Craig Zablo

Just as last week seemed to be all about the new Riddick movie staring Vin Diesel, this week is shaping up to focus on all of the news about The Walking Dead.  Two days ago the news broke that Tony Moore [artist on the first six issues of The Walking Dead comic series, and childhood friend of Robert Kirkman] was suing Kirkman over profits from the hit comic and television series.

The Hollywood Reporter ran the image above [provided by Kirkman] that shows he is listed as the creator of the series with Moore listed as “penciler, inker and gray tones” — essentially the hired artist.  Kirkman’s reaction to Moore’s lawsuit included:

• “The lawsuit is ridiculous, we each had legal representation seven years ago and now he is violating the same contract he initiated and approved and he wants to misrepresent the fees he was paid and continues to be paid for the work he was hired to do. Tony regularly receives payment for the work he did as penciler, inker and for gray tones on the first six issues of The Walking Dead comic series and he receives royalties for the TV show, to assert otherwise is simply incorrect.”

It appears that any hope for a quick resolution to this suit is fading fast.

The Hollywood Reporter posted the news that Tony Moore, the original artist and co-creator of the hit comic book series The Walking Dead has sued long-time [former?] friend, Robert Kirkman.  Kirkman is, of course, the writer and co-creator of The Walking Dead.

According to The Hollywood Reporter…

• Moore claims that in 2005, Kirkman and his agents devised a scheme to fraudulently induce him to assign his copyright interests over to Kirkman’s company. Moore, who grew up with Kirkman and worked together on several projects, claims he signed a deal granting him 60 percent of “Comic Publishing Net Proceeds” in connection with Walking Dead and another project called Brit; 20 percent of “motion picture net proceeds” in connection with Walking Dead and Brit; and 50 percent of “motion picture net proceeds” from another project called Battle Pope.

The suit goes on to say that Moore has received little in the way of revenue from the hit comic and tv series and hasn’t seen any profit statements from Kirkman and/or his company.

This is a sad situation for all concerned.  Not only were Moore and Kirkman childhood friends, but they had also worked on many projects together up to The Walking Dead.  Hopefully, they will be able to come to a mutually satisfactory solution soon.