tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53659124808524672432024-03-14T01:08:49.800-05:00ComicsLawyer.comA comics and entertainment law blog.
*Not legal advice*Dirkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04128499419819325585noreply@blogger.comBlogger126125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5365912480852467243.post-47869230649722789702024-02-29T14:27:00.004-06:002024-02-29T18:13:19.606-06:00Should all comics be considered works-made-for-hire?<p> </p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Recently,
the American Bar Association’s Forum on the Entertainment and Sports Industries’
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Entertainment & Sports Lawyer</i>
periodical published a new article of mine. The article is titled “<a href="https://www.americanbar.org/groups/entertainment_sports/publications/entertainment-sports-lawyer/esl-40-01-winter-24/comic-books-qualify-workmadeforhire-under-copyright-act-1978/?login" target="_blank">Heroes for Hire No More: Rethinking the Presumption That Comic Books Qualify As A Work-Made-For-Hire Under the Copyright Act of 1976</a>.” You can read the article
in its entirety via the link, but I will provide a brief summary below.</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I
have spent a fair amount of time thinking about this over the years, and I do
not believe that comic books automatically quality as a work-made-for-hire
under the Copyright Act of 1976. In order for a work to be considered a
work-made-for-hire under the Copyright Act, it must either (i) be created by an
employee or (ii) fall into one of nine specific categories and be part of a
written agreement. </p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>As
most people know, the comic book industry primarily runs on freelancers and
contractors. Because most comic book creators are not employees, that primarily
rules out the ability to claim comics as works-made-for-hire under the first
prong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 0.5in;">Comic books also
do not fall neatly into any of the nine categories that can be designated as
works-made-for-hire under the Copyright Act. Comic books are joint works, with
each contributor considered to be a joint owner in the work, and joint works
are not a work-made-for-hire category. The only way for comic books to be
considered a work-made-for-hire would be if they are considered a compilation
or collective work. Both of these require many copyrighted works be put
together with each work having different ownership. </p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 0.5in;">In my opinion,
in order for a comic book to be a work-made-for-hire, it must be published in a
format that contains multiple creative works owned by different owners. Based
on this criterion, it is uncertain if a monthly issue of a comic book or a graphic
novel would meet this standard. A trade paperback, anthology-style work, or
collected edition might meet the standard if they contain multiple works owned
by different owners.</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 0.5in;">Whether or not
comic books can be considered to be work-made-for-hire is an important question
for publishers and creators. If they are not, then publishers would have to
rethink how they employ creators or how they publish their books. For creators,
it means that they may have additional rights, such as termination rights, that
they would not have been entitled to if a comic book was a work-made-for-hire.</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 0.5in;">As stated
above, this is a brief summary. If you want to read about this in more detail,
you can read the original article <a href="https://www.americanbar.org/groups/entertainment_sports/publications/entertainment-sports-lawyer/esl-40-01-winter-24/comic-books-qualify-workmadeforhire-under-copyright-act-1978/?login" target="_blank">here</a>.</p>Dirkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04128499419819325585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5365912480852467243.post-80547897348940734522024-01-31T10:05:00.000-06:002024-01-31T10:05:03.891-06:00An Invincible Lawsuit - Part 2<p> </p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Following
up on a post from two years ago <a href="https://www.comicslawyer.com/2022/01/an-invincible-lawsuit.html">detailing the the lawsuit filed by colorist William Crabtree
against Robert Kirkman over <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Invincible</i>
</a>, the case has now settled. The two sides reached a confidential settlement, and the case was
dismissed.</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In
November, the judge overseeing the case issued a declaratory judgment ruling
that denied some of Crabtree’s claims and allowed some to proceed. In particular,
the court allowed Crabtree to pursue claims related to breach of contract and
to seek invalidation of the Certificate of Authorship he signed in 2008, but
only to the extent relating <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>to lack of
consideration given for the agreement or to clarify the meaning or scope of the
agreement. Due to the statute of limitations, the court denied Crabtree’s
claims to seek declaratory relief that he was a joint author of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Invincible</i>, claims for promissory fraud,
and invalidation of the Certificate of Authorship due to fraud.</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>As
I pointed out when it was first filed, this case could have been an interesting
case to shed light on the copyright ownership rights of colorists. Does the
work of a colorist entitle them to an ownership in the copyright of a comic
book? Can their work be considered work-made-for-hire? Unfortunately, the court
found that Crabtree waited too long to file the lawsuit. Under the copyright act,
there is a three year statute of limitations in which to bring claims. The court
found that Crabtree had definite notice in 2012 that Kirkman was denying his
claims of ownership and waiting until 2022 to file the lawsuit exceeded the
time to bring a claim.</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>This
is an important reminder to understand your rights, and if you feel they are
being denied, to seek an attorney’s advice on next steps. Had the lawsuit been
filed earlier, then the case may have turned out differently.</p>Dirkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04128499419819325585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5365912480852467243.post-71557263722216502942023-12-29T12:51:00.007-06:002023-12-29T15:54:03.333-06:00Adventures in Fan Fiction - Lord of the Rings Edition<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%;"> Recently,
a few decisions were issued involving an unauthorized sequel to <i>The Lord of the Rings</i> (“LOTR”). In one,
a court found that Amazon and the Tolkien Estate did not infringe upon the
author’s book. In the second, the court found that the author’s book infringed
upon the rights of the Tolkien Estate. </p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%;"> Demetrious
Polychron filed a lawsuit in April against Amazon, the Tolkien Estate and many others.
In the filing, Polychron claimed that he wrote a sequel to LOTR called <i>The Fellowship of the King</i>. He sent
copies to Tolkien’s grandson asking for the work to be published, and he did
not receive a response. He subsequently published the work himself, and he intended
to publish a seven-book series. Polychron’s lawsuit claimed Amazon’s <i>Rings of Power</i> series copied elements
from his works and constituted copyright infringement. He sought at least $250,000,000
from the parties involved for copyright infringement. </p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%;"> In
a summary judgment ruling, the court found that Amazon’s <i>Rings of Power</i> did not infringe upon Polychron’s book. In fact, the
court found that because Polychron’s book was an unauthorized derivative work
based on LOTR, he was precluded from bringing a copyright infringement claim.<span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span>
In analyzing the work, the court reiterated the rule that copyright owners have
the exclusive right to prepare or authorize derivate works based upon their preexisting
work. Polychron’s work used characters from LOTR and was a direct continuation of
the work. As such, it was a derivative work and not entitled to copyright
protection<span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span>.
</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 0.5in;">In the second
case, the Tolkien Estate filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against
Polychron. The court recently issued an permanent injunction forbidding
Polychron from making further derivative works based on LOTR and to destroy any
existing copies of the current works.</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 0.5in;">This case
continues a fairly strong line of cases showing that unauthorized derivative
works will likely be found to infringe upon copyright. When a work utilizes characters,
worlds, and plot elements from a previous work, it runs the risk of a copyright
infringement claim. The risk significantly increases when the work is being sold
for profit and directly competes with the market for the original work. The
only derivative works that have been found to be fair use are those that tend
to provide commentary on the original. A work that is just a continuation of
the story in the original will likely not be a fair use.</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 0.5in;">If you want to
write fan fiction, it is important to be aware of these cases, and if possible,
structure your work in such a way as to avoid a copyright infringement claim.</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 0.5in;">Final notes about
this case:</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]-->1)<span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]-->Polychron
received a copyright registration for his work. This is a reminder that the copyright
office does not usually weigh the merits of whether a work is an infringement
when processing registrations.</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]-->2)<span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]-->Polychron
sold his work. Selling your fan fiction for profit raises the chances of a
lawsuit.</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]-->3)<span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]-->Suing
the original copyright owner for infringement of your unauthorized derivative work
rarely turns out well.</p>
<div><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<!--[endif]-->
<div id="ftn1">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span>
See page 10, Order Granting Defendants’ Motions to Dismiss the First Amendment
Compaint, 2:23-cv-02831-SVW-E.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
</div><p><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[2]</span></span></span> <i>Id. </i>at page 12. </p>Dirkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04128499419819325585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5365912480852467243.post-67795325027265799372023-11-26T12:21:00.004-06:002023-11-27T09:32:33.738-06:00Comic Book Recommendations - 2023<div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 24px;"><span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span></span>It’s the end of another year, and it’s time to recommend some of the comic books I read this year. As I mentioned in previous years, I tend to primarily focus my recommendations on creator-owned titles, these will mostly be graphic novels/trade paperbacks, and they may not all have been released this year.</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 24px; text-indent: 0.5in;">As always, I’ve provided links where I can. Links to Amazon will be affiliate links. Anywhere else is not. Even so, if you’re intrigued by these books, try to buy them from your local comic shop or book store. You can find previous years’ recommendation by clicking on the corresponding year: <a href="https://www.comicslawyer.com/2020/12/comic-book-recommendations-2020.html">2020</a>, <a href="https://www.comicslawyer.com/2021/11/comic-book-recommendations-2021.html">2021</a>, <a href="https://www.comicslawyer.com/2022/12/comic-book-recommendations-2022.html">2022</a>.</p></div>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Fairlady, vol. 1</i>,
by Brian Shirmer and Claudia Balboni</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">A fun fantasy comic with a detective
bent. Each issue is self-contained with hints pointing to a larger narrative. </p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" sandbox="allow-popups allow-scripts allow-modals allow-forms allow-same-origin" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=comics010-20&language=en_US&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=1534313311&asins=1534313311&linkId=3cfdcfc62874a6b79a273a6e9c22d6a4&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe></p><div><br /></div><div><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Love Everlasting</i>,
vol. 1, by Tom King and Elsa Charretier</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">An interesting riff on romance comics of yesteryear with
a neat twist. I always look forward to picking up the next installment in this
series.</p></div><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" sandbox="allow-popups allow-scripts allow-modals allow-forms allow-same-origin" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=comics010-20&language=en_US&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=153432464X&asins=153432464X&linkId=a194aa62a9239f2bc6378678a16113ea&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><div><br /></div><div><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Know Your Station</i>,
by Sarah Gaily and Liana Kangas</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Set on a space station in the future, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Know Your Station</i> is a sci-fi/horror
