Date: Mon, 21 Oct 1996 14:02:10 +0100
To: [c--m--x] at [facteur.std.com]
From: [arthur v k] at [xs4all.nl] (Arthur van Kruining)
Subject: L'Affaire Blake & Mortimer & Dargaud & Fondation Jacobs Continue

There is more...

Yesterday a Belgian TV show was the scene of a discussion between the
president of the Fondation Jacobs [FJ] and the Dargaud lawyer. Like I
reported in my last posting about the case, there seems to be a difference
of interpretation of the verdict. The lawyer claimed that it was only
prohibited to distribute the illegal album to the stores, NOT from the
stores to the public. The FJ president said that both are forbidden.
According to my source the verdict states that there'll be a 10.000 BF fine
for every copy still in the store after October 19, so I'd say--as long as
it's not raining--put up a little counter outside your store, pile up all
your remaining copies of _L'Affaire Francis Blake_, let the price reflect
its new collector's item status, and watch them fly like autumn leaves.

This morning on fr.rec.arts.bd someone came up with the *real* reason
behind all this fuss. From a reliable source he learned that au fond the
problem is not about copyright or money, but the result of personal
differences. Charles Dierickx, spokesperson for the FJ and filer of the
complaint, is also artistic director of the Centre Belgique de la Bande
Dessinee and said to be on less than friendly terms with the president of
said center, who's none other than... Jean van Hamme, author of _L'Affaire
Francis Blake_. Dierickx was familiar with the make-up of the cover, but
maliciously did not protest against it until the album was published. He
would have gone to court anyway: if the name of Jacobs would have been
printed in a smaller font than Van Hamme/Benoit he would have complained
about that.

It's an interesting theory, but I'm not totally convinced. Maybe the
antagonism between Dierickx and Van Hamme rose only after seeing the
cover's make-up, or reading the story--with Dierickx finally saying, if you
print that I'll sue your ass off, and Van Hamme finally saying, we'll see
about that, by Jove! But then, I never worked for the CBdlBD and the writer
of the article did.

Proost,
Arthur.


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