Cartoonist Steven Busti claims he drew a comic called Cowboys and Aliens back in 1994 and is now suing the producers and studio of the 2011 movie of the same name that starred Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford and Olivia Wilde.
So the question — Did the producers know about Busti before they penned the graphic novel and the movie? Well, according to a lawsuit filed today in federal court in Texas, Busti notes back in 1994, his “Cowboys and Aliens” was featured in Comic Shop News on the same page that also featured a story about Scott Mitchell Rosenberg — who produced the 2011 film. So there!
Is it just the name that infringes? Or is it the plot of the story? I sure hear this same story a lot. If he DID get ripped off, I hope he gets everything he deserves… a new car, a billion dollars and a harem of beautiful women… unless he is married of course. Then you can replace the harem with an endless supply of whiskey.
I remember reading about how they came up with the movie a while ago. The execs were supposedly looking at some concept comic art covers and liked one that had a cowboy shooting at an alien saucer…the idea for a movie was apparently in the works, alongside the comic, since ’94 even.
It’s pretty possible that he could be the real source of the idea, especially as the years coincide. If so I hope he wins
Meet a Local Cartoonist: A Chat with Tom Arvis
by Mike Rhode on Feb. 28, 2011
http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/artsdesk/books/2011/02/28/meet-a-local-cartoonist-a-chat-with-tom-arvis/
This is actually the SECOND of these accusations. Read the interview above as Tom’s got a particularly unique perspective on the upcoming film ‘Cowboys & Aliens.’
He may have a case, but it could be hard to pin down. The concept of a cowboys vs. aliens movie has been rolling around Hollywood a long time. I worked for one of the big animation studios (not as an artist) in the late 90s, and one of my roommates and his writing partner were working on a screenplay with the same idea back then.