series with class-conscious bent.</p></div><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" sandbox="allow-popups allow-scripts allow-modals allow-forms allow-same-origin" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=comics010-20&language=en_US&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=1684159962&asins=1684159962&linkId=2fe09654e1418b34cec8e9a35c3de8d3&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><div><br /></div><div><br />
<div><br /></div><div><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Dead Eyes, vol. 1</i>,
by Gerry Duggan and John McCrea</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Readers of the blog may remember my posts (<a href="https://www.comicslawyer.com/2018/11/beating-dead-rabbit.html">here</a> and <a href="https://www.comicslawyer.com/2018/12/dead-rabbit-q-a.html">here</a>) about this book
when it first came out and found itself in trademark trouble. After changing the
title from <i>Dead Rabbit</i> to <i>Dead Eyes</i>, the series was released. It’s a gritty, mobster-inspired
tale set in Boston following the exploits of an old criminal returning for one
last score.</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" sandbox="allow-popups allow-scripts allow-modals allow-forms allow-same-origin" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=comics010-20&language=en_US&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B082DN8CGS&asins=B082DN8CGS&linkId=b188ad5a8fe5cac04aa78eb8b6d42a35&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><br /></p></div><div><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">It’s Lonely at the
Centre of the Earth</i>, by Zoe Thorogood</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">One of the most original books I read this year, the art
and layout push against the norms of stereotypical comic book, and the subject
matter, the author’s mental health during a turbulent year, is compelling and challenging.</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p> </o:p><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" sandbox="allow-popups allow-scripts allow-modals allow-forms allow-same-origin" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=comics010-20&language=en_US&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=1534323864&asins=1534323864&linkId=32dab41e885664dd3f3933d247027747&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Dead Legends II</i>,
by James Maddox and Gavin Smith</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">A sequel that picks up after the first <a href="https://amzn.to/3RfKX63"><i>Dead Legends</i></a> (a
glaring omission from last year’s list), <i>Dead Legends II</i> is <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a martial arts book that features excellent
action-oriented art and a solid story of revenge, honor, and family.</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p> </o:p><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" sandbox="allow-popups allow-scripts allow-modals allow-forms allow-same-origin" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=comics010-20&language=en_US&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=1949518183&asins=1949518183&linkId=c20905dce8ad5b7c85c28f676cafc46e&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Andre the Giant:
Life and Legend</i>, by Box Brown</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">This book chronicles the life of the wrestler Andre the
Giant. The art may be deceptively simplistic-looking, but the story alternates
between funny and heartbreaking. An excellent biographical comic.</p></div></div><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" sandbox="allow-popups allow-scripts allow-modals allow-forms allow-same-origin" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=comics010-20&language=en_US&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=1596438517&asins=1596438517&linkId=74cd355038938dbf76e6c0c0732eb699&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Dirkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04128499419819325585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5365912480852467243.post-3033062077551416702023-10-03T09:52:00.002-05:002023-10-03T09:52:53.058-05:00Fables of the Public Domain - Part 2<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">This is the second post discussing Bill
Willingham’s announcement that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Fables</i>
is now in the public domain. You can find the first post <a href="https://www.comicslawyer.com/2023/09/fables-of-public-domain-part-1.html">here</a>.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">Previously, I discussed the
problems surrounding the actual act of dedicating a work to the public domain
before its copyright term has expired. Today, I will discuss some of the other
problems arising from Willingham’s announcement.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">The second problem we encounter
when discussing Willingham’s statement is that you have to be the owner of the
works in order to dedicate them to the public domain. Willingham claims that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Fables</i> is a creator-owned work, and that
he is the sole owner of it.<span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span>
The few records at the copyright office I skimmed are inconclusive, with the
majority showing DC Comics and Willingham as co-owners and some registered solely
in DC’s name. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In a response to
Willingham’s declaration, <a href="https://www.comicsbeat.com/dc-comics-fables-not-in-the-public-domain/">DC stated</a> that the works are still protected by
copyright, and they are not in the public domain. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">Willingham claimed in his post that
DC breached their agreement by claiming ownership in his works, and that he
alone is the sole copyright owner. Without knowing the exact details of the agreement
between Willingham and DC, it is impossible to know with certainty if Willingham
owns all of the rights to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Fables</i>.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">If he doesn’t, then it seems likely
that he would not be able to dedicate <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Fables</i>
to the public domain. Comics are a joint work, and absent an agreement to the contrary,
joint authors share rights equally in the work. I do not believe it is possible
for one author to dedicate a work to the public domain without the other joint
author’s consent. It is actually a tricky question that needs more research as
to whether a joint author could dedicate their own part of the work to the
public domain, for instance the scripts Willingham wrote. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">Finally, even if he did have the
right to dedicate his works to the public domain, he may be in breach of
contract by doing so. If DC has the publishing rights, and he damages their
ability to exploit them, then, depending on the contract language, he could be found
to be in breach of the agreement. There are probably other types of legal
claims, based in tort law, that DC may also be able assert against Willingham.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In a
follow up comment Willingham reportedly made on Twitter, he stated that the
rights he has granted do not “include the right to reprint previously published
Fables books and stories.”<span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span>
A fundamental aspect of the public domain is that other people are free to do
whatever they want with the work. If people are not free to exploit the work
however they want, then it’s not really in the public domain. This comment suggests
he is acknowledging DC may have some rights to the works, either via copyright
or contract. It also suggests that what Willingham is doing is not really dedicating
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Fables</i> to the public domain, but an
attempt to encourage others to make derivative works. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">Willingham’s attempt to dedicate
his work to the public domain during a dispute with his publisher is actually
quite fascinating. Whether he can do so, and whether he will be successful, may
take some time to play out. Either way, I am following this closely. </p>
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<!--[endif]-->
<div id="ftn1" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span> https://billwillingham.substack.com/p/our-amazing-sunday-afternoon-update</p>
</div>
<div id="ftn2" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span> https://www.comicsbeat.com/dc-comics-fables-not-in-the-public-domain/</p>
</div>
</div>Dirkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04128499419819325585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5365912480852467243.post-10350397194357706392023-09-29T10:51:00.004-05:002023-09-29T10:52:18.576-05:00Fables of the Public Domain - Part 1<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Bill
Willingham threw a curveball at the comic book industry when <a href="https://billwillingham.substack.com/p/willingham-sends-fables-into-the">he recently announced</a>
that he was dedicating his <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Fables</i>
comics to the public domain. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In his blog post, he stated that he was
doing so because of disputes with DC Comics, the publisher of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Fables </i>comics. This announcement has
brought up numerous interesting issues, and I will try to address them below.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">The first issue that comes up is whether
he can dedicate his works to the public domain. This is a tricky question for a
few reasons. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">First, there is no firmly
established mechanism to prematurely donate works to the public domain. Works
usually only enter the public domain once their term of copyright protection
has expired. The term of protection can vary, but the general rule is life of
the author plus 70 years.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The legal community seems split on whether someone
can truly put their works into the public domain before the end of copyright
protection, with many viewing any early dedications to the public domain being
more akin to an agreement not to sue for what would otherwise be copyright infringement.
Mostly, this is because there is nothing preventing someone from later recanting
it. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Nevertheless, there are ways
someone can attempt to dedicate their works to the public domain. A public
statement declaring a work to be in the public domain is one method. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Another would be to place a statement on the work
at the time of publication. There are licenses that work similarly, such as
<a href="https://creativecommons.org/choose/zero/">Creative Commons 0</a>. Others have put
their works into trusts, which can function according to the artist’s wishes.
This is the approach <a href="https://tomlehrersongs.com/">Tom Lehrer </a>took when released his songs into the public
domain.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Even though some question whether a
work can be dedicated to the public domain early, statements that works are in
the public domain can be held against the creator. For instance, a few years
ago photographer Carol Highsmith, who has dedicated her photos to the public
domain,<span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span>
sued Getty Images after receiving an invoice from a monitoring service working
on behalf of the photo agency. Highsmith’s images had been uploaded into Getty’s
for-profit licensing program, either by Getty or by users, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and the monitoring service claimed Highsmith’s
use of her own photo violated their licensing rights. . Highsmith sued Getty
after discovering that thousands of her photos had been uploaded into their
program, and Getty was continuing to charge users a licensing fee. The court
dismissed many of her claims, and it appears likely that it was due to the fact
her works were dedicated to the public domain.<span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span>
Unfortunately, there was not a written decision in the case explaining the
rationale for the decision; so, it is an assumption that the photos’ status as
being in the public domain played a part in the decision to dismiss. It’s also worth
noting that she dedicated a certain amount of her works to the Library of
Congress via a document titled “Instrument of Gift”, which stated, “I hereby
dedicate to the public all rights, including copyrights throughout the world,
that I possess in this collection.” You can see more of her collection <a href="https://www.loc.gov/pictures/collection/highsm/">here</a> along with the <a href="https://www.loc.gov/rr/print/res/482_high.html">rights and restrictions language</a>. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Next week, I will post about some
of the other issues involved with Willingham’s pronouncement.</p>
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<!--[endif]-->
<div id="ftn1" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span> There
is some confusion in the reporting as to whether she donated them for public
use, and retained copyright, or to the public domain. Unfortunately, we never
received a ruling in the case on this point.</p>
</div>
<div id="ftn2" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span> See
case files of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Highsmith v. Getty Images,
Inc.</i>, 1:16-cv-05924 (SDNY 2016). See also <a href="https://petapixel.com/2016/11/22/1-billion-getty-images-lawsuit-ends-not-bang-whimper/">https://petapixel.com/2016/11/22/1-billion-getty-images-lawsuit-ends-not-bang-whimper/</a>.
