Top Ten Public Domain Comic Book Characters 0

[Prince Namor]

I was reading about public domain comic book characters and came across this list of someone's Top Ten. Any thoughts on this? Anyone you think should be on the list?

1. Black Terror

2. GA Daredevil

3. Amazing Man

4. Fighting Yank

5. Clock

6. Cat-Man

7. Uncle Sam

8. GA Blue Beetle

9. American Crusader

10. Airboy

[RockMyAmadeus]

I do know that Disney won't be able to hold on to Mickey, Donald, Goofy etc forever, unless trademark and patent laws are changed. They weren't written with endless and constantly new product in mind.

[Tsimanga]

I do know that Disney won't be able to hold on to Mickey, Donald, Goofy etc forever, unless trademark and patent laws are changed. They weren't written with endless and constantly new product in mind.

 

Yes, they will - they will get "special" extensions.

[RockMyAmadeus]

I do know that Disney won't be able to hold on to Mickey, Donald, Goofy etc forever, unless trademark and patent laws are changed. They weren't written with endless and constantly new product in mind.

 

Yes, they will - they will get "special" extensions.

 

Which they've already gotten...but, as I said, they will not be able to hold on to them indefinitely, unless the laws themselves are changed.

 

Why not?

 

Because other, less powerful entities will watch their copyrighted characters fall...and will create a storm about it.

 

 

[Dark Prime 0]

i thought that as long as they held the rites and did something with the chacters in some form or another (written/film) then that was all that was needed

 

if nothings done after 20yrs they go public.......isn't that how marvel lost conan & red sonja

[Prince Namor]

Ok, intersting point for sure, but until Mickey and Donald and friends are available, les see if anyone can come up with some other choices.

Is Miss Fury or Phantom Lady public domain?

[oakman29]

Black Terror just finished a run on Dynamite.

[RockMyAmadeus]

i thought that as long as they held the rites and did something with the chacters in some form or another (written/film) then that was all that was needed

 

if nothings done after 20yrs they go public.......isn't that how marvel lost conan & red sonja

 

Marvel never owned Conan.

 

While a trademark can be carried indefinitely, a copyright cannot.

 

However...the Copyright Term Extension Act only guarantees until 2023...after that, unless the laws are changed, it's up in the air. Disney won't be able to lobby for more and more and more extensions...in other words, they can certainly TRY, but it is doubtful they will succeed indefinitely.

[dupont2005]

Is Popeye public domain?

 

[chromium]

Uncle Sam is an interesting character to be in the public domain.

[sakaridis]

Is Popeye public domain?

 

Popeye the character is a registered trademark of King Features.

 

The earliest Popeye strips by E.C. Segar, though, were published before 1923 and are now public domain.

 

This means that you can't create a new comic book (or strip, or TV cartoon) with Popeye without the permission of King Features, but, in theory, you could reprint the strips from 1919-1923. I'm fairly certain, though, that King Features will have a fit about you making money off their trademarked properties.

 

At least, that's how I understand it.

[erehwon]

Pro Junior?

[markseifert]

The Claw!

 

[tinynascarfan-migration]

Dracula, Frankenstiens monster, though wolfman is an interesting topic, because Marvel calls him werewolf by night, and they have the living mummy.

 

Dracula would be the main one that floats from company to company, and im not sure these entries would be considered just comic book characters.

[ComicConnoisseur]

I was reading about public domain comic book characters and came across this list of someone's Top Ten. Any thoughts on this? Anyone you think should be on the list?

1. Black Terror

2. GA Daredevil

3. Amazing Man

4. Fighting Yank

5. Clock

6. Cat-Man

7. Uncle Sam

8. GA Blue Beetle

9. American Crusader

10. Airboy

The first question we ask is what of these 10 characters has a good origin?

The second question we ask is how would these translate in modern media like video games or movies?

Unfortunately other than Airboy or maybe Black Terror these characters don`t look like they would translate well for the modern audience.

Any thoughts to prove me wrong?

Edited October 30, 2011 by ComicConnoisseur

[DeliBebek]

This topic gets me thinking about the time frame for becoming public domain as related to the time frame of becoming irrelevant. Only the strongest of characters survive as part of pop culture. There's also the matter of encouraging creativity, so that corporations don't bank on the creative output of a century ago. New blood is always needed.

[markseifert]

Unfortunately other than Airboy or maybe Black Terror these characters don`t look like they would translate well for the modern audience.

Any thoughts to prove me wrong?

 

I haven't read this material, but:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Superpowers

 

Essentially, publisher Dynamite Entertainment used a BUNCH of the pd comic characters in a mini-series a couple years ago.

 

[Davenport]

I was reading about public domain comic book characters and came across this list of someone's Top Ten. Any thoughts on this? Anyone you think should be on the list?

1. Black Terror

2. GA Daredevil

3. Amazing Man

4. Fighting Yank

5. Clock

6. Cat-Man

7. Uncle Sam

8. GA Blue Beetle

9. American Crusader

10. Airboy

The first question we ask is what of these 10 characters has a good origin?

The second question we ask is how would these translate in modern media like video games or movies?

Unfortunately other than Airboy or maybe Black Terror these characters don`t look like they would translate well for the modern audience.

Any thoughts to prove me wrong?

We could certainly use American Crusader right about now...

 

Except "crusader" is a politically super-charged word these days and the guy sports a pentagram on his costume. But other than that...

 

Kick some anti-democracy azz American Crusader!!

 

 

 

 

[Chespirito]

Unfortunately other than Airboy or maybe Black Terror these characters don`t look like they would translate well for the modern audience.

Any thoughts to prove me wrong?

 

I haven't read this material, but:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Superpowers

 

Essentially, publisher Dynamite Entertainment used a BUNCH of the pd comic characters in a mini-series a couple years ago.

 

I remember rushing to get a few of these when they came out,the cover art was spectacular...I remember them from Emerald Comiccon..like 2008 or 2009...

[Comicdey]

can someone take back a character or take over a character in public domain?