Unoriginal ideas, but a spin (legality of)

TheLastRookie 2019-11-28 05:10:58 UTC #1

I'm not looking to make any money, but I wish to know the legal guidelines of posting a spin-off of a series you like. Obviously, it is not original, so I wouldn't monetize the series in case of copyright, but I just want to ask if Tapas is a place I can put out a fan comic on a series I love, or if I can be pointed to a more appropriate site. If I were to post, it would solely be to upload it for the sake of putting it out there. Not advertising my services, not to make some side money, but because I love it so much. (To put it in context, I wish to put out a silent comic of a Star Wars story. The universe is unoriginal, but the story within the universe would be a story I did. They're a big company and franchise, so I'd not want to chance any blowback.)

Thanks

skicoak 2019-11-28 05:24:06 UTC #2

Others might say you're fine...

But don't mess with Disney. Nothing good comes of it.

I have a buddy who caught a Cease and Desist letter because he was putting his nickname Juggernaut on t-shirts. It didn't matter he was referring to the nautical term (because he was in the Navy).

bakasama25 2019-11-28 06:08:46 UTC #3

This gets asked fairly often. The short answer is something like, you can but you are not allowed to make money off it. I seen a few fan comics here based on Miraculous and Adventure Time.

Kiweevil 2019-11-28 06:39:02 UTC #4

Wow that's rough. Disney doesn't fool around, and they've got the best lawyers in the industry. Doesn't matter how petty and stupid their case is, they always win. Wouldn't be lying if I said it's one of the many reasons I dislike Disney.

sakebento 2019-11-28 21:59:09 UTC #5

I usually suggesting playing it safe and turning it into an original story. Unless your work absolutely NEEDS Jedi, there's no reason not to invent your own group of people with a deep spiritual connection to the universe. You can even build your own lore around them to serve the story in your own way.

DiegoPalacios 2019-11-28 22:08:50 UTC #7

Yes, it is possible to upload fan comics, but you can`t monetize them.

That`s it, i will make sure i give my pals lawyer friendly nicknames from now just in case...

skicoak 2019-11-29 00:25:26 UTC #8

Disney is brutal.

Doesn't matter if you're in the right or if you got a good/great lawyer... They'll just drain you financially in legal fees/costs.

That's why it's a shame Kirby's heirs settled right before the Supreme Court heard their case against Marvel/Disney. It might have been the last great chance at reverting the creator VS owner legal dynamic.

Prometheus 2019-11-29 00:54:27 UTC #9

I agree with everyone here. I think making it your own, into an actually full, original work, that could be influenced by your passion towards the series, would be good. You’d just need to make sure none of it is a blatant rip off. I’d say go for safe, rather than sorry. I agree that these kinds of issues, while they can be understandable in wanting to hold copywrite, can be ridiculous in how ludicrous Disney will take a case. Unless you get Ken Pender’s lawyers, then you’re golden to write fan fiction and put it out there, I guess. XD