</p>
</div>
</div>Dirkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04128499419819325585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5365912480852467243.post-78497850898755476132023-08-30T12:51:00.001-05:002023-08-30T12:51:38.131-05:00Who owns the copyright in AI-generated works? - Part 2<p> </p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%;"> A federal court recently issued
a ruling stating that works created by AI are not eligible for copyright
protection. There was much rejoicing. Unfortunately, this question is far from
being settled, and there are still ways for AI-generated works to receive
protection.</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
case<span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span>
involved a piece of art generated by an AI program. The plaintiff, Stephen
Thaler, argued that the AI program should be listed as the author of the work,
and Thaler should be the owner of the copyright because he owns the program.
The court found that copyright law only grants protection to works created by
humans. This is the first court ruling on whether an AI-generated work can be subject
to copyright protection, and, if it is not appealed, could be influential. It should
be noted, however, that the decision is not binding on other courts. </p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>While
this is a good first step, the court did leave open areas that are sure to be
fought over later. In its discussion, the court said that human involvement in
creating a work could entitle the work to copyright protection. Currently,
based on Copyright Office guidance, this is limited to selection and
arrangement. So far, there is no bright line regarding how much involvement
will be necessary to make an AI-generated work copyrightable. The courts, or
Congress, will eventually have to set forth the framework for how much human
involvement is needed to enable copyright protection for an AI-generated work.
So far, entering prompts into a keyboard and allowing the computer to create something
is not enough human involvement.</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
Copyright Office is going to have a lot of trouble with this in the future. The
two major instances that addressed AI works so far have voluntarily identified
use of the AI in the work. If people do not declare use of an AI program in the
work, then the Copyright Office will be unlikely to catch it and refuse the
application. This will likely create lots of problems going forward. For
instance, you could have people attempting to enforce their copyright for a
work that shouldn’t be entitled to copyright protection. Also, if someone
believes a registration was improperly issued, people will challenge the copyright
registration to try and invalidate them.</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>As
I mentioned in my <a href="https://www.comicslawyer.com/2023/03/who-owns-copyright-in-ai-generated-works.html">previous post on copyright ownership in AI-generated works</a>, and
above, only time will settle these issues. We are getting closer to having some
guidelines around copyright ownership for these works, but there will likely be
some more twists and turns before we know where it stands.</p>
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<!--[endif]-->
<div id="ftn1" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span>
Thaler v. Perlmutter, No. 22-1564 (D.C. Dist. 2023).</p>
</div>
</div>Dirkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04128499419819325585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5365912480852467243.post-55447304997159387492023-07-28T14:55:00.000-05:002023-07-28T14:55:17.220-05:00Book Review: How to Self-Publish Comics: Not Just Create Them<p><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>Josh Blaylock’s <i>How
to Self-publish Comics</i> is a practical, informative book. It offers great
insights into the nitty gritty details of running a publisher. The copy I read was the fifth edition, and it
was released in 2019. A lot has changed since then. Nevertheless, any reader
looking for more detailed insights on how to run a publisher will find it
interesting.</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"> The book
consists of two parts. The first, written by Blaylock, primarily focuses on the
ins-and-outs of running a comic publishing business. Blaylock walks people
through the steps of creation, printing, distribution, invoicing, and
sales/marketing. Along the way, he provides interesting commentary and
insights, and he offers practical tips for aspiring publishers. It even
provides access to forms, examples, and access to templates/form generators.
The second part is written by Tim Seeley and discusses the realities of being a
comic book artist.</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"> Both
Blaylock and Seeley have written in engaging styles, and the book is a quick
read. At times, Blaylock will opine and prognosticate on the history of the
industry and its future. Some of these topics will be familiar to those who
follow the comic book industry, and many of them have remained the same for
some time, but some have already proven wrong. Then again, Blaylock couldn’t
have predicted the turmoil of the pandemic and how it shook up the industry,
and the current economic headwinds facing the industry.</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"> The
only area where Blaylock stumbles is when discussing some legal topics. His
discussion of copyright and trademark law is sometimes inaccurate, and in one
instance regarding federal trademark registration and the ® symbol wrong.
Hopefully, if another edition is released, this will be updated and corrected. </p>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="line-height: 115%;">Overall,
<i>How to Self-publish Comics </i>is and
enjoyable and informative read, and anyone considering self-publishing comics
should read it.</span></span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Affiliate Link:</span></span></div>
<iframe sandbox="allow-popups allow-scripts allow-modals allow-forms allow-same-origin" style="width:120px;height:240px;" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=comics010-20&language=en_US&marketplace=amazon®ion=US&placement=1733225005&asins=1733225005&linkId=61ceebe644f41a19623076f654061348&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true"></iframe>Dirkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04128499419819325585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5365912480852467243.post-72223543918783562102023-06-30T09:19:00.004-05:002023-06-30T09:21:40.769-05:00A few thoughts on #comicsbrokeme<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>A few weeks ago the #comicsbrokeme hashtag was trending on social
media. I, like so many others, was both saddened and unsurprised by the stories
I read. The comics industry is notorious for low pay, bad hours, and poor
treatment, and the stories shared recently only show that things have not
improved. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>As an
attorney who works with comic book creators, seeing these stories frustrates me
and, to some extent, breaks me too. I have seen firsthand some of the deals publishers,
studios, and others offer comic book creators, and too often they are terrible.
Flippantly, it is easy to say that the only way to avoid a bad deal in comics
publishing is to not sign any deals. Creators can get screwed over at every
stop along the creative process: by other creators, by agents, by publishers, and
by producers/studios. If only the bad deals were just work-made-for-hire deals,
it might be easier to handle, but they have even pervaded “creator-owned”
comics. Even with lawyers, agents, and other advisors counseling them on the
strengths and weaknesses of deals, creators still often accept bad deals—mostly
because they feel they have to in order to advance their careers and because
they don’t feel like they have other options.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">I wish I had answers, but the only
answer I have is to say no, which I have <a href="https://www.comicslawyer.com/2021/01/the-power-of-no.html">discussed on this blog previously</a>. And
I know that saying no can be incredibly hard for many creators. Perhaps the best
way to protect yourself, at least in the creator-owned space, is to know what
matters the most to you and not compromise on it. Do you want to make sure you retain
ownership and control over your work]? Don’t compromise. Don’t give publishers
an interest in your copyright. Don’t let others make decisions about your work
without your permission. Is it fair pay? Figure out ways to structure the deal
so that you are a more even footing with other creators, publishers, etc. Do
you just want to make sure you get paid? Then make sure you get paid upfront,
or on a fixed schedule, at a rate you can live with. These are not certain solutions,
but they tend to avoid some of the worst heartbreak I see—at least in
creator-owned.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">For work-made-for-hire comics,
things won’t improve until publishers are forced to improve working conditions.
It may happen from guilt; it may happen due to a change in the law. Like I said
above, I don’t have great answers—other than saying no. Say no to poor pay. Say
no to unrealistic deadlines. Say no to terrible treatment. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Unless something changes, the only
way to protect yourself is to stand up for yourself, and hopefully, by standing
up for yourself, you may inspire change.</p>Dirkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04128499419819325585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5365912480852467243.post-21249385486044453292023-05-31T16:17:00.000-05:002023-05-31T16:17:13.232-05:00Will Warhol Foundation v. Goldsmith impact comics?<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Editor’s Note: The
full text of the case can be found <a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/22pdf/21-869_87ad.pdf">here</a>. I will not be providing citations in
my discussion below.<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The U.S.
