Posted in: Comics, Comics Publishers, Current News, Opus Comics | Tagged: frank frazetta, opus comics, Sara Frazetta, Sedat Oezgen

Frank Frazetta Comics Held Over Creator Payments as Opus Moves to UK

Yesterday, Sedat Oezgen posted to social media, allegations that Opus Comics has not been paying him for his work on Frank Frazetta titles.

German comic book creator Sedat Oezgen, known for his work for Dynamite, 2000AD, Zenescope and more, has, this year, been working on Frank Frazetta's Science Fantasy and covers for Frank Frazetta's Mothman and Frank Frazetta's Death Dealer, published by Opus Comics, a subsidiary of Incendium Records.

Opus Comics was formed in 2022 by former Heavy Metal Magazine and IDW Publishing employees, CEO Llexi Leon, Executive Editor Denton J. Tipton and International Editor RG Llarena. And has been publishing fantasy and sci-fi comics, Frank Frazetta-related titles, Bill & Ted comics, and comics derived from the work of musicians, such as Cradle Of Filth, Evanescence, Exodus, Disturbed and Gene Simmons. It has also been noted that several Opus titles, such as Frank Frazetta's Science Fantasy, seem to be rather late, with issue #3 now scheduled for December instead of August and #4 for January next year.

Sedat Oezgen speaks about Opus Comics

Yesterday, Sedat Oezgen, one of the artists on that series, posted to social media on Facebook and Instagram, allegations that Opus has simply not been paying him and his team. He wrote "A Warning to All Artists: Beware of Working with OPUS Comics" before continuing.

"I consistently delivered high-quality work on time, and my editors expressed satisfaction with my results. In fact, Opus and the company's owner, Llexi Leon, even shared my work on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. After completing the "Mothman" cover, I was asked to illustrate a 24-page script for "Frank Frazetta's: Tales of Science-Fantasy." I received the final script in late May, with the deadline for publication set for San Diego Comic-Con 2023 (mid-July)."

"Despite the tight timeframe, I was confident in my ability to complete the project. Working tirelessly, I finished the 24-page comic, including pencils and inks, within less than three weeks, even while attending Charlotte Heroes Con in June. As I progressed, I sent invoices for the completed work: one after the first twelve pages and another after the remaining twelve pages."

"Considering the demanding schedule and the quality of the work delivered, both myself and my colorist, Omi Remalante, dedicated immense effort to this project, often working late into the night. Our combined efforts ensured that Opus Comics had the finished comic ready for SDCC. Upon completing the project, I noticed that I hadn't been paid for the "Mothman" cover. Due to editorial changes, I initially assumed they might have overlooked it. However, as time passed, it became clear that none of my invoices had been paid. In July, I inquired about payment with my editor, who promised to speak with Lexi and ensure I would receive compensation by the end of July."

"Despite my editor's efforts, I remained unpaid. I reached out to Lexi directly, requesting payment for my invoices. A few days later, I received half of the owed amount. My editor, continuing to advocate for my payment, assured me that I would be fully compensated by the end of August. However, August came and went, followed by September, without any further payment. I again contacted my editor, who reiterated his commitment to resolving the matter and promised payment by the end of October. Again, my hopes were met with silence."

"On October 25th, I composed a firm email to Lexi, emphasizing my intention to make this issue public if payment wasn't received. I also contacted Sara Frazetta, who was unaware of the situation. She apologized for Opus's behavior and attempted to intervene, but Lexi remained unresponsive. On October 31st, I sent another email to Lexi, reiterating my stance and demanding payment. Despite my efforts, I received no response, no explanation, no apology, and no indication of payment."

As of today, I have not been paid for my work. It has become evident that Opus Comics has no intention of honoring its commitments. I am sharing my experience to warn other artists of Opus Comics' unethical practices. It is unacceptable for any company to exploit and withhold payment from its creative talents. I am not the only artist who has suffered from their unprofessional conduct. I urge anyone who has had similar experiences with Opus Comics to speak up. By sharing our stories, we can protect others from falling victim to their predatory practices. Please spread the word and encourage artists to exercise caution when considering working with Opus Comics. Let's hold companies accountable for their actions and protect the rights of creative professionals."

