It has come to my attention after receiving about 7-10 emails this week (the majority from which I didn't even know the people) that there has been a rumor floating around for the past few months that I started an "artist union" using the Asylum Studios name. It has also come to my attention from some of those emails that I was out to gather artists to work on sets for certain companies and "screw them over" by holding back approved cards until said artists received higher pay.

Number one.... These allegations are extremely false and should be seen as what they are filthy rumors. People that know me, know that I'm extremely loyal to the companies I work for. I don't know where this got started or how.

When I announced Asylum Studios, I announced a charity Autism card set. To me that sounds absolutely nothing like an artist union to me. You can contact every artist on the Autism artist list what I asked of them and it was never to screw any companies over. Now I know no one will probably come to my defense but it's the truth. I never ever once mentioned anything about starting an artist union.

My next announcement for Asylum Studios was the creator owned zombie comic book FLESH. Again absolutely no mention of a union. I mean if I had started a union don't you think I'd want to advertise and recruit artists to "join the cause"??? Again you can ask any artist on Non Sport Update, artists on Facebook that I'm associated with, or ones that you know on the Scoundrel Forums, I never once contacted anyone about a ridiculous "union".

All I wanted for Asylum was to have a company where artists can be creative and enjoy putting out their work. It was, and still is simply a trading card, comic book, and eventually skate wear publisher. That's it.

That's about it...Believe it if you want or you can believe the rumors that were maliciously spread about me. Either way I know what the truth is and I wasn't out to screw anyone.

Thanks,

Jim

Jim
I believe I believe in you
good job for Autism

Jim, I don't think that rumor came up on Card Talk, or at least I never read or heard of it before your post. I certainly believe your statement and that should set the record straight if there was something going around.

Your efforts to raise money on behalf of Autism is admirable and I hope it all does well.

It didn't come up on cardtalk but it came up in one of the panel discussions at one of the Philly shows. It just makes me look really bad to companies that employ me and also to the fans that support me.

Some people took that questioning and ran with it making accusations and badmouthing me to the industry. All of which wasn't true. But no one verified any info they just went ahead at basically ripped into me for the past 5 or 6 months.

What a bunch of BS Jim. I hope things work out for you. Hope you can deal with the people in the panel that where involved.

Thanks me too. I was really shocked when I heard about all this.

Apparently I was also spoken badly about at this particular show and in the months that followed. This was a response I put on Scoundrel:

You know, the more I hear about this, the more I just want to say something. Jim and I have been friends since our 2002 Digital Webbing Forums days. And we put up with a lot of **** from another clique of artists, that now isn't even important to either of us, but a new "group" of contenders have arisen. Jim asked me to be a part of Asylum to help get the word out about Samurai Tortoise AFTER the charity set. I can show the sketch card that I DESIGNED for Jim, to be used by all the artists on the set, to show that there was no union. But in light of what I heard, artists with whom I have never even spoken too, were spreading rumors about myself for being friends with Jim and another former card company owner. Things like I was a Plagerizer, stealing money from commissioners and joining a union that doesn't exhist. Last year I could not fathom why some trading card companies dumped me, commissioners dumped me and others told me I was no longer needed. So now that I know whom it was and when they said this nonsense, I at the very least have piece of mind.

Maybe someone could drop me a line to who this person or group of people are. I would like to be sure to avoid them.

I think that's just as unprofessional as what their doing...know what I mean? I just really felt the need to clear my name and Asylum's name...As I'd really like to do some quality projects with the studio. It would be hard doing so with a tarnished name.

So I'll just be feeling uneasy about nearly all art transaction. Maybe it's time I back out of this part of the hobby. Been seriously thinking of quitting busts/statues, and debating on art. Perhaps it's the time. Don't want to be doing business with this type of people. It would save me a ton of money, especially eliminating conventions.

I don't think you or the hobby should suffer over the actions of a small group of meaningless troublemakers. Don't quit Im sure you'll regret it.

I just wanted to say a big THANK YOU for everyone's support. I truly appreciate the massive about of positive emails I've gotten. Hopefully we can steer away from behavior like this and have a good time again.

quote:

Originally posted by JimKyle:
When I announced Asylum Studios, I announced a charity Autism card set.

Jim, that's cool that you did that. I left the hobby/sketching to raise my 2 autistic boys as their mom passed away a few years back. That's an awesome project - definitely a good cause that doesn't get enough attention! How did it turn out on raising money?

Keep up the good work!

Man I just saw this....you have my condolences.The set will be dropping this year so we'll see how it does. Kudos to you man, really.