I won't argue with any of what you've said here regarding the legal ownership of ATLA and the creators' official control (or lack thereof) over what's done with the IP, because AFAIK you're absolutely correct on every count.
However, I would mention that although the corporate machine may not care about ATLA and what it stands for, many of the people who are working within some aspect of that machine do.
Dave Roman, who co-wrote both of the Del Rey graphic novels, was a comics editor at Nickelodeon Magazine for a decade before it was shut down last year. He's been championing ATLA from the inside from the beginning, and was responsible both for the mere existence of the two all-ATLA issues of the magazine and the high quality of the comics content within them. He worked directly with artists and writers from the show's staff to make sure that the NickMag comics stayed within the show's continuity, and has been pushing for an anthology of show-inspired comics for ages, even after Nick Magazine closed its doors. It's hard to argue that he isn't invested.
In an ideal world, all of these companies would be interested in publishing books and graphic novels and such that continue to celebrate the original show, in addition to their efforts to promote the film adaptation. But given that that isn't how things have worked out....the people who care have to work within the system as it exists.
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Date: 1 Apr 2010 05:02 am (UTC)However, I would mention that although the corporate machine may not care about ATLA and what it stands for, many of the people who are working within some aspect of that machine do.
Dave Roman, who co-wrote both of the Del Rey graphic novels, was a comics editor at Nickelodeon Magazine for a decade before it was shut down last year. He's been championing ATLA from the inside from the beginning, and was responsible both for the mere existence of the two all-ATLA issues of the magazine and the high quality of the comics content within them. He worked directly with artists and writers from the show's staff to make sure that the NickMag comics stayed within the show's continuity, and has been pushing for an anthology of show-inspired comics for ages, even after Nick Magazine closed its doors. It's hard to argue that he isn't invested.
In an ideal world, all of these companies would be interested in publishing books and graphic novels and such that continue to celebrate the original show, in addition to their efforts to promote the film adaptation. But given that that isn't how things have worked out....the people who care have to work within the system as it exists.