Supreme Court recently issued its decision in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc. v. Goldsmith</i>. The
case concerned a screen print of Prince by Andy Warhol, which was based upon a
photograph taken by Goldsmith. In the case, which the Court expressly limited
to the Warhol Foundation’s licensing of the work to a magazine following Prince’s
death, the Court found that the use was not transformative and that it did not
qualify for fair use protection. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Vanity
Fair licensed from Goldsmith the right to have an artist—Warhol—use the photo
as a reference to create a piece for the magazine (the “Purple Prince”). The
license was for a one-time use. Warhol created the work for Vanity Fair, and he
also created 15 other similar works that were all based on the same photograph
taken by Goldsmith. After Prince’s death, Condé Nast licensed from the Warhol
Foundation the rights to use one of these other Prince works (the “Orange
Prince”). Upon the discovery of Orange Prince, Goldsmith informed the Warhol Foundation
that the she believed the work infringed her copyright. The Warhol Foundation
filed a declaratory judgment action in an effort to have the work declared a
fair use. The district court granted summary judgment ruling it a fair use, and
the Second Circuit reversed the decision. As stated above, the Supreme Court found:
</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: 6.75pt;">…the sole
question presented is whether the first fair use factor, “the purpose and
character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial nature or
is for nonprofit educational purposes,” §107(1), weighs in favor of AWF’s
recent commercial licensing to Condé Nast. On that narrow issue, and limited to
the challenged use, the Court agrees with the Second Circuit: The first factor
favors Goldsmith, not AWF.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The Court
did not address whether any of the other Warhol Prince Works would qualify as a
fair use. Instead, it focused solely on the licensing of the Orange Prince to a
magazine, which it deemed as a commercial purpose, and the impact that license
would have on the market for Goldsmith’s original photo because they “share
substantially the same purpose.” </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">It is still too early to determine
how this case will impact fair use going forward. Some commentators think that
the limited ruling, as described in the quote, lessens the impact. Others, including
those justices in the minority opinion, fear that this could lead to a major
shift in copyright law and curtailing of fair use. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">Nevertheless, comic book creators,
particularly artists, should take note of the decision. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">First, the Purple Prince Warhol
created used Goldsmith’s photo as a reference. When it was originally created,
Vanity Fair paid Goldsmith for its use as a reference and credited her. The Court
also notes that Warhol regularly paid artists for the use of their works as
reference. In comics, it is common for creators to use photographs as
reference. This decision could encourage photographers, or those who acquire
the rights to their works, to pursue litigation against those who use photos as
reference.<span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span>
Will using a photo as reference without a license be enough to justify
infringement, particularly if the photo primarily exists to be licensed? The claim
seems stronger today than before this case. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">Second, in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Goldsmith</i>, the Court found that licensing the art was commercial
use, and thus, when weighed with the other fair use factors, did not constitute
fair use. The Court left open the question of how commercial does the use of
the art have to be in order to weigh against fair use. To some extent all art
is commercial. If you sell your art, it could be found commercial. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Court didn’t address typical artistic
commerce, and suggested a different analysis might result from typical art
sales versus what occurred <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Goldsmith</i>.
Will use in a comic book be commercial use? I would hope that it would not be,
as comics are a unique art form entitled to First Amendment and fair use
protection, but comics are also a commercial art form. Using photo reference in
your comic could increase the risk of potential lawsuits.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">Third, if you utilize the art from
your comics in other ways, you will want to be more careful with the images you
choose. Will using photo referenced art on other materials, such as
merchandise, prints, or posters be a commercial use? Based upon the Court’s
decision, this is likely a yes.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">Finally, if you are an artist, and you
are using a photo referenced piece of art in your comic, you may be in
violation of your contract. Most publishing contracts have the artist state
that the art is original to them and will not infringe on a third-party’s
rights. If your publisher gets sued because of the art you provided to them,
you could be forced to pay for all of the damages and legal fees they incur because
of it. This is why the representation and warranties and the indemnification
sections of contracts are so important. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">Hopefully, the impact of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Goldsmith </i>decision will not be severely
felt in the comic book industry, but, depending on how it is interpreted, there
is the possibility of increased litigation in the future over photo referenced
artist works. </p>
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<!--[endif]-->
<div id="ftn1" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span> This
is something Jeff Trexler at the <a href="https://twitter.com/CBLDF/status/1659212264686354433?s=20">CBLDF</a> has been mentioning as a problem for a
while.</p>
</div>
</div>Dirkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04128499419819325585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5365912480852467243.post-44409614589026636312023-04-29T12:17:00.000-05:002023-04-29T12:17:17.780-05:00Book Review: Fandom and the Law<p> </p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%;"><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>When I saw that Marc Greenberg
was writing a book discussing the legal issues surrounding fan fiction, fan
art, fan films, cosplay, etc., I was intrigued. First, I was interested in
seeing how Greenberg discussed these issues. These topics are difficult to
tackle because the law is always changing, and the guidance attorneys look to—namely
court decisions—can be sparse in this area. Second, the opinions of attorney
can vary in regards to this topic. Some believe fan-created works should always
be found to be acceptable under the law, some believe fan-created works should
almost always be found to be unacceptable under the law, and some believe the
question of whether-or-not a fan-created work is acceptable under the law
depends on the circumstances. Finally, I was looking forward to reading this
book because I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Marc a few times at Comic-Con. I
find him to a very knowledgeable lawyer, and I was intrigued to read more about
his insights on these topics.</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 0.5in;">Overall, Greenberg’s
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Fandom and the Law</i> walks a fine line
between trying to appeal to both attorneys and creators and occasionally
stumbles while doing so. It falls short in providing a thorough evaluation of
the risks fan creators may face. Nevertheless, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Fandom and the Law</i> provides a great overview of some of the legal
issues surrounding fan-created works.</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Fandom and the </i>L<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">aw</i>, Greenberg utilizes a mix of legal and practical advice, along
with examples, throughout the book. He attempts to provide enough background
knowledge in the law to educate creators on the risks they face, both from
content owners and from those who might exploit their works. He also dives into
some topics and areas of the law that are not relevant to creators and would
only be beneficial to attorneys, such as evaluating case strategy and motion
practice. This can make for uneven reading. At times, it felt like I was back
in law school listening to a law professor, which makes sense considering
Greenberg has been teaching law for decades.<span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span>
</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>When
discussing the law, the book primarily draws from case law or disputes that involved
pop culture intellectual property. Some examples Greenberg discusses, such as
<a href="https://www.comicslawyer.com/2021/11/do-dr-seuss-and-fair-use-comicmix-part-4.html">ComicMix</a> and the <a href="https://www.comicslawyer.com/2016/06/Star-Trek-Fan-Film-10-Commandments.html">Star Trek Axanar</a> case, I have covered previously in my blog. While it is a
nice way to narrow down the scope of the book, it does leave some case law out
that can be relevant to discussions involving commercial sales of art,
copyright, rights of publicity, and trademarks. Failing to do so might give
readers the impression that intellectual property laws are more favorable to
fan-created works than they actually are. Greenberg appears to be in favor of
fan-created works, and occasionally, the book seems to minimize the legal risks
fan-creators might actually face.</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
law surrounding fan-created works continues to evolve, and, as mentioned above,
attorneys have differing opinions on the legality of such works and the levels
of legal risk these fan-created works face. Some of the cases Greenberg
discussed in his book resolved differently than anticipated after the book was
published, and there are currently pending cases before the U.S. Supreme Court
that may alter the law going forward. In my opinion, it is important for creators
to understand that any time they are using something that they did not create
in their work (such is the case in most fan-created works) they are at some
risk. As whole, Greenberg’s book can be read to impart this advice, but it
would have been nice to have it more explicitly laid out for aspiring creators.</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Overall,
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Fandom and the Law</i> is an accessible
read that will be beneficial for creators or attorneys looking for a better
understanding of legal issues surrounding fan-created works.</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%;">Affiliate link below:</p>
<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" sandbox="allow-popups allow-scripts allow-modals allow-forms allow-same-origin" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=comics010-20&language=en_US&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=1641058854&asins=1641058854&linkId=7a1c71262084ebbda2cfa1bb90990bae&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe>
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<!--[endif]-->
<div id="ftn1" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span>
Sorry Marc, but it’s true.</p>
</div>
</div>Dirkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04128499419819325585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5365912480852467243.post-47578880903379319932023-03-24T11:14:00.003-05:002023-07-28T14:49:21.907-05:00Who owns the copyright in A.I.-generated works?<p> </p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 0.5in;">A.I.-generated
works have been in the news for some time, and they are currently generating a
lot of interest—both positive and negative. There are a lot of complicated issues
with A.I.-generated works, and I am not going to discuss them all here at the
moment, partially because the law is still evolving around them. However, there
is one topic I briefly want to discuss: authorship and copyright protection.</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 0.5in;">In most
instances, ownership of a copyrighted work initially belongs to the author of
the work, and it is the owner of the copyright who can enforce those rights
against others. If a work is not eligible for copyright protection, such as if it
lacks creativity, is functional, or is in the public domain, then there is no
copyright, and others cannot be prevented from using the work via copyright
law. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In
my opinion, one of the biggest issues that will determine how A.I.-generated
works will impact creators is if copyright protection applies to these works.
If an A.I.-generated work cannot be protected by copyright, then it will lack
value for many companies. Without copyright protection, it would be incredibly
difficult, if not impossible, to protect the work from use by others. </p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>When
asked about this previously, my response has been that, based on the law as it
stands, A.I.-generated works are not protected by copyright. Recently, the
Copyright Office has issued two notices that provide further insight into how
A.I.-generated works will be viewed. </p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In
the first memo, the Copyright Office clarified how copyright ownership would be
applied to a graphic novel, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Zarya of the
Dawn</i>, created using images from Midjourney.<span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span>
The Copyright Office stated that Kristina Kashtanova would receive copyright
protection in the text she wrote and the “selection, coordination, and arrangement
of the Work’s written and visual elements.” The images generated by Midjourney,
however, would not be protected by copyright because they were not created by a
human. Essentially, Kashtanova owns the rights to the text and the overall
appearance of the graphic novel, but not to the underlying images.</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In
the second, the Copyright Office is proposing how it would treat applications
for copyright protection of works created using A.I. The Copyright Office has
stated that the determination of copyright protection will vary on a
case-by-case basis. However, works generated purely by A.I. without addition or
revision by a human author will not be entitled to copyright protection, and
for works where a human author has used A.I.-generated work to create something
else, the human author would receive copyright protection for the “human-authored
aspects of the work…” or for the entire work if it is sufficiently creative
enough to constitute “an original work of authorship.”<span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>These
two pieces appear to be in line with the current state of U.S. copyright law. A
copyrighted work must be created by a human, but the amount of creativity
needed to obtain a thin amount of copyright protection can be minimal. For
instance, I can take a selection of public domain works, compile them into a
book, and I would likely receive copyright protection for the book based upon
the selection and arrangement of the works. Others are free to use the works
independently, but using the same public domain works in the same arrangement
as I selected could be a violation of my copyright.</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Fighting
over authorship and copyright ownership is likely to be a major topic going forward.
