I just finished reading the second edition of Edward Greenberg and Jack Reznicki’s book “The Copyright Zone” and anyone that creates original content (comics, art, etc.) should check out this book. Available at Amazon. 
Anyone who has ever posted any creative work online is prone to having your work used without your permission. Even with all the URL’s and email plastered over my work, I have found my own cartoons cropped to remove my contact info and someone else’s URL. Thankfully I have just enough readers who point me in the right direction in those rare cases. See my FAQ section for image usage that Ed would probably cringe at. 🙂
Making sure artists get proper credit has been a passion of mine on social media. Guess it comes from having a father and grandfather who were attorneys and my dad was involved in one of the most cited First Amendment cases to go before the Supreme Court.
Back to the book. Here is what I liked:
- Humor – Nothing is more drab than the law. But Ed and Jack use language that is “dumbed down” (in a good way) and play off each other in a brotherly back and forth.
- Complete Step by Step: Never copyrighted your work? They walk you through every step you need, whether it has already been published on your website or is coming right out of your camera/work area.
- Examples: Multiple examples of real life cases Ed has been involved in. Make the right moves regarding copyright and you are set. Do nothing and suffer the consequences.
From the perspective of a online cartoon distributor and promoter of other’s work on social media (using links of course) I would love to know more as to what is the right and wrong thing to do from a legal standpoint. If Ed is amiable and I can figure out a way to get a hold of him, maybe I can gather a list of questions my fellow cartoonists have that might not be answered in the book specific to the work we do.
____________________
Charity Challenge Week 2 Results
Thanks again for supporting the charity challenge and spreading the message. Full Details Here.
Cartoonist using “Bearman” in their cartoons ($10 each):
- Jason Salas at Perk at Work
- Tony McGurk at Out the Bush
- Jim Huntsman at Comic Kvetches
- Kathleen Ralph at Hope & Harry
Blog about the Challenge ($5 each):
- Nate Fakes
- Friggin Loon
- Jason Salas at Perk at Work
- Peter M at Wombania
New Google Plus Followers ($1 each)
- 365 (wow)!!
Week 2 Grand Total of $425 and running total of 1025!!
Let me know if I missed anyone.
The internet has to be the worst venue for theft ever invented. But it doesn’t seem to stop us from post our work there.
We love acceptance more than our rights I guess
It’s the best and most direct way to getting our work out there, so there’s no way around it. We’ve also whittled away a lot of the hurdles it takes for someone to steal, I mean they have the digital image already, what could be simpler?
That’s why you need the book. You can retroactively copyright your stuff after it is published.
I’ll definitely have to check it out! Thanks, Bearman.
I might have to check this book out.
Copyright is being abused in just about every industry (music, media – CARTOON) and yeah, I’ve seen my work chopped up into smaller panels with my name and copyright ripped out of it. I’ve had to send several “friendly” emails to websites/individuals using things without permission. Oh, and I send them a bill.
Well if you copyrighted your work you could have won some punitive damages against our FB friend who never would give attribution.
I guess it’s one of the downsides to the internet.
Just one 🙂
I ended up writing my own font because I didn’t want to worry about how I could use it.
I just bought mine so I didn’t have to either 🙂
My content is mostly recycles jokes, but I’m ever careful with the photographs that are on the web. I don’t want someone calling me for using photographs without acknowledging where I got them. So far so good, but lots of folks have original content and I can see the need for that protection.
Wow, you’re doing great on your Charity Challenge.
Have a fabulous day. 🙂
Thanks Sandee. Glad you are keeping an eye out too
Everything is free. That’s the new model. Help yourself. Loot away.
which is hilarious coming from the guy with a pirate avatar
I go back and forth with it. It sounds counter-intuitive to have a “uncopyright” statement on your site but Leo Babauta at Zen Habits has been doing it since 2008 and he’s happy. (Then again, he doesn’t create a webcomic.)
hmmm and uncopyright statement. Sounds intriguing