NOTICE - Fawcett Comics changes due to copyright status

[larrytalbot]

Thanks for the clarification CapDJ. Looks like the corporations have it all their own way right now. I hope someday we can change the copyright laws back to their original intent, as mentioned by Blastaar

[Snard]

I had an idea about these missing issues, which could solve a few issues. Would it be possible to put just the covers for these issues online? The file comment could indicate that the rest of the issue can't be hosted for legal reasons. This way, new uploaders would see the cover placeholder and be less inclined to upload a missing issue. Plus, the GCD details could be linked to the cover upload. I would think that just the covers would be okay, since GCD has been allowed to host even Disney, Marvel and DC covers for years now.

If covers are acceptable, then perhaps other partially allowed titles, such as Super Duck and Wilbur, could potentially be filled in (up to the 1960 cutoff).

Does anyone else think this would be a reasonable compromise?

[Yoc]

That's an interesting idea Moose.  We will talk it over in the staff room.
If needed a generic cover for them all but an entry with the GCD ID info still listed would work.

-Yoc

[DennyWilson]

What about the Canadian "Whites"? The WW2 Era B&W Canadian comics - They licenced the American scripts but drew new artwork - there's been a couple of articles recently around the web -(Wish I could recall the links at the moment)

Not many of those have turned up on line,sadly.

What's interesting is the renewal on the following books

Captain Marvel Adventures 3-6
Whiz Comics #3-6
Captain Marvel Story Book #s 1-2

All of those would have come due for renewal in the late 1960's, long before Fawcett licenced The Marvels to DC/National - the rest of the renewals fall into the time-period when they had licenced out to DC (and by extension, to Filmation) and beyond. Interesting that they were renewed and others were not.

The other thing that is interesting is the "Gap" in the renewals in the later part of the runs - those fall around 1953  (Which means the renewals would have been due c.1981) - clearly paperwork went missing and DC and/or Fawcett never bothered to double check when they filed the renewals.

But the best thing to come out of this is now it's 100% clear of what DC owns and doesn't with regards to past Fawcett copyrights.

[JoeNewberry]

It's funny this should come up as I finally finished my animated version of Whiz Comics #2.  I actually had an almost identical list of "off limits" issues that I knew I couldn't adapt, if I ever got more than one done every few years.

In a way, it's encouraging that they were narrow in their demands, rather than trying to threaten you guys in to taking down everything in the Fawcett section and hoping you wouldn't call their bluff, the way the Edgar Rice Burroughs and Arthur Conan Doyle estate's do it. 

You know this January was the first time new works fell in to the public domain in 20 years.  Maybe corporate America will be satisfied with what they have for awhile and not try for another extension.  Steamboat Willie almost belongs to everybody at last.

[kozmo]

My understanding has always been that Gift Comics were rebound copies of unsold books, so that each copy could potentially be totally different books. If that is the case, there's a good chance with 300+ pages that at least some of the content is on "the list."

[TWT227ROD]

To me, the most disheartening part of this development is that the members here were making good progress on upgrading the scans of the Fawcett Marvel titles (the originals of which were becoming more substandard by the day.)

I hope emphasis will shift to the remaining PD Fawcetts (WOW 13, in particular, is in poor shape.)

[scifier2]

DC Warner Brothers is really grasping at straws claiming copyright on these. When they do not even hold copyright to ALL of these comics then what is the point? Not like they are ever going to reprint or do anything with them. All they are doing is decreasing interest if you cant read the ones that have been pulled. I think they have done this more so because of their failed Shazam movie and thought they would have more interest than they got.

On another not all of these ones that have been pulled by DC are still available on the internet archive site. Seems DC is not flexing their muscles with them. I for one am now boycotting anything DC. This is just plain stupid. Some of these have been available for over 10 years and DC never ever made any type of copyright claim. Why now?

[darkmark (RIP)]

Most of the Fawcett's we need are not on their ban list.

[hufflepuffle]

That's sad and strange news indeed. I always thought of DCM as sort of what it's name implies, a digital museum archiving old comics.
Many of the early Whiz Fawcett issues on here were originally from fiches of the Library of Congress or other libraries, weren't they? It seems like if DCM is not profiting and acting more as archivist or library there would be some kind of legal protection as such. People contribute here to keep those old stories out there and relevant. To me it's like banning books at a library.

It makes me kind of nervous now about uploading and contributing more of the old comics I might have run across to scan. It makes me worry about other characters from the golden age comics I figure are PD but have the name of certain current DC characters. I'm glad I downloaded several issues earlier this year.

On another hand it seems like this helps the ebay collection profiteers and or other robin hood seeding sites.

https://digitalcomicmuseum.com/forum/Smileys/yarex2/rolleyes.gif

[scifier2]

That's sad and strange news indeed. I always thought of DCM as sort of what it's name implies, a digital museum archiving old comics.
Many of the early Whiz Fawcett issues on here were originally from fiches of the Library of Congress or other libraries, weren't they? It seems like if DCM is not profiting and acting more as archivist or library there would be some kind of legal protection as such. People contribute here to keep those old stories out there and relevant. To me it's like banning books at a library.

It makes me kind of nervous now about uploading and contributing more of the old comics I might have run across to scan. It makes me worry about other characters from the golden age comics I figure are PD but have the name of certain current DC characters. I'm glad I downloaded several issues earlier this year.

On another hand it seems like this helps the ebay collection profiteers and or other robin hood seeding sites.

https://digitalcomicmuseum.com/forum/Smileys/yarex2/rolleyes.gif

DC is going after ebay sellers as well. There are also sellers selling hard copies on amazon yet DC is doing nothing about that. It just seems arbitrary. The thing is DC never ever claimed copyright on these for over 10 years and then all of a sudden.

[bminor]

Everyone,

Gaad!!!
It is so frustrating after all of these years all of a sudden the copyright is renewed?
I really don't understand.
After it has fallen into the public domain, this can be reversed somehow?
Have I missed something?
I thought once it was pd, it remains in the pd.

B.

[OtherEric]

Everyone,

Gaad!!!
It is so frustrating after all of these years all of a sudden the copyright is renewed?
I really don't understand.
After it has fallen into the public domain, this can be reversed somehow?
Have I missed something?
I thought once it was pd, it remains in the pd.

B.

The books were actually renewed on time, for whatever reason the fact was missed and not pursued by WB until now.

Generally, once something is PD it stays PD.  The major exception would be certain foreign items coming back under protection due to various international agreements.  There have also been some weird cases where certain aspects of an item have been demonstrated to still be protected even when the final work isn't.  It's a wonderful life would be the classic example of that second case, the soundtrack is what's actually still under copyright.

[bminor]

To all my DCM chums,

They may seem like a silly question but-

How do we go about checking the copyright status of comic books here on DCM?
I imagine some of it can be somewhat convoluted at times.
Take a look at this video I stumbled on a while ago explaining how "It's a Wonderful Life" went from no copyright, to copyright again!
From the great online video series "FILMAKER IQ" I just love to watch his shows!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnUGXQwJMSM


I imagine there is some thread here that I have missed over these past years?

It has got to drive you guys that run the site crazy at times!!!

Thanks again to all of you who do what you do!

Yours,

Brian

[Yoc]

Hi Brian,
Yep, there is a topic for this - JohnC's 'How To Check PD Status Tutorial' at this link:
https://digitalcomicmuseum.com/forum/index.php/topic,2453.0.html

-Yoc