In order for A.I.-generated works to have true value, akin to traditionally human-authored
works, then some form of copyright protection will be needed. The current state
of the law affords A.I.-generated work minimal or no protection. The only way
this will change is through litigation, and I find it hard to believe courts
will diverge too far from the Copyright Office’s current interpretation of the
law, or through lobbying to change the law. </p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Personally,
I would prefer a bright line rule of law prohibiting protection for
A.I.-generated works. The primary reason for my view is because this technology
will likely result in the loss of jobs for countless artists, writers, and
other creatives. Second, I just don’t see the benefit of rewarding these types
of works with copyright protection as they don’t really have artistic merit, and
finally, because if A.I.-generated works are entitled to protection, the amount
of litigation or threatened litigation that would ensue would be astronomical
due to the ease with which A.I.-generated works are created and the amount of
works that will be generated.</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Only
time will tell how these issues will resolve, but I will be closely following the
law as applied to A.I.-generated works very closely. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<!--[endif]-->
<div id="ftn1" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span> https://copyright.gov/docs/zarya-of-the-dawn.pdf</p>
</div>
<div id="ftn2" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span face=""Calibri","sans-serif"" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span> https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/03/16/2023-05321/copyright-registration-guidance-works-containing-material-generated-by-artificial-intelligence</p>
</div>
</div>Dirkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04128499419819325585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5365912480852467243.post-79499825532967570282023-02-28T11:05:00.002-06:002023-02-28T11:05:50.203-06:00The Basics of Option Agreements - Part 4<p> </p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Editor’s Note: This
is part 4 on my series discussing option agreements. You can find parts <a href="https://www.comicslawyer.com/2022/11/the-basics-of-option-agreements-part-1.html">1</a>, <a href="https://www.comicslawyer.com/2022/12/the-basics-of-option-agreements-part-2.html">2</a>,
and <a href="https://www.comicslawyer.com/2023/01/the-basics-of-option-agreements-part-3.html">3</a> at the links.<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> <span> </span><span> </span><span> </span></o:p><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">In order to
wrap up my series on option agreements, I want to discuss compensation other
than the initial option fee and purchase price, and I want to briefly discuss
shopping agreements.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">When
negotiating an option agreement, the initial focus will be on the option fee
and the purchase price. These are important, but additional forms of
compensation should be offered by the studios, and if not, then should be
requested. If you are lucky enough to have a work that is optioned before it
has been released, then you should request bonuses if the book is on any best
seller lists or wins any awards. For a TV series, creators typically receive a
royalty for each episode. It is also common to receive a bonus if the series is
sold or runs for a set number of episodes. Creators also receive a small
percentage of the overall minimum adjusted gross revenue of the work and a
percentage of merchandise sales as well. These are just a few of the other
forms of compensation creators can receive when a property is optioned and
produced, and creators should make sure they are included.</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">Another form of
compensation is consultant or producer roles. This tends to be a stickier point
for studios than other forms of compensation, but creators should seek them
out. As I mentioned in a previous post on <a href="https://www.comicslawyer.com/2022/10/media-rights-and-producer-credits.html">executive producer credits</a>, they can be prestigious, and they can
be a nice source of additional income. Depending on your role, you can receive additional payments and bonuses based on the success of the adaptation and contributions you provide. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">Finally, I want
to briefly talk about shopping agreements. Shopping agreements are most often
used when a third-party has interest in adapting your property and wants to see
if they can drum up interest in it. If they are successful, then they will have
the ability to either adapt the work or participate in the adaptation. Often,
these will include a small fee, or no fee, paid to you. These are also
typically shorter than option agreements. I tend to be wary of these types of
agreements, particularly if there is no fee paid to the creator, but they can
be useful in developing a project that might not have gone anywhere otherwise. </p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">The ins-and-outs
of option agreements and, to a lesser extent, shopping agreements, can be
overwhelming. However, having a basic idea of what to expect, and knowing what
you might want out of the deal, will go a long way toward making the process
easier for you, and it will hopefully allow you find a deal that will satisfy
you.</p>Dirkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04128499419819325585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5365912480852467243.post-58491646514931008432023-01-30T17:37:00.001-06:002023-02-28T11:06:22.133-06:00The Basics of Option Agreements - Part 3<p> </p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Editor’s Note: This
is part 3 on my series discussing option agreements. You can find <a href="https://www.comicslawyer.com/2022/11/the-basics-of-option-agreements-part-1.html">part 1</a> and <a href="https://www.comicslawyer.com/2022/12/the-basics-of-option-agreements-part-2.html">part 2</a>
at the links.<o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Previously
in my series on option agreements, I discussed the basics of what an option
entails, rudimentary numbers, and some of the intricacies around the rights
being granted. This post will discuss termination and reversion. Simply put, termination
is when the agreement ends or is terminated<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>and reversion is when the rights being granted revert back to you.
Sometimes these terms may be used interchangeably, but there is a meaningful
difference. </p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 0.5in;">As I mentioned
in my first post, an option is usually granted for 12-18 months with the
ability to extend. This would be the Term of the agreement, and if the option
is not exercised, the agreement would terminate. There may also be language
allowing either party to terminate an agreement early if certain things occur,
usually involving a breach of one of the party’s obligations. </p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 0.5in;">A reversion is
when rights that have been granted to a third party revert back to you, which
would only occur if the option had been exercised which means the third party has
acquired the rights to adapt your work. It is usually viewed differently than
an early termination because no party is in breach of the agreement or has otherwise
violated the agreement. Often, it means that time has run out to develop the
work, or the work has stopped being exploited. </p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 0.5in;">Key elements of
a reversion are when it takes place, what is included and how much money is the
third party entitled to for the reversion. </p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 0.5in;">It is common
for reversion to take place if development has not occurred within a set amount
of time, or if production has not started on a project within two years from
the exercise of the option. It can also revert if a pilot is produced but not
picked up, and if a series was started and then cancelled. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 0.5in;">It is also
important to address what is included. Sometimes it is a complete reversion,
and you now own everything the studio worked on. Sometimes, it is just a
reversion of underlying rights, and the materials the studio developed will be
frozen, with neither party able to use them. This latter part is more common with
developmental materials if the option is not exercised than if it is. However,
it’s still important to be aware of it.</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 0.5in;">If the property
is subject to reversion, then it is common for the third party who exercised
the option to request to be repaid all money it has spent on the property plus
interest, a royalty payment, and a future percentage of backend. This can vary
depending on who is requesting it, but you will see it in most option
agreements. The figure can also vary depending on how much time has passed.</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 0.5in;">My next post
will wrap up this series and will address <a href="https://www.comicslawyer.com/2023/02/the-basics-of-option-agreements-part-4.html">other types of consideration</a> and a
brief mention of shopping agreements.</p>Dirkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04128499419819325585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5365912480852467243.post-65826329048184050702022-12-21T10:55:00.003-06:002022-12-21T10:55:27.868-06:00Aftershock filed bankruptcy. What now?<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">NOTE: I do not generally
practice bankruptcy law, and, as stated elsewhere on this blog, the below does
not constitute legal advice or create an attorney-client relationship. Consult
with your attorney to address your specific legal needs.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">The news
recently broke that Aftershock Comics filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy. Contrary
to the opinion of many, this does not mean that Aftershock Comics will be immediately
going out of business. Chapter 11 bankruptcy is primarily used by businesses to
hold off creditors, reorganize their debt, and continue operating. That is the
intent, anyways. If it is unsuccessful, then the company may end up selling off
its assets to pay back creditors or otherwise be dissolved. </p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">Unfortunately,
the bankruptcy process can take some time to complete. Those who are owed, or likely
to be owed, money (the creditors) should be receiving official documents
regarding the bankruptcy and relevant deadlines. Once received, creditors should
review them carefully.</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">In addition to
being lengthy, the bankruptcy process can also be incredibly frustrating. There
are going to be things that will seem unfair and anger many. For instance, now
that Aftershock has filed for bankruptcy, they cannot assign property in
exchange for waiving debt without the court’s permission, and creditors cannot
knowingly harass the company for payment. Some people who have recently
received payments may be asked to return them. There is also the possibility
that some people may be required to continue working with the company even
though they haven’t been paid. Finally, even though someone might be owed
money, there is still a strong chance that they will (i) receive less than what
they are owed or (ii) receive nothing at all. </p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">There are
likely to be a lot of twists and turns to this, and every creditor will have to
decide how involved they want to be. Some questions to ask are: </p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Do
you want to just follow along with the process and see what happens? </p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->If
eligible, do you want to be actively involved and try to influence and shape the
reorganization process? </p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->How
much time and money do you want to spend on this? Is it worth it versus what is
owed?</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .25in;">While we wait
for more information, if you think you are owed money, make sure you are listed
as a creditor. If you are listed, then verify that the listed information is
accurate. If you are not listed, then you will need to file a claim before the relevant
deadlines. Now is also a good time to review your contract and gather all
relevant information and evidence regarding any claims you may have against
Aftershock. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally, it may make sense
to consult with an attorney to evaluate your options.</p>Dirkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04128499419819325585noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5365912480852467243.post-4218099506352722982022-12-11T14:30:00.001-06:002023-01-30T17:37:28.526-06:00The Basics of Option Agreements - Part 2<p> <i style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Editor’s Note: This is part 2 on my series
discussing option agreements. You can find part 1 <a href="https://www.comicslawyer.com/2022/11/the-basics-of-option-agreements-part-1.html">here</a>.</i></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 0.5in;">If you are
approached about having a work optioned, the first thing you need to understand
is if you have the rights to grant the option. Who else may have an interest in
the rights to your work and will need to be consulted? Do you have to involve
any of your co-creators? If you did not do all of the work yourself, or you did
not acquire all of the rights for yourself, then you will need to involve them.
