Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

I have an idea that needs the support and creative talent of a celebrity cartoonist (think Doonsbury, but not) and I have no idea how to contact this individual without going through a syndicate (the word gives me chills). I want to pitch directly to this person, but he/she is not easy to track down via the internet except thru said syndicate. Any advice? Thanks, Eileen

 

I know a bit about the world of comic strips and syndication and quite frankly, I have no idea how you would contact a cartoonist directly.  The system is set up for the public having to go through the syndicates.  I despise syndicates myself but why do you want to avoid this route?

If you want to be more "private eye" about it, you might find out where this cartoonist lives and then trying to tap local resources for information.

Let me ask you this.  Why do you need this particular cartoonist?

Thanks for responding Steve! I need to get in touch with this cartoonist because this product will use his copyrighted characters. Am I looking at this the wrong way? I guess I am worried about the syndicates being involved because I am a small start up and they may pass this idea to an existing big business that can capture this idea...if they haven`t already, that is. It definitely is not on the market yet.

I just looked at your site and your style is definitely in line with my company! I`d love to add you to my Buddy list...

The syndicate may very well have to be involved.  It depends upon the contract between the cartoonist and the syndicate.  It used to be that the syndicates owned all the copyrights to the strip and characters and made all decisions.  In the last decade or so, many of those rights have been transfered back to the cartoonist, but on certain terms.  But this is not the case with all strips.  Older, more established strips still run under some of the old terms.  I believe product licensing rights these days commonly belong to the cartoonist but that isn`t always the case.  And sometimes the syndicate is still involved.

Bill Waterson is strictly against Calvin and Hobbes merchandising and holds all those rights so nobody will make Hobbes dolls.  Jim Davis can`t get enough Garfield stuff out there and had to purchase all the rights back from the syndicate.  Peanuts licensing has always been done through United Media Syndicate and one can only assume Schulz was good with it or he`d have bought back that control.  He certainly had the leverage.

You will have to do some research to find out who owns the characters for licensing.  Then contact those appropriate people, whether it be the cartoonist, syndicate or even a third party company.

And sure, add me as a buddy.  Thanks!

My lucky day to have posted this question and you were there to respond! Thanks Steve. I will follow your suggestions. Sorry, I`m being so "Natasha" about this, but I`ve been reading too much on trademark and copyright laws to feel "safe" yet. The cartoonist is Pat McDonnell, just fyi....and eveyone else reading this.

Eileen

thournir@enlightenedplay.com

I actually met Pat years ago when I was an animator for Nickelodeon.  I have no idea why he was at the studio (researching animated Mutts?).  Our encounter was merely me shaking his hand and telling him I like the strip.  I was in my young 20s at the time and stupidly nervous about meeting a successful cartoonist (regardless of the fact that I worked with tons of them).  It`s funny when I look back.

This isn`t to say I have ANY connection to him whatsoever.  Sorry, or else I would have really been of help to you.  Good luck on your venture.