"I'd also like to emphasize that none of what happened was in any way Sara Frazetta's or Frazetta Girls fault. Sara was as helpful as it gets in this matter. P.S. I'd like to emphasize that this isn't their editorials Fault. R.G. Llarena always tried to get the talent paid. All of this goes back to the owner of the company."

That post hit with a bomb and was shared by many other prominent artists, such as Mikel Janin and Jamal Igle, with lots of supportive comments. And yes, plenty of people tagging in Bleeding Cool. We had previously shared rumours about this very issue after Opus Comics co-founder Denton Tipton left the publisher earlier in the year.

The writer of the comic Frank Frazetta's Science Fantasy, Aaron John Gregory, replied to Sedat on Instagram, saying "Sedat, I've been meaning to reach out to you and Omi to see if you've both gotten paid. Cause I, the writer of the book, have not either, neither for the script or my own RI cover. I've written very polite emails once a month to Opus since the book was completed asking for my compensation. I applaud you for going public. I'm glad you reached out to Sara, too."

I did speak to Sedat on the phone earlier today. He told me that he wanted to emphasise RG Llarena's role in helping artists to get paid and also that neither Sara Frazetta nor the Frazetta brand had anything to do with this, and that she had also reached out trying to get artists to be paid for their work. He also shared the original art covers above for Frank Frazetta's Death Dealer 2099 #2 and #3, and an unseen cover for Frank Frazetta's Mothman #3 and says that if anyone is interested in purchasing the original art to any of these covers, they can reach out to him on Instagram or Facebook.

Frank Frazetta's granddaughter speaks about Opus Comics

Bleeding Cool has also been informed privately of several other creators alleging nonpayment from Opus but who aren't ready to go public yet, totalling tens of thousands. They told me payments were meant to have resumed in October but did not. The aforementioned Sara Frazetta, who represents the estate of her grandfather Frank Frazetta, wrote to Bleeding Cool to tell us;

"Unfortunately recent events which are out of our control have transpired within Incendium/Opus. The company has not been able to pay artists and writers in a timely manner and it's completely unacceptable. At this time we are doing all we can to ensure Incendium/Opus understands our position and that is, the creators need to be paid. We have halted the release of any new titles until this issue is entirely resolved. This industry is built by the artists and artists should always stand up for their rights and deserved pay. We are entirely on their side."

Opus Comics speaks about making big changes

Bleeding Cool contacted Opus Comics last night, and we just received the following statement, which may change everything. They tell us;

"We at Opus Comics agree 100% with the statements made by Sara Frazetta and others about this situation. We value our creators, and apologise profusely for letting them down in this instance. Our team are all passionate about what we do, and we hope people will stick with us as we work through everything to ensure a good outcome for all involved and to continue creating great comics together. They say comics will break your heart, but we're hoping they can heal it as well.

"Opus Comics in the USA were produced by Incendium LLC under license, as an extension of their activities in the merchandise and collectibles space. Unfortunately, a myriad of post-pandemic supply chain issues took their toll on Incendium, which has since ceased trading entirely. We've been working towards a rescue and restructure for Opus Comics to operate as a standalone entity out of the United Kingdom for several months now. Until the process is finalised we've not been able to make a concise statement to that effect, and there are still administrative hurdles to be overcome, but please consider this letter a statement of our intent.

"Despite the closure of our American partners at Incendium LLC, we must take full responsibility for where delays in payment have occurred, and offer our sincerest apologies to Sedat Oezgen and other creators affected. It is our obligation to make things right if Opus is to continue, and we hope that fans and creators will stay with us on this journey. Ultimately we want to ensure that all these great works stay in print, and that all creators with outstanding invoices are fully compensated before any affected work is reprinted under the new structure. Once we are in good standing, we anticipate that new work continues to print from the freshly reorganised Opus Comics, and we can all safely and fairly enjoy the world of comics together."

So Opus Comics is closing in the US and opening in the UK. Likely, former Orbital Comics shop manager, Eisner Award winner and Bleeding Cool contributor Chris Thompson will be heavily involved in this, as he has been working on Opus PR since they launched. But it is quite a surprise all around. We hope this bodes well for the future and all those owed money by Opus Comics.

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