Do you have an agent? Do they have the right to negotiate media deals on your
behalf? If they do, you’ll need to get them involved. Also, do you still have
the right to negotiate or grant the option? You will have to review your
publishing agreement. Some publishers leave media rights with the creators. Some
publishers merely want a cut of any option money you receive. Some want to
negotiate it on your behalf and have the contractual right to do so. Worse yet,
some have acquired the rights to negotiate and dispose of it without your
involvement. You’ll need to see who else you need to involve and what rights
you currently have.</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 0.5in;">When optioning
a work, it is important to specify what is being included in the option. It is
important to clarify if it just includes the main comic book or a specific
series, or if it also includes any future works developed relating to the main
comic book. Ideally, as a creator, you want to limit it as much as possible, as
it gives you more opportunities to exploit the work and profit from it.
However, most studios will want the right to incorporate or develop direct
sequels into media adaptations. It is important to make sure it is addressed,
and if needed, the compensation adjusted to account for the inclusion of
additional works.</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
next key element of an option is what rights are being granted. For most production
houses and studios, they want the right to almost everything. They will usually
want film and TV rights, theatrical, radio, publishing, etc. Sometimes,
however, a third party may only be interested in acquiring the rights for one
thing, such as film or theatrical. Usually this is done because it is often
cheaper to acquire limited rights, and the third party may not have the ability
to exploit a full set of rights.</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 0.5in;">When granting
rights in an option, anything you are able to reserve might be able to be
licensed later on for additional money. These are called reserved rights. If
possible, you should try and retain theatrical, radio/podcast, or games/video
game rights. Another lucrative right is merchandising. Most studios will want
the right to make and sell merchandise, and you will usually receive a separate
royalty for these goods. Sometimes, you may be able to retain some limited
merchandising rights to create goods based upon the original work (think goods
based on a comic versus goods based on the movie). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is something creators should push for, as
it gives you an extra revenue stream. Every situation and studio is different. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With very few exceptions, creators should
almost always retain publishing rights.</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: 0.5in;">When dealing
with the distribution and acquisition of rights, it is also common for studios
to request that certain rights are frozen or subject to a right of first
negotiation/refusal. If rights are frozen, then that means that one or both
parties cannot exploit the rights, typically for a set amount of time, without
the other party’s permission. If any reserved rights are subject to a right of
first negotiation, rights of last refusal, or something similar, it means the
party optioning the rights has the ability to negotiate for any rights it has
not previously acquired.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>Next time, I will discuss <a href="https://www.comicslawyer.com/2023/01/the-basics-of-option-agreements-part-3.html">reversion and termination</a>.</p>Dirkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04128499419819325585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5365912480852467243.post-17640814057308378712022-12-05T13:09:00.000-06:002022-12-05T13:09:00.424-06:00Comic Book Recommendations - 2022<p style="text-align: left;"> <span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>It’s the end of another year,
and it’s time to recommend some of the comic books I read this year. As I mentioned
in 2020 and 2021, I tend to focus on creator-owned titles, these will mostly be
graphic novels/trade paperbacks, and they may not all have been released this
year.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>As always, I’ve
provided links where I can. Links to Amazon will be affiliate links. Anywhere
else is not. Even so, if you’re intrigued by these books, try to buy them from
your local comic shop or book store. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Touching Evil</i>,
vol. 3, by Dan Dougherty</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">I’ve been a fan of this series for years, and I believe
it to be one of the more unique ideas in horror comics in a while. A satisfying
end to the series, but here’s to hoping for more in the future.</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p> You can buy it <a href="https://www.beardocomics.com/product-page/touching-evil-vol-3-hardcover-limited-edition">here</a>.</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Wasted Space</i>, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>vols. 4 & 5, by Michael Moreci and Hayden
Sherman</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">This series wrapped up its run this year, and you should
be able to find a collected edition. Moreci seemed to have a lot on his mind
during the course of the series, and he used it to explore topics of politics,
religion, creation, and destiny. Sherman’s gritty and dynamic artwork helped bring
this world to life.</p>
<iframe sandbox="allow-popups allow-scripts allow-modals allow-forms allow-same-origin" style="width:120px;height:240px;" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=comics010-20&language=en_US&marketplace=amazon®ion=US&placement=B09TQ35W7J&asins=B09TQ35W7J&linkId=9974a3826f7cd2482b4589f7234919a2&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true"></iframe>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Maggie the Mechanic:
A Love and Rockets Book</i>, Jamie Hernandez</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Remember when I said I am sometimes woefully behind on
comics? This is a prime example. These books have been around for 40 years, and
this is the first time I’ve read a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Love
and Rockets</i> book. Great art, interesting and entertaining story. Even though
comics have been diversifying for some time, there’s still not much on the
stands that looks and reads like this.</p>
<iframe sandbox="allow-popups allow-scripts allow-modals allow-forms allow-same-origin" style="width:120px;height:240px;" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=comics010-20&language=en_US&marketplace=amazon®ion=US&placement=B013XRZAFG&asins=B013XRZAFG&linkId=fe98b58f71498f3b6725b9c45898bf70&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true"></iframe>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Many Deaths of
Laila Starr</i>, by Ram V and Filipe Andrade</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">This is a book that will stay with you. It’s a fascinating
exploration of life and death and destiny, and the art from Andrade is perfect
for the story being told. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<iframe sandbox="allow-popups allow-scripts allow-modals allow-forms allow-same-origin" style="width:120px;height:240px;" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=comics010-20&language=en_US&marketplace=amazon®ion=US&placement=B09ND1LV7H&asins=B09ND1LV7H&linkId=12c1948cd0b8a8ab8f967ef78d858093&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true"></iframe>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Money Shot</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">, </i>vol. 2, by Tim Seeley, Sarah Beattie,
and Rebekah Issacs</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Volumes one and two of this very-much NSFW comic are
incredibly entertaining if you don’t mind your entertainment being more risqué.
