Rights and Publication

As before, in my posts, I love to delve into history.

June 1, 1938, Cleveland neighbors Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster creation "Superman" is launched when the first issue of Action Comics is published.  Unfortunately they sold their rights on publication for $130.00.  The first edition's cover price was one cent.  A private collector sold his copy for 1 Million dollars in February of 2010. 

Their creation was a huge success and within months of its launch Superman had a Newspaper strip, and Radio Series.  Cartoons and movies quickly followed.

So as I read the plethora of pro's and con's for self publishing as the publishing world gets slowly turned on its ear, the fact that the author keeps and holds all rights to his book when he self publishes seems like a really big deal!  I wonder where Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster ended up in life?  Did they ever reap any more than their half of a hundred and thirty dollars for such a monumental creation as Superman?

There will always be a place for publishing and printed books, of that I am sure.  I still have a desire to have one of my books traditionally published.  I am not excited about the fact of giving up my rights on my work and stories in the process.  As a new author I whole heartedly embrace self publishing, because without it I might still be writing query letters and trying to get noticed instead of being weeks away from finishing my second novel and being able to publish it.  I self published in January of this year my first novel "Whisper" and it has been doing better than I expected for a first novel.  If I had turned it over to a publisher it still wouldn't even be out yet.

As a Thank You, for those who read my blog and have not read my first book.  The following is a code that if you go to http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/38922  and select to purchase my book, at the checkout screen enter this code and it will zero out the price and allow you to download the entire book for free.  The Code is TB43E.  I hope you enjoy it.  It is rough and short, but alas it is my first book.  My second novel, "No Rules Of Engagement", which I will be publishing soon, will be more polished and more of a page turner.

Posted in: Superman rights publishing history