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Comic strips

Humorous Maximus temporarily taken off Line

1 minute 19 comments

Dan Thompson writes in with the story behind Humorous Maximus‘ temporary closure. Apparently (and allegedly) the site’s own web master copied all the ‘toons off of Humorous Maximus and started his own little site with them and then deleted all the pages from the HM site. Needless to say, Dan and fellow co-founder Jerry King are looking for a new web master and hope to have the site up next week.

It should also be noted that most of the cartoonists featured on HM will be back.

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Comments 19

  1. sounds like a lawsuit waiting to happen

  2. You might want to add “allegedly” somewhere in this post to avoid a lawsuit of your own…

  3. Can you say “Copyright enfringment”?

  4. So… the webmaster didn’t think the couple dozen cartoonists on that site would notice their content was no longer showing up on the “real” site? (sarcasm)What a GREAT (alleged) scam!(/sarcasm)

    Unless we’re just talking about the Steve Canyon and other legacy strips on there, that plan would last for however long the lead time of the cartoonist that’s the farthest behind, lol. Hope it’s back up soon. I hadn’t been on it a couple weeks so, sadly, I didn’t notice the site was even down.

    And hey, I’ve been rather busy getting my own site going and working my day job, but if they get desperate for help setting things back up, I could lend a hand (depends on the content management system the site uses.)

  5. Hey Danny! You should shoot Dan Thompson an e-mail at cartoonsthompson@aol.com. He’s working on getting the site back up, and I’m sure he could use a hand if you’re willing to help out!

    – Wes

  6. WTF!!!…what kind of morally deprieved moron was this webmaster??? Stealing the contnent of so many cartoonists that are well known ONLINE! Hope Dan and Jerry sue his bandwidth off! I really like what they have going on over at Humorous Maximus, especially the HM mascot(the Trojan guy). I want a hat with that cat on it. Very cool…good luck Dan and Jerry

  7. When can we expect the site to be back up? and when you say “most of the cartoonists” will be back, why not all? I don’t read all of the comics on there, but some of them I was really getting interested in.
    And what about the classics that he was rerunning? Please say the new run of “Latigo” will continue — that adventure strip really swept you in and I want to know what happens.

  8. Yes, from what I read elsewhere, Dan has mentioned that the Caniff estate will still allow Milt’s work to be featured on the site.

  9. I believe Dan. One morning I woke up and BAM the SuperFogeys weren’t on HM anymore and there was some new website that it had been transferred to. I was given no warning, just an email informing me that I should upload SuperFogeys to a new site from now on. I don’t see how any of this is “alleged.” The webmaster done wrong.

  10. Thanks, Alan, it’s good to know that Caniff’s work will still be on HM, but I was referring to “Latigo” specifically, which is actually not by Caniff but by Stan Lynde.
    I hope the situation is the same…but then again, it probably is, especially since Lynde is still alive and last I heard he had agreed to let the full run be rerun on HM.

  11. The problem I have is we as cartoonists are being forced to chose sides by one party. It isn’t our fallout and all we have is exposure. Dan has said if we stay on Scott’s site we are not welcome to HM. That isn’t his choice, it isnt our fault they fell apart. What if him and Jerry start a war, am I forbidden to post with Jerry? I will not give up my little power as a cartoonist who hasn’t gotten paid one cent because of internal pissing matches. Forget it…I’ll stop drawing Mandy before I’m told where to post by a non-syndicate.

    Jarrett
    The Pursuit of Mandy

  12. Jarret, Scott taking the site and calling it his own is like
    a publisher saying he wrote “war and peace” because he supplied the binding, the ink, and the paper.
    We played a huge part in every idea that was on that site, he put the code together, and we put a lot of work into getting the cartoonists. If he wanted to go on his own, he could start from scratch like we did, and create from ideas of his own, like we did, and get cartoonists on his own like we did. I won’t argue about Scott taking his code, it’s his he can have it. But everything else that was on the site should remain.
    It’s how he handled it that nobody liked.