If that’s you, definitely consider checking out.</p>
<iframe sandbox="allow-popups allow-scripts allow-modals allow-forms allow-same-origin" style="width:120px;height:240px;" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=comics010-20&language=en_US&marketplace=amazon®ion=US&placement=B09DMR4VND&asins=B09DMR4VND&linkId=e9dbe76347a405b0f485ced61dbd02a0&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true"></iframe>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Previous volumes of the books below have appeared on
other years’ lists, but I felt like they deserved a follow up.</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Something is
Killing the Children</i>, vol. 4</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">This volume starts a new arc for the series, and it continues
to be superb. This series was definitely one of my favorites of the past few
years, and I look forward to wear it goes.</p>
<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" sandbox="allow-popups allow-scripts allow-modals allow-forms allow-same-origin" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=comics010-20&language=en_US&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B09ND1PZCR&asins=B09ND1PZCR&linkId=febb5634723a579d4c313f125b4b49a7&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Good Asian</i>,
vol. 2</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing">There were only two volumes to this book, and both are fantastic
noir. You’re missing out if you don’t read the whole story set in San Francisco’s
Chinatown in the early 1900s.</p>
<iframe sandbox="allow-popups allow-scripts allow-modals allow-forms allow-same-origin" style="width:120px;height:240px;" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=comics010-20&language=en_US&marketplace=amazon®ion=US&placement=B09TS2R9QQ&asins=B09TS2R9QQ&linkId=e4a42242af65b71ad1762b76499c7093&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true"></iframe>Dirkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04128499419819325585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5365912480852467243.post-19391162000414400792022-11-29T15:54:00.005-06:002022-12-11T14:30:56.799-06:00The Basics of Option Agreements - Part 1<p><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>I <span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">recently did
a presentation on option agreements for literary works, and, while I’ve
mentioned them here before, I haven’t given much explanation as to what they
are and what’s involved in them. So, it seems like a good time to give a brief primer
on option agreements.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>At
its core, an option agreement is an agreement that gives the Purchaser the right
to buy the media rights to the seller’s comic book for a set amount – the purchase
price. The reason it’s called an option is because often the Purchaser does not
immediately purchase the rights to the comic book. They pay the seller a fee to
reserve the exclusive right (the option) to purchase the comic book for a set
period of time. Once that set period of time has ended, they must either (a)
pay the purchase price to acquire the rights to the book, (b) pay an additional
fee to extend the time to pay, or (c) allow the agreement to end and the seller
can shop the media rights to the comic book to others.</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In
general, the option period typically lasts between 12-18 months. The amount of
the option fee can vary, but it often is equal to ten percent (10%) of the
purchase price. If the purchaser exercises the option, the initial option fee
is customarily included in the purchase price. For example, if the purchase
price was $200,000 and the initial option fee was $20,000, then the amount paid
by the purchaser when exercising the option would be $180,000. The fee paid to
extend the option period, which is often for the same amount of money (or
higher) and the same amount of time, is customarily not allowed to set off from
the purchase price. </p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Next
time, I will discuss some of the key things you need to be aware of <a href="https://www.comicslawyer.com/2022/12/the-basics-of-option-agreements-part-2.html">when negotiating an option</a>.</p>Dirkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04128499419819325585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5365912480852467243.post-25590885145920600632022-10-31T11:39:00.000-05:002022-10-31T11:39:00.978-05:00Media Rights and Producer Credits<p> </p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>A frequent topic I have
written about on this blog involves media rights. Personally, I believe it to
be a valuable topic for creators to understand, and I doubt there will be a
time when I will not be writing about publishers’ various attempts to obtain
and exploit media rights. Previously, I have mostly discussed whether a
publisher should be granted the right to exploit a comic’s media rights. While weighing
whether or not to grant a publisher these rights, it is also important to understand
any additional compensation publishers and creators and creators can obtain in
these types of deals.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Recently,
there has been a flurry of announcements of comic books being optioned by film
studios. When I read these announcements, one of the key things I look for is who
is named as a executive producer or producer. The vast majority of these deals
tend to find the publisher, or some of the publisher’s “key” staff, listed as
executive producers. Creators are frequently absent from these positions.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Why is this important? Money and prestige. Often, executive
producers receive compensation, which can add up to being a decent amount of
money depending on the deal structure. Additionally, being listed as executive
producer on a successful film or TV series also raises the profile and prestige
of those involved. Personally, I believe comic book creators should receive no
less favorable treatment than the publisher or the publisher’s staff. The comic
book would not exist without the creators, and they should benefit as much as
possible from their creation. If creators do not receive these positions, then
they are receiving less money than they could, and they are being deprived of a
role that could open future opportunities. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Furthermore,
many publishing agreements that allow a publisher to seek these types of deals
exclude this money from being split with the creators. Often, these types of
deals will have the publisher and creators splitting the money received from an
option, and then the publisher using its position to obtain separate exec
producer deals. The creators might be given the ability to negotiate for a
separate deal, but the publisher often includes language that prevents them
from using the leverage they need in order to obtain it—the creators cannot
scuttle the deal if they don’t receive a separate producer deal. It feels
exploitative to me that any type of “creator-owned” publisher would use their
position to obtain positions and fees based on the creators’ work and not it
share with them.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>As I have stated numerous times, I believe a publishing agreement,
particularly one that is supposed to be for a “creator-owned” work, should only
cover publishing rights—that is, the right to publish your comic. If a
publisher wants anything to do with a comic’s media rights, it should be via a
separate deal. If a publisher obtains the right to exploit the media rights, I believe
the publisher and the creator should be treated equally, and the creator should
have ultimate say in the disposition of the media rights. Unfortunately, these
types of arrangements seem far too rare and, based on what I’ve been seeing
lately, decreasing.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Be wary of any publishing deal that grants a publisher
the right to exploit your media rights without additional (or any)
compensation, gives the publisher the right to grant your media rights to
others without your consent, and does not obligate the publisher to treat the
creators with the same respect and positions as it gives its staff.<o:p></o:p></span></p>Dirkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04128499419819325585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5365912480852467243.post-2000824490629557212022-10-03T11:55:00.000-05:002022-10-03T11:55:10.927-05:00Halloween Costumes and Knock-offs - Part VI<p> Once again, we've entered October. As I said before, Halloween is one of my favorite times of year. For the last few years, I have been doing a post on what I believe to be knock-offs of superhero costumes, and you can find last year's post <a href="https://www.comicslawyer.com/2021/10/hallowee-costumes-knockoffs-part-v.html">here</a>. Surprisingly, this year was a little harder to find them on Amazon than in previous years. Thankfully, my wife introduced me to another site that seemed to have plenty. One thing to note, I'm disappointed by the current lack of creativity with the knock-offs. The rise of printed bodysuits really has taken the fun out of this. (Note: all links to Amazon are affiliate links.)</p><p><br /></p><p><span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span> </span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Morph-Costumes-Costume-Villain-Halloween/dp/B08V16QMYB?crid=3F9JWAC2M8MI2&keywords=women+superhero+costumes+adult&qid=1664045013&sprefix=women+super%2Caps%2C127&sr=8-34&linkCode=li2&tag=comics010-20&linkId=eb5c732319074e0b902b171838fdb88a&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B08V16QMYB&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=comics010-20&language=en_US" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=comics010-20&language=en_US&l=li2&o=1&a=B08V16QMYB" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /></p><p>This costume might be poisonous to my list, as I cannot tell if I've previously featured it.</p><p><span> </span><br /></p><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Zhenping-Jumpsuit-Superhero-Halloween-130-140cm/dp/B07NV63785?content-id=amzn1.sym.0ec2acaa-f035-4a49-9e22-271ebe6fc40a%3Aamzn1.sym.0ec2acaa-f035-4a49-9e22-271ebe6fc40a&crid=3F9JWAC2M8MI2&cv_ct_cx=women+superhero+costumes+adult&keywords=women+superhero+costumes+adult&pd_rd_i=B07NV63785&pd_rd_r=1d68c775-585a-45cc-8ffe-725ffffd1b36&pd_rd_w=eSgNc&pd_rd_wg=GpD2E&pf_rd_p=0ec2acaa-f035-4a49-9e22-271ebe6fc40a&pf_rd_r=AWYQG3XMT0BZV2A8GSZ0&psc=1&qid=1664045741&sprefix=women+super%2Caps%2C127&sr=1-2-4d6751ce-fd8a-4d86-914e-3e41a091c500-spons&linkCode=li2&tag=comics010-20&linkId=a98f2f3450ff3d453a8de6037b200e01&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B07NV63785&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=comics010-20&language=en_US" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=comics010-20&language=en_US&l=li2&o=1&a=B07NV63785" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /> </p><div> This one looks fishy.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Forplay-Womens-Patriot-Spangled-Headband/dp/B00L4SIX10?crid=3F5G7R97YHUAF&keywords=women+superhero+costume+blue&qid=1664815913&sprefix=women+superhero+costume+blue%2Caps%2C95&sr=8-63&linkCode=li2&tag=comics010-20&linkId=3294e5811b843315d815a656360f0ffe&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_il" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B00L4SIX10&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=comics010-20&language=en_US" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=comics010-20&language=en_US&l=li2&o=1&a=B00L4SIX10" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /> </div><div><br /></div><div>If the star-spangled man has a plan, what does this star-spangled hero have?<br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0293/9277/products/08-18-22Studio7_ME_SS_11-34-55_14_551307_Red_552987FN_MultiColor_0691_SG.jpg?v=1661287955" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="533" height="330" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0293/9277/products/08-18-22Studio7_ME_SS_11-34-55_14_551307_Red_552987FN_MultiColor_0691_SG.jpg?v=1661287955" width="220" /></a></div><br /></div><div>Having done this <a href="https://www.fashionnova.com/products/super-guy-4-piece-costume-set-multi-color">costume</a> before, this is one of the laziest costumes you can do, and paying $50 for a knock-off is a bad idea.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0293/9277/products/PowerOfTheMoon4PieceCostumeSet-Whitecombo_MER.jpg?v=1634591902" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="533" height="331" src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0293/9277/products/PowerOfTheMoon4PieceCostumeSet-Whitecombo_MER.jpg?v=1634591902" width="221" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>The moon should punish somebody for <a href="https://www.fashionnova.com/products/power-of-the-moon-4-piece-costume-set-white-combo">this one</a>.</div></div>Dirkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04128499419819325585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5365912480852467243.post-59013105550789317182022-09-27T15:56:00.003-05:002022-09-27T15:56:36.608-05:00Trademarking a She-Hulk<p> <span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">It’s
a rare occasion when a MCU movie or TV show covers something that I feel like
commenting on here, but a recent </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">She-Hulk</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">
episode covered an interesting area of trademark law, and I think it warrants a
bit of my commentary, particularly since I have encountered this situation
before.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In episode 5, “Mean, Green, and
Straight Poured in to These Jeans”, Jen Walters, aka She-Hulk, finds herself in
a trademark lawsuit. Her nemesis, Titania, has obtained a trademark for the
name SheHulk and is using it to promote a line of beauty products. Titania has
sued Walters to prevent her continued use of the She-Hulk name. Eventually,
Walters is able to prevail in the lawsuit because she had embraced the She-Hulk
name, and was identified by it, before the trademark lawsuit.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Overall, the story reached the
correct outcome, but I still have a few quibbles. Assuming this is a federal
trademark, it didn’t feel like enough time had passed for Titania to have
obtained a trademark registration, or even an approved application that would
be enforceable. I’m willing to let that pass because I have no idea how much
time has passed in continuity from the emergence of She-Hulk to the events in
the current episode. Additionally, it is far more likely this would have been
resolved at the trademark office than in a court, but that wouldn’t make
compelling TV.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">My biggest gripe is that Titania’s
trademark application likely never would have gotten that far. In the United
States, someone cannot register the name of a living person as a trademark without
their consent. The relevant statute states:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-indent: -0.5in;"> </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; text-indent: -0.5in;">No trademark by which the goods of the applicant may be
distinguished from the goods of <span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>others shall be refused registration on the
principal register on account of its nature unless it— <span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>…</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><a name="a"></a><a name="c"></a><b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(c) </span></b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Consists of or
comprises a name, portrait, or signature identifying a particular living
individual except by his written consent….<span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Further,
this has been extended to also protect shortened names, pseudonyms, stage
names, and nicknames.</span><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">[2]</span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">It is highly unlikely that
Titania would have been able to obtain an approved trademark registration over
the She-Hulk name. It is common practice for trademark examiners to conduct a
basic search, and such a search would have shown the existence of She-Hulk,
unless Titania had registered the trademark before there was a She-Hulk. If the
examiner discovered someone identifying as She-Hulk, the application would have
been rejected, unless the applicant, in this case Titania, could provide
evidence that she had the right to seek registration. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Admittedly, sometimes an examiner
might mess up and allow a trademark to register that shouldn’t, but I find it
hard to believe it would occur in this instance. I have recently encountered
something similar, but in a different jurisdiction. An attempt to register a
character’s name as a trademark was initially refused because the examiner
believed the character to be an actual person. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Interestingly, once a name has
been registered as a trademark, then it can be sold and/or transferred, and it
is entirely possible the person can no longer use their name as a trademark.
