Writer Gerry Conway has apologized to DC CCO Geoff Johns, Co-Publishers Dan Didio and Jim Lee, and VP Talent Relations Larry Ganem for the tone of his attack from a couple of weeks ago, in which he described elements of DC’s creator compensation policies as “obnoxious and despicable,” and said they made it possible for DC to “cheat” creators (see “Gerry Conway Says DC Creator Payment Policies Are ‘Obnoxious and Despicable’”).

Conway made the apology in a Tumblr post, the same venue he used for his original comments.  In the new post, he said, “While I stand by at least one of my basic points – I think DC’s policy concerning “derivative” characters is self-defeating – I need to walk back pretty much everything else, especially my characterization of the motives of the men involved in developing, explaining and implementing DC’s creators equity program.” 

“I’m not just an ass, I’m a jackass,” Conway wrote later in the post. 

Conway fielded calls from both Johns and Didio, he wrote in an earlier post, and they convinced him of their sincere desire to do right by creators.

Didio and Lee also sent out a letter to DC creators to inform them that no changes had been made to DC’s credit and equity policies, as posted by Capeless Crusader.  “We wish to assure you that no changes have been made to either of these policies that in any way diminish the credit or equity that we’ve been extending to our talent for nearly four decade,” they wrote.   “As part of our ongoing mission to attract and retain the best artists and writers in the industry, we are looking to build off of and improve on current practices by finding ways to increase the frequency of such payments and to proactively compensate equity stakeholders above and beyond the usual standards when their characters are the driving principals of new productions.”

Conway attributed his blast at DC to unresolved issues dating to his departure from the company some 30 years ago, long before any of the execs involved worked there.  “As Geoff Johns very kindly pointed out to me when I tried to explain my reason for carrying a grudge over the last dealings I had with the company, ‘Gerry, you’re talking about things that happened when I was twelve years old,’” he wrote.

Conway still has remaining substantive concerns, but no longer believes they are a problem because DC is trying to avoid compensating creators.  “I interpreted a disagreement about process as evidence of malign intent,” he wrote.  “In so doing, I hurt people who didn’t deserve it, and offended people who were trying to help me.”

Conway has two outstanding issues with DC.  He’s suggested that DC clearly articulate how creators of derivative characters will be compensated if they are not subject to the publisher’s equity program; and urged that DC proactively offer equity contracts for original characters used in other media, rather than requiring creators to  notify DC that they want payment for the use of their characters.