Hilaritas Press News Bite!
We recently received a demand letter from New Falcon Publications, previous publisher of many of Bob’s books, to cease printing and selling Robert Anton Wilson’s Prometheus Rising! The owner of New Falcon claims to own not only the Introduction (written by Israel Regardie) but also a number of the graphics.
(SNAFU WARNING: We are told that all of Israel Regardie’s copyrights, including for this introduction written specifically for Prometheus Rising, were bequeathed to the United States Ecclesiastical Society… which somehow or other now seems to be under New Falcon’s umbrella. We’re not sure how or why that can be – as the USES is theoretically a nonprofit church of some sort – and New Falcon is a for-profit venture. Conspiracy theorists – time to bring out your tools!)
After a month of back-and-forth, not to mention lawyer fees, we have decided that rather than spending money we don’t have to fight New Falcon’s (in Christina’s opinion – rather surreal) demands, we have simply decided to move forward, replacing the contested graphics with new interpretations, and commissioning a new Introduction to be written.
We realize that this is a challenge, and we sincerely wish we didn’t have to change Prometheus Rising at all. The owner of New Falcon does not want payment for the use of the graphics or the Introduction, he simply does not want us to use them. The obvious explanation appears to be retaliation, sadly without regard for Bob’s legacy. Christina thinks he may have a “stick up his butt” because she did NOT renew any contracts when the time limits were reached, as we planned to publish Bob’s books through Hilaritas Press.
To add greater pressure, we have to remove the old graphics by November 15, 2016 – just one month away, and there are 37 cartoons to replace!
To the RAW World and beyond: we need new cartoons! We are asking any and all interested cartoon artists to submit two examples of ideas for new graphics. We have selected two cartoons that we’d like to see re-interpreted as samples of your work. The text in the cartoons should be the same, but the drawing concept has to be different from the original interpretation. You can’t just copy the original in your own style.
A note about money: as a brand new publisher working hard just to stay afloat (and besieged by a former publisher creating unwanted waves), we need to let you know that we are happy to pay, but will have to work out a fair payment plan if our chosen illustrator(s) would like to be paid for the graphics!
I have mixed feelings about this whole endeavor. I’ve always loved the cartoons in Prometheus Rising, and I really hate to see them go, but the previous publisher’s poor printing in subsequent editions of Prometheus Rising left a lot of the images in a very poor state – something we lamented in putting together our new edition. However, Bob was an optimist, and in that same spirit, both Christina and I are looking forward to this opportunity to update this amazingly relevant book for the delight of both new and old readers.
Please help us out by passing the word far and wide (and inter-dimensionally if possible). Please send all sample illustrations to: info ( @ ) hilaritaspress.com
(please make this into a regular email address, removing the spaces and parenthesis – we’re trying to stay ahead of the spammers)
Please note: submissions should be Grayscale and in jpeg format. Please make your new cartoons using the concepts in these two graphics:
Cartoon Number 10:
Cartoon Number 56:
See what I can conjure.
cant put into words,what an honor it would be to work on any project of Robert’s.
Who has been commissioned to write the new intro? That is a task and a half.
I am jumping on this
This appears to me that New Falcon is copyright trolling in at least claiming ownership of the introduction. It appears ‘paper work’ is the culprit.
http://www.entitysource.com/details/entity/ca_1046955/united-states-ecclesiastical-society-and-seminary
Companies actively hunt, ‘Copyright Trolling’, for anything they can acquire through legal instruments. Getty images has claimed copyright royalties on works donated to the Library of Congress:
https://torrentfreak.com/photographer-files-1bn-copyright-claim-against-getty-images-160728/
I began reading RAW’s work as a high school senior. It was such a contrast to my cookie-cutter education and allowed me to see the World in so many different ways. I am happy his legacy and work is being carried on. Ideas he presented, such as Bell’s Theorem, are now being demonstrated in physics labs under the phrase of Quantum Entanglement.
I would love to have new editions of RAW’s books that I lost after having misplaced myself.
All the best to you.
P.S. http://principiadiscordia.com may have many writers who would take up the challenge of a new introduction. I think they could be a great help and/or a source of blissful wetware rewiring.
New Falcon is owned by the bastard son of Chris Hyatt. He ripped off everyone. The Original Falcon is home to RAW and related works. Contact them
.http://www.originalfalcon.com
I would request to see proof of Regardie’s contract releasing copyright ownership for “Prometheus Rising.” Their claims concerning Israel Regardie are dubious and often delusional. I am familiar with the folks behind NF, and have been the target of their threats in the past – which proved empty as I expected.
Allen did a few business design shenanigans with New Falcon. United States Ecclesiastical Society is a nonprofit which wholly owns New Falcon as its publishing business. Nonprofits can hold for-profit entities provided they continue to meet their reporting and income thresholds. Basically, USES owns the rights for Regardie’s works which it licenses to New Falcon. New Falcon, in turn, kicks back the income from the rights to USES which can integrate it into its general fund.
Since they are a religious nonprofit USES does not need to do 990 reporting, so taking a look at their books from the outside if a challenge. If you have someone who wants to try and do a bit of snooping their EIN is 95-3637356.
As far as an introduction and updated graphics go I know new material could be found easily. Off the top of my head Douglas Rushkoff, Allan Moore, Philip H. Farber, or Grant Morrison spring to mind as potential contributors for an introduction. As far as the art goes I know dedicated RAW fans who could be tapped for updates and improvements. I would be willing to help where I can.