The R in Rick Olney is for Ripping-Off Others
Rick Olney is a comics producer, comics convention organizer, and comics con-artist. I haven’t heard of this guy until today, but he’s been up to no good since the mid-2000s by not paying artists for their work or for making appearances, including big names as the dearly departed [I don't know why I thought that] Chuck Dixon and Gail Simone, and then threatens anyone who DARE speak out for what he did to them! You can read more about him here (2009) and here (2006) and witness his assholery in the comments on both links (he’s “orcafresh” in the Gail Simone Forum thread on CBR)! Oh and Sep pointed out to me that he was featured here in 2007! i.e. He implied that “Gail Simone” (quotation marks Olney’s, not mine) slept her way into the industry. Seriously.

It is no surprise that Olney wants to reclaim whatever former prestige he had in the industry while still engaging in the very same behavior that deservedly tarnished his reputation. He is still planning cons! Both types! His latest attempt is Adriondeck Comic Fest that was advertized as a “three-day long comics extravaganza being held on Veterans Day weekend, November 11th-13th, 2011 in Old Forge, New York to benefit organizations involved with Veterans.” It isn’t long until someone involved notices that there is something rotten with Olney and posts on the old Gail Simone Forum thread regarding Olney [bold emphasis is not mine]:

Our beloved pRick had me, until today, designing a Facebook page for his Adirondack ComicFest, set to take place over Veterans' Day weekend and no doubt con those who have served our country. I even named the event. He was to pay me under the table for publicity and photography at the event.

Over the course of our correspondence, he began to seem more and more disturbed. Today he sent me this gem:

... we may want to consider making the Adirondack ComicFest group private, and here's why. I was working with Rick Parker to design our logo for the event and he made a post on HIS page promoting the event and, and also posted in the group -- and guess what? He got several emails from (who knows0 and then I got THIS email from him:

Rick--it seems as if you have a bad reputation in the comics industry (whether it's true or not) This morning, just when I am finally getting down to work on your logo, I am getting a lot of unpleasant messages from friends and associates warning me to stay away from you and have nothing more to do with you. Rick, I wanted to like you and think nice things about you, but the evidence against you and negative comments I'm getting about you have given me pause. I'm sorry, but I can't work for you. I don't know whether to believe any of this or not but can't afford to get involved in the controversy and drama. I hope you understand. Don't bother trying to get me to change my mind. Once my mind is made up I'm inflexible. Best of luck with your endeavors.--Rick Parker

I just signed Nick Jones from Green Lantern to guest at our event. Once I start announcing these guests ... we can't have trolls and troublemakers contacting them to try and sour them. Know what I mean? Any ideas?

I'm young and naive, so I had not requested references for pRick. I googled him, found a mountain of crap, and quickly cut all ties to him.

Rick Olney, you are an ill man. Please seek help.

[A/N: Off topic, I hope Rick Parker never considers a career as a sailor.]

People have steadily backed out. Some stood by him, such as Matt Busch, an artist who was/is creating an Indiana Jones World Map with the permission of LucasFilms. He was still onboard because some of the proceeds would go to helping disabled veterans!

…
As for my dealing with Rick, I’m sorry if anyone here has been burned by him. That’s business between you guys and something I choose to stay out of. So far, he has been legit with me. I hope that continues to be the case, and I don’t return to this forum bashing him with you guys later. (I say that with respect to you guys, of course I’m nervous about this now.) I guess you’ll have to ask me again when all is said and done.
I have since contacted the Disabled American Veterans personally to make sure they are aware of what is going on, and will take every measure possible to make sure they get what is promised and will not use their great name and cause in vain. Not if I or Lucasfilm has anything to say about it.

Then, earlier in September, Busch learns his lesson.
...
I don’t know what to say, except for I’m sorry. I guess the smarter we think we are, the more we sometimes find that we are completely naive. Well, I feel like a douche and I hope you guys will accept my apology. You ARE the good guys- what the heck was blinding me from that? Pride? Who knows...

Anyway, for legal reasons that I am pursuing, I don’t want to get into juicy details, but I am actively trying to get the maps back from Rick. He is refusing to return them and gleefully intends on offering them Online, which Lucasfilm has not granted him permission to do. So I’m contacting Lucasfilm, my lawyer, and the police department of Rick’s home.

I know some of you have questions, but much of it will have to stay tight lipped with legal until something concrete is developed, and I can share more. In terms of how the Adirondack Comicfest funded the map, that was all press release jargon early on, and some while I was waiting for Rick to put the money forward. And as you can guess, he never paid a dime for anything. Not even shipping. See what a shmuck I am?

