DC's Dan DiDio Out as Co-Publisher

[Arnoldoaad]

The only thing that will go into public domain is the actual comics. They will then be free to reprint, distribute, and sell by any entity without paying royalties or permission from DC.

The characters of Batman or Superman or Wonder Woman has never been copyrighted. They have been trademarked, and will continue to be so. That also means it's tricky to market any Superman reprints.

this kind of reminds me

this happen


recently
and just around the same time this is gonna happen

[NeonZ]

Superman, Batman, etc. will never become public domain. Disney will make sure nothing after 1928 ever does.

This time Disney still hasn't start any kind of movement for a new law though. Mickey has a much less prominent role nowadays so it's actually possible they could just let it go in order to avoid bad PR. The last time an extension happened, the internet still was fairly niche, so there wasn't really any relevant backlash to it. It'd be a much more public issue nowadays. They'll still own the trademarks anyway, like the logo with Mickey ears, which is his main presence nowadays.

Warner really might be the company most interested in extending it this time, especially due to Batman (and really, DC Comics in general, since once Superman and Batman fall everything else will start quickly following), although in their case there's still more than a decade left for a push.

question
If Batman/Superman/etc become public domain, is it that just the whole concept of Batman or only Bruce Wayne
like for example
if the Flash becomes public domain, that would only be Jay not Wally/Barry/etc

It would be based on the date, so yeah, it'd start from the early years. So, you'd have Kal-L Superman with the early symbol for a couple of years before the more modern shield and "Kal-El" name could be used. For more than a decade Jay and Alan would be the only Flash and Green Lanterns in public domain, so other companies couldn't for example use the Green Latern corps or speed force concepts.

[The Darknight Detective]

I don't think anybody who loves DC's characters and storytelling heritage is licking his/her chops at the prospect of the entire legacy being consigned to the realm of bad fan fiction.

Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

Be afraid. Be very afraid.

[Arnoldoaad]

Be afraid. Be very afraid.

Superman
The disney animated movie

[The Darknight Detective]

Superman
The disney animated movie

It would be a musical, too!

[superduperman]

The only thing that will go into public domain is the actual comics. They will then be free to reprint, distribute, and sell by any entity without paying royalties or permission from DC.

The characters of Batman or Superman or Wonder Woman has never been copyrighted. They have been trademarked, and will continue to be so. That also means it's tricky to market any Superman reprints.

Then it's basically a Fleischer cartoon situation. The Fleischer Superman cartoons are public domain even though the actual character himself is not.

[NeonZ]

The only thing that will go into public domain is the actual comics. They will then be free to reprint, distribute, and sell by any entity without paying royalties or permission from DC.

The characters of Batman or Superman or Wonder Woman has never been copyrighted. They have been trademarked, and will continue to be so. That also means it's tricky to market any Superman reprints.

They're both copyrighted and trademarked. When they fall to public domain, the trademarks will continue, but the copyrights (of their earliest versions) will be open. So there will be some limitations of usage, but "trademarks" don't involve ownership of characters.

Trademarks are about signs or designs that identify products. DC trademarked their names and emblems. It's why although DC bought Fawcett Captain Marvel's rights they never could use his name in the title of a comic or toy packaging. They had the Captain Marvel copyrights, but since the name Captain Marvel was trademarked for the same use (super hero comics and merchandising based on them) by Marvel beforehand, they couldn't actually use his name on covers or marketing, which is why DC then trademarked "Shazam" and generally used it on the title of Captain Marvel's products. Trademark is merely about marketing and packaging, not the actual content.

[Restingvoice]

That's too bad. These characters should and would be better off in the hands of the public if you ask me.

One out of twelve versions maybe.

Dracula, Bram Stoker's Dracula, Dracula 2000, The Real Dracula Vlad The Impaler, Dracula Untold, Dracula's Daughter, Saint Dracula, Blacula, Dracula 3000...

In other words, it's just gonna be the same as usual.

Batman, Son of Batman, Batman, and Son, Batman Noir, Batman Knightmares, Batman Arkham Asylum, Batman The Wedding Album, Batman and Superman, Batman One Million...

[skyvolt2000]

I don't think anybody who loves DC's characters and storytelling heritage is licking his/her chops at the prospect of the entire legacy being consigned to the realm of bad fan fiction.

Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

Most of them have already been in the hands of fan fiction.

[Buried Alien]

Most of them have already been in the hands of fan fiction.

...but imagine if fan fiction were the ONLY new stories about these characters to ever appear.

Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

[Comic-Reader Lad]

Then it's basically a Fleischer cartoon situation. The Fleischer Superman cartoons are public domain even though the actual character himself is not.

Not exactly. When the comics fall into the public domain, not only can you reprint them without DC's permission, but you can also create NEW, derivative works from them without DC's permission. It's more a Dracula/Frankenstein/Shakespeare/Bible etc. etc. situation than a Fleischer cartoon situation.

So, when Action Comics #1 becomes public domain (95 years after its initial publication, i.e. April 2033), you can write a Superman story that uses the elements contained in that particular issue. So, you can use Superman/Clark Kent and Lois Lane, but not Perry White. You can use the Daily Star, but not the Daily Planet. You can't use the name "Krypton" until 2034 when Superman #1 falls into public domain.

This is what happened in the 1980s when Eric Shanower was doing Wizard of Oz graphic novels for First Comics. He was only able to adapt the books as they fell into the public domain one by one. He couldn't adapt everything all at once.

[sifighter]

Hey which question but has DC said anything about the upcoming C2E2 panels they were planning? I'm assuming Lee might be there but have a feeling its going to be awkward holding panels a week after Didio has left.

[Comic-Reader Lad]

By the way, getting back to the thread topic, even though I'm glad DiDio is gone, I do feel sorry for him on a personal level.

Rich Johnston's article says that DiDio was fired "for cause," and since it was a surprise to DiDio, it means he was fired even though he has a contract. The "for cause" clauses may allow DC not only to fire DiDio while still within his contract term, but to fire him without a generous severance package.

I'm sure he'll get something to make him go away without causing too much trouble, but he's certainly not going to get the balance of his contract paid to him.

However, there may be clauses in effect that limit his career path for the next few years because he may be restricted for working for another comics company for awhile due to non-compete clauses.

So, in that sense, I do feel bad for him.

I gotta say, if there's nothing in his contract to prevent him from doing so, I'd love to see a tell-all book from him.

On another note, remember Rich Johnston told us to pay attention to who did NOT make a tweet about DiDio's leaving? So far, nothing from either Jim Lee or Geoff Johns that I've seen. However, on Jim Lee's Twitter page, he now refers to himself as "Publisher," not "Co-Publisher."

[BohemiaDrinker]

I gotta say, if there's nothing in his contract to prevent him from doing so, I'd love to see a tell-all book from him.

There probably is. DC is pretty strict with this stuff. Before the New 52 every creative signed NDAs, after ir, requests for interviews had subjects pre-approved, etc.

On a side note, I feel sorry for him as well: as much as I wanted top see him step down, I was hoping for retirement, not sudden termination.

[Kevin Street]

What the what?

I mean, what?

Can't even guess what brought this about, except maybe something to do with 5G?

Now what?