Using of Fonts question

[tsukiko]

Hello guys!

    I'm preparing my manga to be sold digitally and if possible in prints in sites like indyplanet and comixology ( If I get accepted there ) and after researching about this I got confused in the fonts!

   Okay let me explain my problem, I've read that in books if you are planning to sell your works you should buy the license of the fonts you are using or you'll be in copyright issues maybe? (yup I know there are free fonts out there) Does it apply in comics/graphic novels too? In my manga I'm using a manga font I've downloaded in deviantart (which are also used in those scanlated pirate manga out there i think)

another question is this:

     I use this in my manga, and this one is a castlevania font if I'm correct, I downloaded this on some website I don't remember where. It's found in the last page of every chapter and I wish to use this font in my title pages, Is it illegal if I use this especially when I'm selling my manga?

     I have no idea what I'm getting into, I've been reading on forums and articles or anything I can stumble on about selling your comics but I'm really not going anywhere, and I fear I might be breaking the law or something. I really need some help guys, I appreciate any insight you can give me in this matter ^^) thank you very much.

[Kayke]

If you're going to be selling the comic and making a profit on a large scale, then yes you need to license the font. I would suggest checking out Blambot as they make their font free for people doing indie comics/self published stuff.

If you're doing a small run, I don't think the Castlevania people would come hunting you down or anything... but if you're talking about keeping your butt covered no matter what, then it's not the wisest move.

[tsukiko]

wow thank you very much!!! this really helps a lot!! ^o^)

but may I ask how you do things? so I assume your using Blambot correct? How about the title and the logo of your comic? do you draw them yourself? or do you use fonts?

you've been a big help thank you so much ^-^)/

[storytimebiondi]

When you download a font, generally there is a document that describes the license. In the case of most free fonts, it says if you can use it commercially or not. Check for that. Otherwise, some fonts wont embed when you export to PDF. It'll give an error. If that happens, abandon said font.

[shazzbaa]

Yes, if you are selling something you have to pay to use the font, unless the people who made the font are giving it away for free! It's the same as if you designed a picture -- people wouldn't be able to sell something that uses your picture on it without paying you or getting your permission.

The Castlevania font looks like a combination of Diploma Regular and something else -- the B might be Goudy Text Regular? Oh geez, and the R looks like Bradley Gratis. Maybe someone cobbled this together from other fonts? Most of the letters match Diploma Regular, though.

Diploma Regular is listed as commercial in one link I found, but doesn't have any author listed, and every other site (that's three links) I can find it on lists it as freeware -- I haven't done research on how reputable those sites are, so feel free to correct me, but I feel like you're probably okay to use that one! Goudy Text Regular is commercial, though; you need to purchase a license if you want to use that one, and Bradley Gratis is listed as public domain in the readme.

If I were you, I'd replace the "In Blood of Colour" logo with Diploma Regular or Bradley Gratis or something else I felt confident using!

[tsukiko]

Thank you so much! you have a pinpoint accuracy!

I'll start researching about this but you've covered almost all of it thank you so much ^-^)/

[shazzbaa]

awesome, I'm glad it helped! : D (I found those fonts by googling for people looking for "castelvania fonts" -- this forum post suggested all three that ended up matching!)

[Kayke]

I use Blambot for the font in my main webcomic and have done hand lettering for shorter projects. I always design my titles myself.

[myga]

Both Diploma and Goudy are commercial fonts. Bradley has a public domain licence so it's the best choice here.