I Have a Question about copyright

[kazumaoboro]

well i have seen a few comics that are based in already existing franchise here and the soon to be dead Inkblazer, about Pokemon or Powerpuff girls, and my question is the fact that they earn money, if they earn it, of them wouldnt be illegal?, dont get me wrong i dont have anything against those comics, if they are good i hope them to be here for they fans a long time, is just a matter of curiosity, they could gain money of a webcomic about a preexisting franchise or story that has copyright?

[VeloursRose]

That's a hard question indeed. I would think they would fall under works of parody like stuff that weird al does.The trouble with it is if the work is too close to the source material. It's hard to tell what the license holder of the properties would say about it if they care at all.

I myself would avoid doing works of parody like the ppg thing because it's so close to the source material or anything based on established franchise just because of the possibility of some sort of legal repercussion.

[SpavVy]

Yes it is illegal
If it's copyrighted and you try to make money off it even if you did do the artwork it's still considered stealing. Unless the story is over hundreds of years old or more like the Holy Bible, anything by Shakespeare or Alice in Wonderland as examples then you can make your own stories out of them and get money legally.

[Kenn]

Or to more specifically put it - anything in the Public Domain

Unfortunately I'm not sure if there's a good resource for what is considered 'in the Public Domain'.

[ametueraspirant]

I know a legend of zelda comic that follows the lore, but shows a different story than told in the game. It seems to be doing fine, though only because it's not very well known.
then there's snafu comics which is essentially cartoon network remade, and they're much more prominent, but no copyright claims that I know of.

[kazumaoboro]

i know its illegal to sell something that has copyright as your work , but in tapastic they are not really selling the comic,technically the people, their fans just support them to keep drawing, the comic its free, what i want to know its if this would be illegal in someway, this "support" from people
Secondly, not only stories with hundreds of years, as @ametueraspirant said anything on the "public domain" and that depend of the copyright laws of the country of the original work, in Books is around 200 years(As said it depends of the country), so almost any book or work of USA and others country with more than 200 years its by now public domain

[IgnightedHell]

If you make any money off of it-- it is illegal. Copyrights become void 70 years after the holder's death. However if it is a company it's 100 or more (not 100% sure for the company). Basically 200 years for the safe side like Kazumaoboro said. they can make a claim on any work, but so long as you don't give them any reason they should leave you alone. It would have to be a fair percentage different too.

By the way has anyone watched Power Puff Girls Z. ^__^

[SpavVy]

Then why did you ask in the first place if you knew that it was illegal? Kenn made it more specific with anything in the public domain so it is basically what I said just a more simple way of putting it. And the support program DOES help the creator earn money.

[kazumaoboro]

Because i don't know if supporting the artist its consider as a donation, as in which case i think its legally fine for the authors to get the money as they are not selling and people are donating its not a consider(if remember well) a real transaction and its just encouraging them to keep drawing, you are not paying for the comic, not really, the comic is free, you are only giving money to say to artist"i like what you do, i want you to do more of this"

In that case they earn money from the comic from creating it? yeah, but if it is considered a donation, they are not getting paid, we are giving them the money(in this context i just talk of tapastic support, not ad revenue or premium) from something free, i suppose saying it is considered as a donation it would be fine.

On other hand yes they are earn it from an intellectual propriety so i think it is in a pretty grey spot(only the support program, obviously in Ad Revue and Premium it would illegal) or at least i personally dont have this absolutely clear

Or if it is @VeloursRose said they might fall in parody category in which case parodies does not get in problems by copyright laws.

To be quiet fair i am not a lawyer, but in my understanding, it would be fine if it is consider a donation if someone know if this is ok, it would cure my curiosity