88MPH Studios
88MPH Studios was an independent comic book publisher that, through a partnership with Image Comics, published the Genesis: The Art of Transformers coffee-table art-book.
Founded and apparently run single-handedly by Sébastien Clavet, the company's remit included "knowledge of pop culture".<ref>The making of Genesis - 88mph Studios Interview</ref> To that end, 88MPH were quick to obtain the publishing rights from Hasbro for a Transformers artbook. Unfortunately, it soon became apparent that Clavet was woefully unprepared for running a publishing company on his own, as the resultant product was beset by delays, format changes, lack of payment for contributors, and lack of product for paying customers.
Undaunted, 88MPH subsequently obtained the comic book publishing rights to Ghostbusters, where the resultant four-issue "monthly" mini-series instead staggered out over nine months. A promised hardcover trade paperback of the mini-series was then beset by a near-identical series of events to those of the Genesis debacle, with the book ultimately being canceled altogether, despite pre-orders being taken and not refunded.
Clavet initially communicated with concerned contributors and customers of both publications on various website forums regarding payment, but Clavet's continual deferrals regarding actually transferring any money, plus his habit of routinely deleting all of his own forum posts did little to assuage affected individuals. Clavet subsequently began ignoring all personal communication altogether.
Hasbro later initiated legal proceedings against 88MPH Studios and Clavet for their failure to fulfill their contractual obligations. On July 21, 2006, 88MPH Studios filed a counterclaim against Hasbro, seeking damages for "wrongful doings and the non respect of multiple contractual terms in regards to a licensing agreement concerning the publication of Transformers related books."<ref>archived post reporting news of the lawsuit at TFW2005</ref>
Transformers publications
[edit]- Genesis: The Art of Transformers (in conjunction with Image Comics)
Notes
[edit]- The choice of name for 88MPH Studios comes from 1985's Back to the Future, where that number signified the amount of speed the DeLorean needed to initiate time travel.