Busch backs out. Olney still possesses the map. Upon learning of Busch’s “betrayal,” Olney e-mails Busch:

Well, I had asked you nicely not to take that step. And, because you’re so inclined I’ll share with you that I intend on burning your maps tomorrow. I’m all done being manipulated. You think embarrassing me is a game. Lets see how you like learning a lesson.
Richard Olney


Too bad. So sad. The convention gets cancelled. Rick Olney bemoans it’s demise on his Blogspot (Screencap!), where he blames Bleeding Cool blogger Rich Johnston for it’s demise. Boo hoo. HOWEVER, The Map? Olney is selling posters (Screencap! Screencap! There's no point in escaping!). it despite Bush making it CLEAR that there are lawyers involved and is clueless enough to advertise it on his blog. For a mere $59.95 (includes shipping), you too can own stolen art.

Another artist Michael W. Keller has sent Olney a cease and desist letter after requesting that his information be taken off the convention website to which Olney replied:

“I have previously made myself very clear about when any previously, contractually agreed names are concerned, shall be removed. Kindly stop wasting your time and mine. No further contact from you shall be read or replied to by me, personally, I assume that you can be dealt with through Mr. Clayton Murwin’s personal and corporate attorney of record. Thank you.”

Classy.


ETA: Forgot to throw this one up last night which was thrown up between the convention's cancellation being announced and Olney deciding to go ahead and profit off selling the map.

[Image reading: I AM AN ARTIST. THIS DOES NOT MEAN I WILL WORK FOR FREE. I HAVE BILLS JUST LIKE YOU THANK YOU FOR UNDERSTANDING.]

I don't work for free either If you expect an answer to the questions you continuously ask and already know the answer for send $19.95 to:

[sic]

Remember to include your return mailing address for our prompt reply. Thank you.

And his troll policy is active. (screencap)

As usual, the mundane and attempting to be irritating are now spamming my blogs with their contrived lunacy. I refuse to allow the remarks to any of my posts by known trolls and miscreants. I. on the other hand, have no problem publishing the remarks of trolls that use their REAL names known to me by image and the previous 6-7 years of their harassment. It helps paint a picture of them. They are no less ignorant than the make believers. Only cowards hide totally from the public they are trying to communicate with. Seriously delusional. Ineffective. But Emerson said it best with:

"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Your true colors are showing, Troll. But continue to act out as immature children at best, or half baked adults being ineffective and wasting your time on matters of me and my life. You'll get no other attention than this. At least you can read, right?

ETA2: Someone, under a sock, contacts Olney about the maps while pretending to be an interested consumer. The following exchange can be found here. Olney still refuses to name the charity. He also denies ever hearing anything from Busch regarding NOT SELLING MAPS THAT AREN'T HIS or hearing from Busch's lawyers or Lucasfilms'. (Olney's side of the story can be found here (screencap!).)

lady7jane's summation of the wank looks like it may become prophetic.

And another Bleeding Cool article about the scam.

ETA3: Olney makes another blog post (yet another screencap) defending his actions and claiming that HE CAN PROVE EVERYTHING!

I am still selling the maps. I still stand by what I have posted in that last blog post about the costs and so forth. Anyone ordering will get their maps, and sales are picking up. And again, I'm not accountable on this matter to you or any of the trolls on Gail Simone's thread. I'm not even accountable to Matt Busch. As I have told Matt, I'll await to hear from Lucasfilms and if they take longer than the November 15th deadline then this matter shall simply correct itself.


ETA4: Olney has friends-locked down his Sequential Soul blogspot account. The Somethings Tingling! (does that title creep anyone else out?) blog is still open as of typing this.

ETA5: wankismyfandom has pointed out that we've been spotted. Let's give him a round of unenthusiastic golf claps!

I have three close friends inside this hobby and business of comics, as well as outside the realm of imagination mediums for each other of them!

HE HAS THREE FRIENDS. THREE. THAT'S MORE THAN ONE AND TWO. IT IS ONE PLUS TWO!

(And WHY HELLO THAR, GAIL SIMONE FORUM! :D)

ETA5: It's official. Lucasfilm is sending Rick Olney a Cease and Desist. He is to return both the remaining maps and any monies (haha- Rick's fave word) that he collected back to me. Shazam. All the maps must be accounted for and any missing from the number I sent shall be paid for. - Matt Busch