Happy Birthday Rick Olney, Happy Birthday To You!

[Rich Johnston]

Today is Rick Olney's 55th birthday. Before Josh Hoopes, before Pat Lee. before Wowio, Rick was the poster boy for not paying comic book creators. And, more importantly, while other people who owed money generally ran off and shut up, Rick didn't try to avoid the situation or hide from public scrutiny. He positively revelled in it, threatening legal cases, insulting both people who he owed money and those who tried to help them in the most disgustingly obscene fashion possible.

It all started in 2005 when Val Staples, waiting on payment for many months, mentioned the situation to me. Val was a victim of CrossGen going bankrupt, owing his studio MVC thousands of dollars, which Val in turn owed his creators. So Val took on extra work in order to pay them back out of his own pocket.

Val had signed a Non Disclosure Agreement but, after not being paid by for so long, decided that Rick Olney had broken his side of the contract and told me. I emailed Rick and was legally threatened from the start, something that would be an increasingly common factor.

There is still no evidence at this date that Rick Olney has had any legal representation to back up any of his threats.

Val wasn't happy at the time to go on the record, but Chuck Dixon, also owed a considerable sum over a considere time, was. Gail Simone, attendee of one of Olney's conventions also went on the warpath.

Since then there has been a war of court cases, threats, police, proclamations, causes, betrayals, and drama, mostly playing out on one thread on the Gail Simone forum over at CBR. Rick is a lot less prominent but he's still around.

And today, after sending me a friend request on Facebook, he has told me that he wants to turn over a leaf. Start afresh. Even make amends.

I told him that paying back people who he owes money to would be a good start. But I also want to encourage him, after all there is greater joy in heaven for a sinner who has repented etc..

So. Are you owed money by Rick Olney? How much? Add a comment below, no need for insulting language, just a stated amount for work done. Evidence of a contract would be grand as well. And, if Rick does pay you back, let me know.

Because I do believe in fresh starts. But it's best with a fresh log book, eh? We can rebuild him gentlemen, we have the technology. Just not six million dollars.

[Danny Donovan]

To this day, some 3 years later I am owed $500 for the column I did for him, plus the eBay auctions I ran trying to get him funds to pay his debts.

I suggest everyone check out unscrewedcomic.com to see the mass of problems caused by this man or the insanely huge thread at CBR

[ame="http://forums.comicbookresources.com/showthread.php?p=9176826#post9176826"]Rick Olney -- Fibber Or Mega-Giganta-Fibber?[/ame]

[scottreed]

$2,712.26 not including the 11% interest beginning 2007 at the time of the court ruling. This was for a website design and several pages of inks and colors.

[JTPencils]

Apparently, the birthday boy has forgotten about the $1,300 he owes me for art produced for his now (thankfully) defunct Tightlip Entertainment. This is just a small amount compared to the many others he owes. It's also interesting to note that though he (Olney) is quick to toss out threats of legal action, he himself feels above the law enough to not even appear for small claims cases that are filed against him. Deeming them to be inconsequential, and something he can ignore.

The man is a leech, a charlatan, a huckster, and has earned his reputation of being the most hated person to never really be involved in comics. (at least not to the extent the he would have liked). And trust me, this is being nice!

[Jim Ritchey]

My story isn't as bad as most, and like some, it's more a matter of the man's lack of character than money--I sensed he was crooked early on, and never signed anything, nor did I work for him. He asked, we discussed it, (he asked for Green Lama--I said NO--but offered original properties) but when I countered his poorly-artificed NDA with my own, real contract saying I owned my characters and my original product, I never heard back.

He then effectively set back the publication of my Green Lama 'graphic novel' 3 1/2 years--by trying to bizarrely 'usurp' claim that it was he who was going to publish it--telling people on many public forums that the deal had fallen through with Bill Black. I read him the riot act in PM on his MightyMiniCon site, and his only reply was that If I ever talked about it, he would sue me into the poorhouse. This stalled it all--and staled everything to Bill. This led to an enormous amount of embarrasswment in the industry for me, effectively setting any possibility for advancement for me by years, and severely limiting the possibility of legitimate work within the field, lost sales that i might have gained with the enormous amount of promotion of Green Lama at conventions and on the internet in 2005.

The man is a sociopath--a Malignant Narcissist, a compulsive liar, and that's being polite. He enjoys the suffering of others--gets people to do enormous amounts of work by making extravagant promises, then throws up his 'NDA', says the person 'talked (whether they did so or not)', so he doesn't owe them anything, as if it is a game. Neither is he very bright--threats of litigation have only succeeded against him, not one, after many threats, ever filed from him. He's a talentless, blustering bully and a moron--but like most even dumb sociopaths, his skillset is very specialized towards deceit. He owes several friends of mine thousands of dollars--children have gone hungry because of this nutjob, he has created false charities, and kept the money, perhaps going back years--so through his actions, he may have come close to ruining me, but he's done much, much worse..