    Dan

  13. I think what this fella “Scott” did sucks ass! It was a deceitful act and I can’t imagine why anyone in their right mind would want to associate with someone so morally bankrupt…but that’s just me. He stole content in a very covert way…if he wanted his own version of HM, he should have just started one, like Dan said…in terms of $$$$$, did HM ever charge for content or was there ever intentions to? I really like what you have there, Dan. It reminds me of when Full Tilt first started. Fresh cartoonists collected together. If only you could come up with a newspaper-style format to fit on screens. All the best…

  14. Actually he stole the content in a very OVERT way. How could he not think he would get caught? But criminals are stupid, that’s one of the things that makes them criminals.

  15. Listen, I have spoke to Scott for over an hour, and it is behind the scenes blow up which has come down to he said/he did kindergarten tantrum…It simply isn’t right that I am being told where I can and cannot post when I as the cartoonist had nothing to do with this fallout?
    The issue for us isn’t about what happened…I don’t care, I just want my comic posted. I am being told I cannot post with HM beciase I wont pick a side which I wasn’t a part of. All of you that have picked a side, you have given up one of our only rights as web cartoonists…to post where we want. I want to help Dan, to post on HM, but kindergarten rules say I have to pick a winner on fight I never watched. It sickens me.

    Jarrett

  16. All of you that have picked a side, you have given up one of our only rights as web cartoonists…to post where we want.

    I think you have imagined yourself a right that doesn’t exist. If you don’t own the domain or web site, then it seems that you must be invited to be apart of that site, and any site owner will have rules and conditions upon which you’re expected to fulfill in order to maintain a good relationship. If you don’t understand this – I dare you to take your “right” and try to get on gocomics or comics.com and see how far your “right” gets you.

  17. Hi Alan, awesome to talk to you. Love the site.

    “If you donâ??t own the domain or web site, then it seems that you must be invited to be apart of that site, and any site owner will have rules and conditions upon which youâ??re expected to fulfill in order to maintain a good relationship.”

    I agree, I have done everything asked of me to be a part of HM. Exclusivity wasn’t part of their condition.

    “I dare you to take your â??rightâ? and try to get on gocomics or comics.com and see how far your â??rightâ? gets you.”

    I also agree, but gocomics and comics.com is an online syndicate, and their rules are clear and would also be followed.

    I followed every rule, and after Dan had time to calm down he has seen my side which is why I think he is a great guy. I was asked to go back to HM and that is all I wanted, I did not want to have to pick a side.

    Dan has sent me an apology this am for how this whole mess affected the cartoonists not involved and has invited me back to HM. I said from the beginning, I had nothing against Dan. I just didnâ??t want to be forced to choose. Dan, if you are reading, I never thought you were close minded and I understand how you reactedâ?¦Iâ??m sure you wanted to explode. But seeing my point with regards to the people that bring in traffic is all I wanted. I have said from day 1 I would love to stay with HM, and him sending me an email saying he wrote his initial email in anger tells me he is a big person that can see through the blizzard of crap.

    Maximum exposure for me and all the excellent cartoonists is what I want. I accept your invite back and I would hope you believe when I say I understand your anger, but unfortunately itâ??s an anger outside my know.

    PS

    Iâ??m also sorry for saying I was gonna start selling Sheep Burgers on last nights comics coast to coast podcastâ?¦

    http://www.comicscoasttocoast.com

    Jarrett
    The Pursuit of Mandy

  18. Wow! I wondered what happened with HM – used to look at it almost every day. I love cartoons, mainly gag type, I come and look at my favorites every morning with a hot cup of coffee. It’s great to start the day off with laughter. We are so fortunate to be able to have the internet to see them on a daily basis. I don’t understand all the technicalities, but after reading these posts I just wanted to add to the cartoonists that their efforts are appreciated, and missed when they’re gone.

    Speaking of which, I was wondering if anyone knows what happened to my favorite cartoons by Ev Cheney – they were “Rules for Duffers” and “Stuff”, and were posted on cartoonwebsite.com. They were wonderful and hilarious, and one day they were just gone, and have been for some time.

    Take care, Stephany

  19. Well, I made a blunder here as I can’t exit without submitting another comment.

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