Fables (comic series) IP declared public domain by creator

[RMH999]

Fables Intellectual Property declared public domain By Bill Willingham, the creator
 
Appears to be the end stage of a blow up with DC Comics

(Somewhere in England Alan Moore is raising a toast)

(Edit:  Intellectual Property is declared Public Domain, not comic (DC still owns those as Rob pointed out)

[robkelk]

A careful reading of the article shows that it's the IP that he's placed into PD, not the existing stories. DC still has a copyright interest in those, along with the trademark to the logo.

[Vulpis]

I'm wondering what effect this has on the games, both tabletop and computer? (I seem to remember there being a Fables-based TTRPG out there, anyway).

On a side note, I am curious...are Bill and Travis related at all?

[Labster]

original source and public domain dedication

follow-up FAQ

I guess this means you can copyright protect Fables fanfic now.  Of course, as the author points out, he was always writing from the public domain as a source.

[Dartz]

It means Disney can kick out a film now and trademark it for a century.

[robkelk]

They probably won't, though. While they can keep the rights to such a movie, they can't stop anybody else from making a different movie with the same characters -- and that's what they've cared about every since Walt made "Steamboat Willie".

It might be one golden egg, but they don't own this goose.

[Bob Schroeck]

Has DC responded in any way yet?

[RMH999]

It means Disney can kick out a film now and trademark it for a century.

They've basically already done "Fables" already with the "Once Upon A Time" series that was on ABC (Disney owned).

[Bob Schroeck]

Yeah, I was thinking much the same, that and the Descendants franchise.

[Matrix Dragon]

I'm looking forward to the first fables official release written by bisexual trans women about asexual trans fables. I'll be able to hear Bills rage from Australia.

[Labster]

I'm looking forward to the first fables official release written by bisexual trans women about asexual trans fables. I'll be able to hear Bills rage from Australia.

Why would anyone have a problem with that?

In other news, DC says that Fables is not in the public domain, and it will defend its intellectual property:

The Fables comic books and graphic novels published by DC, and the storylines, characters, and elements therein, are owned by DC and protected under the copyright laws of the United States and throughout the world in accordance with applicable law and are not in the public domain. DC reserves all rights and will take such action as DC deems necessary or appropriate to protect its intellectual property rights.

Why do the right thing, when you can now screw more people?

[Matrix Dragon]

Why would anyone have a problem with that?

Because Bill is an amazingly right-wing asshole, notorious in the comic industry and fandom for his treatment of minorities, and there are reports that part of his fury about DC screwing him over is actually from DC putting forward some minority writers and artists as suggestions for working on new Fable projects. And frankly, watching someone who claims bisexuals don't exist, continues to deadname former friends, and claims lesbians just need a good dicking see what was formerly his intellectual property provide positive viewpoints of such groups, and possibly provide such people income... Well, it'd be like the times he ranted at con panels about wanting to hunt down fans who dared to criticize his work and shoot them.

[GethN7]

Either way, not sure what the legal status is now we have the comic distributor and creator going at it like cats and dogs, but I figure it doesn't really matter for the fan artists and fanfic writers, they were making their own spin on it before this however they pleased, they'll do so after, so *shrugs*.

So whatever the deal is, I'm going to root for the fan artists and fanfic writers on this since it seems neither the creator or distributor look good.

[robkelk]

...
So whatever the deal is, I'm going to root for the fan artists and fanfic writers on this since it seems neither the creator or distributor look good.

As long as I don't charge money for any such fanfic, I'm safe, and so are all of the other Canadian fanfic writers under the same terms -- see section 29.21 (1) of the Copyright Act of Canada, R.S.C., 1985, c. C-42. (Mind you, I've never read the story, so I won't be writing such a fanfic.)

Actually knowing the law makes a difference.