This is fairly common in the fashion industry where a designer will launch a clothing
line under their name, sell the company, and once they’ve left the company, try
to launch a new brand. If they launch a new brand, they cannot use their name as
the name of their new product line. For examples, look to Halston, Christian
LeCroix, and John Galliano. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">As stated above, the eventual
outcome on the show was correct. Titania could not usurp the She-Hulk name
without her consent, and, evidence of She-Hulk being identified as a person
before Titania’s trademark would have been necessary to prevail. Nevertheless,
this still proves the importance of maintaining control over one’s own trademarks,
and if you are conducting commerce using your name, it might make sense to seek
a trademark, and if you sell your company, be certain what intellectual property
assets are being transferred.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<!--[endif]-->
<div id="ftn1" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span> 15
U.S.C. Sec. 1052.</p>
</div>
<div id="ftn2" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span>
See Trademark Manual of Examining Procedure,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Sec. 1206.1.</p>
</div>
</div>Dirkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04128499419819325585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5365912480852467243.post-1966346213498106962022-08-20T10:54:00.003-05:002022-08-20T10:54:55.921-05:00Review: Milestone Generations<p> </p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">I recall when
Milestone comics first came out buying quite a few of them. They were cool,
new, and dynamic. At the time, I do not think I realized the significance of
the company, or that it was separate from DC. However, I did go all-in on the
World’s Collide crossover and managed to piece together a giant poster that was
taped to my wall —unsuccessfully—for at least a year. So, I was very interested
in the new <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Milestones Generation</i>
documentary on HBOMax. Unfortunately, it left me wanting more.</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">Part of my
issue with the documentary is that it felt more like a puff piece than a
serious documentary. Being sponsored by Ally, which was mentioned heavily in
the final minutes, definitely contributed to the feeling that this was a light
documentary made on behalf of a corporation and primarily promoting a relaunch.
It also ran a brisk 50 minutes or so, which doesn’t lend itself to a deep dive
into the subject matter.</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">Milestone was
an important publisher in comic book history. It was established by African
Americans, and it had a diverse lineup of characters. Personally, I would have
loved to see a bit more introspection on the launch of the company, the reasons
for its failure in the ‘90s, and what it was doing between the ‘90s and now. It
had interviews with many of the people who worked there in the ‘90s, and some
academics to provide historical context, but it was lacking in interviews of
modern creators inspired by the line. I feel like that was a missed
opportunity.</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%; text-indent: .5in;">Overall, it was
still enjoyable to watch, and it is a worthwhile watch for anyone unfamiliar
with Milestone comics. </p>Dirkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04128499419819325585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5365912480852467243.post-2825861176768030492022-06-29T17:47:00.001-05:002022-07-09T11:16:58.617-05:00Book Review: The Business of Independent Comic Book Publishing<p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%;"><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>I recently had the pleasure of
reading a complimentary copy of Gamal Hennessy’s <i>The Business of Independent Comic Book Publishing. </i>As the name
suggests, it is a business-oriented look at the comic book publishing process,
and Hennessy draws from other sources, both inside comic publishing and outside,
to create a useful guide. It is at times both encouraging and discouraging, but
it is a beneficial book to anyone wanting to make their own comics. </p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%;"><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>In
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Business of Independent Comic Book
Publishing</i>, Hennessy lays out the basics someone would need to know to
self-publish their own comic book. It is a step-by-step guide that will help
someone go from idea to published product and beyond. Along the way, the reader
will learn the basics of business, production, distribution, marketing, sales,
and many other relevant and helpful topics. He also includes many useful guides
and forms creators can consult and use during the process of publishing their
comics. Focusing more on the business-related issues in comic book publishing, it
is not a guide to assist with creative aspects of your book.</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Hennessy
is forthright in his commentary. He seeks to support and inspire aspiring
creators, but he acknowledges the difficulties in financially succeeding in the
industry. He highlights many of the areas where aspiring creators might encounter
problems, and he provides sound advice with how to deal with, or avoid, those
types of situations. Anyone following the steps laid out in the book will
likely position themselves well to commercially exploit their comic—if their
comic can find the right audience.</p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Overall,
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Business of Independent Comic Book
Publishing</i> is a worthwhile read, but it is best-geared toward those new
creators who have little-to-no understanding of how to make a business work or
to sell a product.</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%;">Affiliate link below.</p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 150%;"><br /></p>
<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" sandbox="allow-popups allow-scripts allow-modals allow-forms allow-same-origin" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=comics010-20&language=en_US&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=0578728923&asins=0578728923&linkId=bd3a2de2ee7f3135c6b795293ad5b2fc&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe>Dirkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04128499419819325585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5365912480852467243.post-80595717372838156002022-05-31T16:14:00.004-05:002022-05-31T16:14:47.269-05:00Copyright and LLCs<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>Something I have seen discussed in
the general entertainment realm, but less so in comics is the use of loan-out
companies or LLCs and the implications on copyright. As I believe this is a
valuable topic, I want to briefly touch on the issues below.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>For
those unfamiliar with the concept, a loan-out company is when a person, usually
a creative individual, forms a company. This company then hires the performer,
and contracts their services out to other companies. It is primarily done to
lower the ultimate tax burden on the creative. However, because the company is
hiring the creative, the creative could be considered an employee of the creative’s
company. This might have serious implications on the copyright status of any
works created.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>As
a brief reminder, copyright protection initially vests in the author of the
work.<span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span> If
the work is being created as a work-made-for-hire, then the initial owner of
the work would be the person or entity for whom the work was prepared.<span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span> A
work-for-hire is a work created by an employee, or a work created pursuant to a
written agreement and falling within one of the nine categories of works
specified in the Copyright Act.<span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[3]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span> (Click
the link for a more detailed summary of <a href="https://www.comicslawyer.com/2016/08/work-made-for-hire.html">work-made-for-hire</a>.) </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>If
a work is not a work-made-for-hire, then the length of copyright protection for
works created after 1978 is typically the life of the author plus 70 years.<span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[4]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span> If
the work is a work-made-for-hire, then the term of copyright protection for
works created after 1978 is “95 years from the year of its first publication,
or a term of 120 years from the year of its creation, whichever expires first.”<span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[5]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span> The
1976 Copyright Act also that an author can terminate a transfer of copyright 35
years after the date of the transfer, or publication of the work.<span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[6]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span> However,
the right to terminate a transfer does not apply to a work-made-for-hire.<span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[7]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>If
a creator is using an LLC or other type of company to hire out their services,
then they could be inadvertently impacting their copyright rights. They may be
changing the term of copyright protection for the work, and they may be
removing their ability to reclaim a work after it has been assigned pursuant to
the transfer termination provision mentioned above.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>It
is important for creator’s considering utilizing a corporate entity for their
work to consult with both their accountant and a copyright lawyer. By doing so,
the creator might be able to craft a plan to utilize the tax benefits while
also protecting their copyright rights.</p>
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<!--[endif]-->
<div id="ftn1" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span> 17
U.S.C. §201(a)</p>
</div>
<div id="ftn2" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span> 17
U.S.C. §201(b)</p>
</div>
<div id="ftn3" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[3]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span> 17
U.S.C. §101</p>
</div>
<div id="ftn4" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[4]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span> 17
U.S.C. §301(a)</p>
</div>
<div id="ftn5" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[5]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span> 17
U.S.C. §301(c)</p>
</div>
<div id="ftn6" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[6]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span> 17
U.S.C. §203(a)(3)</p>
</div>
<div id="ftn7" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoFootnoteText"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[7]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span> 17
U.S.C. §203(a)</p>
</div>
</div>Dirkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04128499419819325585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5365912480852467243.post-22993956903046475362022-04-29T15:35:00.000-05:002022-04-29T15:35:01.244-05:00Pixels & Panels Podcast Interview<p> <span> With what little free time I have lately, I have been working on a long article on a specific area of copyright law. I could have whipped up a quick post that what have likely been a rehash of something I've written before. Instead, I'll leave you with a link to a recent podcast interview I did. I hope you enjoy.</span></p><p><span>https://podcasts.apple.com/mx/podcast/13-what-does-a-comic-lawyer-do-and-why-do-you-need/id1591270391?i=1000558630458</span></p><p><span><br /></span></p>Dirkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04128499419819325585noreply@blogger.com0