-19-2004, 01:11 AM

I thought it might have been more than $1M but it seemed so ridiculous to me that I didn't say it.

Maritime Q-Scout · 12-19-2004, 07:51 AM

even if you believe that Twist is entitled to compensation, is should not be more than the comic is worth.

No way should his payout cause McFarlane to go into bankruptcy, obviously the name isn't worth that much if the infringer didn't profit that much off of it

Claeren · 12-19-2004, 09:52 AM

I wonder what the legal fees were though? The court originally ruled in McFarlanes favor and was over-ruled on appeal by Twist. All that legal time must have cost his company BIG$$$... .?

Claeren.

habernac · 12-19-2004, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by dangler22@Dec 18 2004, 01:52 PM
He did more than just use his name he based the entire character around him without Tony Twists consent and then profited off it. I don't see your logic at all.

So the real Tony Twist is a cold blooded murdering mobster?

Just another example of the legal system gone mad. the judge who rules on this should be disbarred. Twist is a freaking joke if he thinks a comic book character affected him in any way.

dangler22 · 12-19-2004, 01:53 PM

everyone knows that tony twist is a cold blooded murdering mobster! why else do you think he successfully won his lawsuit?

RougeUnderoos · 12-19-2004, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by habernac+Dec 19 2004, 01:25 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (habernac @ Dec 19 2004, 01:25 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-dangler22@Dec 18 2004, 01:52 PM
He did more than just use his name he based the entire character around him without Tony Twists consent and then profited off it. I don't see your logic at all.

So the real Tony Twist is a cold blooded murdering mobster?

Just another example of the legal system gone mad. the judge who rules on this should be disbarred. Twist is a freaking joke if he thinks a comic book character affected him in any way. [/b][/quote]
While I agree this settlement is insane the guy does have a case.

How do you think local hero Jarome Iginla would react if Mcfarlane's next murdering gangster crazy was called "Jarome Iginla"?

Bleeding Red · 12-20-2004, 10:04 AM

Sorry to come in on this late, but....

Originally a St. L. jury awarded Twist $24 mil, two appeals later they are at $15 mil. According to an article on newsarama.com Macfarlane's assests are around $10 mil and he has another outstanding lawsuit (which he lost) under appeal. I think the Twist thing includes action figures and movie/tv images as well as comics.

I bet with the way these things work Todd will still have millions and his baseballs and still be making figures (he rarely does comics anymore) and Twist will get squat.

habernac · 12-20-2004, 10:25 AM

Now everyone with the same name as a fictional character will be trying to cash in. I still think the lawsuit is bunk.

nfotiu · 12-20-2004, 10:28 AM

You'd think they could have worked out some kind of deal outside the courts. Twist was obviously entitled to some compensation. They should have worked out some money plus a royalty scheme or something. The numbers were obviously based on something, but I am sure that Twist would have probably agreed to something less and saved them both a bunch of legal fees.

What happened was 100% MacFarlane's fault, and he should have worked harder to make it right.