Canadian Copyrights, Bill C-32

[John C]

This may be too late for many (all?), but I stumbled across this today and figure it's probably of interest to those of you in Canada.

http://www.gutenbergnews.org/20110126/canadians-speak-out-on-copyright/

Just an FYI for the activists in the group...

[Yoc]

Thanks John!

[comicOD]

This bill is in a committee stage right now. It's a bill that's been put
forth by the corporate lobbyists (surprise) from the U.S and Canada.

[skybandit]

Meanwhile, in the US, and pretty much unrelated to comics...

http://www.patentlyo.com/patent/2011/03/copyright-supreme-court-to-hear-constitutional-challenge-to-copyright-restoration.html

[John C]

It's of potential interest to us, actually.  I don't know of any examples, nor do I know how you'd prove such a thing, but it opens the possibility that a comic was created outside the United States for sale at least partially inside.

Those worrying about trademarks might also find this of interest:

http://www.cartoonbrew.com/classic/who-owns-betty-boop.html

The decision could be overturned on an appeal, of course, but the upshot is that the Ninth District Court concluded that a trademark can't block the use of public domain art.