(The Hachette story has a happy ending; I took the book back from them and sold it to #Blackstone, who brought out a new expanded edition to accompany a DRM-free audiobook and ebook):
https://www.blackstonepublishing.com/overclocked-bvej.html
Willingham, too, has been affected by the curse of bigness.
18/
The DC he bargained with at the outset of *Fables* made a raft of binding promises to him: he would have approval over artists and covers and formats for new collections, and he would own the "IP" for the series, meaning the copyrights vested in the scripts, storylines, characters (he might also have retained rights to some trademarks).
But as DC grew, it made mistakes. Willingham's hard-fought, unique deal with the publisher was atypical.
19/
A giant publisher realizes its efficiencies through standardized processes. Willingham's books didn't fit into that standard process, and so, repeatedly, the publisher broke its promises to him.
At first, Willingham's contacts at the publisher were contrite when he caught them at this. In his press-release on the matter, Willingham calls them "honest men and women of integrity [who] interpreted the details of that agreement fairly and above-board":
https://billwillingham.substack.com/p/willingham-sends-fables-into-the
20/
