Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-15302880-20130915155707/@comment-29714229-20150225030532

Observer Supreme wrote: Something about royalties Archie couldn't pay for. Which is stupid and greedy, if I might add. Regardless, I think characters inspired by the Suppression Squad can appear in a future game, like how the Nocturnus were inspired by the Dark Legion. Actually, there is way more to the story then not being able to pay royalties (which isn't true). I also made a mistake, the former writer, Ken Penders, didn't sue Archie. Archie sued him but only because Ken Penders sued SEGA first about Sonic Chronicles claiming that the Nocturmus and Shade were inspired by the Dark Legion like you said. (also because of that lawsuit, the Nocturmus clan will never be seen again either). Penders claimed he owned everything he created during the comics (which would give him the rights to royalties from both the comics and the Chronicles game). Archie didn't agree because everything they make fir the comic intantly belongs to SEGA (they have a contract). Long story short, he lost the lawsuit with SEGA because too much time had past since the game came out but settled in court with Archie (they couldn't prove he signed over his stories) and was able to get the rights to everything he created which is why Archie had the reboot (to get rid of his stuff), and does not sell reprints of his stories anymore ( they won't have to pay him money if they don't use his stuff). The Ken Penders page talks a lot more about what happened.