"You can’t fight city hall, we’re told. The folks with the bucks get all the breaks.
But sometimes -- just sometimes, mind you -- the little guy wins.
(LEGAL DISCLAIMER: ALL QUOTES IN THIS ARTICLE WERE GIVEN IN AN INTERVIEW WITH MICHAEL TIERNEY ON AUGUST 12, 2000.)
In 1984, Michael Tierney did something that many comic fans would like to do: he created and published his own comic book, Wild Stars. By doing so, he created more than just a book--he birthed a trademark.
"You have a ‘common law’ trademark if you show use," explains Tierney. "I did the comic in ’84. I did the portfolio in ’86. I did another comic book in ’88. I was getting ready to start publishing again in the early ‘90s -- because the industry was really booming right then. My timing was bad in ’84 and ’88, because I was right in front of the black and white boom, and I was right after the black and white bust. So I was waiting for a right time."