[DocAbsurd206]

He still owes me just short of $1000 for toy reviews I did for him about five years ago when he was doing his website, plus a few I wrote but never sent when I finally figured out he'd never pay.

I never had one of his ridiculous contracts, NDAs or other bits legalese he loves bandying around. I worked with a Gentleman's Agreement, never realizing I wasn't working with a gentleman. I never broke anything; fact is, it was Olney who dragged me into this battle.

This insincere 'turning over a new leaf' routine got moldy years ago. He does the same damned thing whenever he's faced with is own mortality. And then manages to insult the very people he's supposed to make amends with. A leaf only has two sides. His just happens to be rotting on both.

[mroakley]

I dunno. I met Rick and then left the SPA (Small Press Association) to join up with the MMC. Then I got involved in website design, formatting, etc etc. I talked to Rich about this back when it was coming out on Lying in the Gutters. Then Rick decided to call me a few cans short of a sixpack or something similar.

I found that hilarious, and e-mailed Rich saying "Well, I never made it a secret that I was bipolar." I never have. Heh. Never will either.

I dunno if I'm owed money or not by TLE. I am for work on the MMC site. And if you count the broken promise to publish Beyond Mortality my own book........then yep, I guess I am owed.

But I don't care anymore about the money. I just want to see this troll (to use his term) finally get his comeuppance. Doesn't he realize that if people really wanted their money they could garnish the tax returns of Rick and his wife? It costs a few more bucks, but would happen.

Just an idea.

Meanwhile, back to work for me.

[Charles RB]

EDIT: For new browers, by 1st July 3:47 PM (GMT), we had estimated Olney owed $35,602.76 to thirty specific people (they are not the only ones he owes).

-

While not owed myself, I can [ame="http://forums.comicbookresources.com/showpost.php?p=4865897&postcount=29071"]link to an allegation[/ame] that Olney owes hundreds of dollars to two local retailers, one of which (The Comix Zone) still has an outstanding judgement against him.

He also [ame="http://forums.comicbookresources.com/showpost.php?p=4833243&postcount=27838"]hired a model [/ame](Holly Campbell) to be a "spokesmodel" for Tightlip. When [ame="http://forums.comicbookresources.com/showpost.php?p=4833243&postcount=27838"]contacted[/ame], Campbell[ame="http://forums.comicbookresources.com/showpost.php?p=4844551&postcount=28249"]stated[/ame] (and [ame="http://forums.comicbookresources.com/showpost.php?p=7282434&postcount=43153"]here's her emails quoted[/ame]) that Olney never paid her photographer. (Also that he hit on her and offered to buy her an apartment nearer to him)

Olney also held a charity auction at the [ame="http://forums.comicbookresources.com/showpost.php?p=4256000&postcount=8462"]2003 Mighty Mini-Con[/ame] (and [ame="http://forums.comicbookresources.com/showpost.php?p=4255734&postcount=8454"]planned others[/ame]) for St Jude Children's Hospital, one of which [ame="http://forums.comicbookresources.com/showpost.php?p=4255713&postcount=8451"]he claimed[/ame] raised $500. St Jude were [ame="http://forums.comicbookresources.com/showpost.php?p=4249635&postcount=8068"]contacted[/ame], and [ame="http://forums.comicbookresources.com/showpost.php?p=4260150&postcount=8618"]said[/ame] they have no record of ever receiving money from Olney. On top of which, Olney [ame="http://forums.comicbookresources.com/showpost.php?p=4328606&postcount=12244"]used their logo on MMC 03 fliers[/ame] to promote the convention... without having permission to do so.

[Val]

I'm all for second chances.
If Rick squares up with everyone on what he owes them, I'm more than happy to let bygones be bygones.

I colored two short stories for a total of 1200.00
I'm not seeking any penalties or interest.
Just the sum that was originally due.

[Rick Olney]

First, allow me to thank Rich Johnston and 'the powers that be' for allowing me a chance to try and open up a better understanding of what did actually transpire regarding all these people claiming to be 'owed' monies for work they claim to have created for my small self publishing company.

If at all possible, I'd like to address one person at a time posting on this site describing their complaint or circumstances.

To this day, some 3 years later I am owed $500 for the column I did for him, plus the eBay auctions I ran trying to get him funds to pay his debts.

Danny, as you may recall -- the columns that you wrote were on my website because I invite you to opine. Not wanting to have you do the columns for nothing ... I offered to pay you a dollar figure per column WHEN the website picked up and gained a community. We both know that never happened. In fact, I have emails from you acknowledging this and actually leaving the matter as non contractual.

While I do have a record of that per column dollar figure, I also required you to agree and sign a contract. Do you recall this? Did you ever comply?

Where did you get the dollar value of five hundred dollars from? Did you sign a notarized non-disclosure agreement?

Thank you in advance for answering my questions.