Creator Law at Heroescon

Brian Saucier and Chris Caira will once again be presenting a seminar on legal and business issues for artists and writers at this year’s Heroescon in Charlotte on Friday June 14. We will post more details as the date gets closer. Also, we are very proud to again be co-sponsoring the 9th annual Drink and […]

Depicting Real People Can Lead to Real Problems

Imagining and developing new and compelling characters is often at the heart of a creator’s work, whether in comics, video games, toys, or stories. Occasionally, real people can serve as inspiration for a character. A creator may wish to parody, lampoon, or make a social or political comment by referring to a celebrity, politician, or […]

California revamps law on autographed collectibles

In late 2016, the California legislature passed a new law expanding existing regulations on the autographed sports memorabilia market which had, suffice it to say, unintended consequences. The law went into effect on January 1, 2017 and placed significant restrictions on dealers selling any and all autographed items – including comic books – for more […]

Coming to Terms

One of the most basic questions that creators ask about copyright is “How long does it last?” Unfortunately, there are a number of correct answers to that question, depending on when the work was created, when it was first published, and whether certain formalities were followed under past versions of the copyright statute. Let’s start […]

‘Tis the Season

Con season, that is. We were thrilled to meet friends both old and new at HEROES in Charlotte, NC in mid-June. Organizer Shelton Drum of Heroes Aren’t Hard to Find does a fantastic job putting together a convention featuring creators of all stripes, resulting in an atmosphere of camaraderie and dedication to the fans of […]

The Wondrous World of Works Made for Hire (Part 2)

In our last post, we discussed “work made for hire” status for works created since January 1, 1978. That is the effective date of a major overhaul of the Copyright Act, which included a more detailed (and arguably a more contractor-friendly) approach to defining works made for hire. The prior 1909 Copyright Act included only […]