It comes up on other threads every now and then, but I'd like to know just who are the current owners of various things that have come from the House of Tharg in the past 39 years. I know nothing, what follows is purely guess work.
From what I can tell, just about everything that's been published in 2000AD is now copyright Rebellion, except for the following...
- Dan Dare - not having the recent DD collection I didn't get to read the copyright notice in the front, but I'm guessing Dan Dare (plus the Mekon) is going to be copyright of the Dan Dare Corporation, while the stories which ran in the first hundred and a bit progs are copyright of Rebellion (along with the new characters created for the Galaxy's Greatest)?
- The Stainless Steel Rat - I'd guess this is similar to DD, in that the characters and stories are copyright of the Estate of Harry Harrison, while the adaptation is copyright of Rebellion.
- Shaun of the Dead and that adaptation of the film with Ewan McGregor - anybody's guess!
- I'd heard about the potential controversy regarding Summer Magic, and possibly other work by Alan McKenzie, but don't know the reasoning behind it.
Outside of the pages of 2000AD itself I gather that only stories from Tornado, Starlord and Crisis which continued into 2000AD's hallowed pages had their IP transferred, while all other work remained with Egmont. Where does this leave Future Shock style stories which were reprinted in 2000AD annuals? The only story which 'transferred' to 2000ad was really the character Finn, and I suspect if Rebellion owned Third World War then it would have been reprinted by now. The only Revolver stories I can remember transferring were completed in Crisis (Dare and Rogan Gosh?) so would still be with Egmont (or their respective creators?)
Something else I wonder is what happens with the co-produced and licenced work:
- DC Dredds: Judgement on Gotham, Legends of the Law, DC Judge Dredd, Lobo
- IDW: the Dredd volumes, Rogue Trooper, Anderson, Mars Attacks Judge Dredd, et al
- Games Workshop: Judge Dredd the boardgame, the RPG, the Rogue Trooper boardgame and Block/Mega Mania. Who do the characters and locations produced for the RPG scenarios belong to? Who owns the copyright of Sly Stallone and Sam Fox Blocks?
- Dredd the Card Game: the company that produced this went bust (apparently owing payment to the artists who provided card art?) so who does it all belong to now?
- Judge Dredd (the 1995 film) - who owns that exactly, and particulary the DC adaptation?
- Dredd (the 2012 film) - this should be easier to work out, as the Megazine runs stories based on this every year and a bit!
- Mongoose - D20-based Dredd and Slaine and Traveller-based Dredd and Strontium Dog RPGs. This would have been simpler when they all had the same parent company, but I think I read that Mongoose was bought out by it's directors and went independent from Rebellion again?
- Tin Man Games - produce computer-gamebooks
- just for an attempt at completeness - how about that Mirror quiz book with a Dave Gibbons Mekon on the cover?
As should be obvious by now, I am not a copyright lawyer :-)
Quote from: sheridan on 11 August, 2016, 10:05:29 PMJudge Dredd (the 1995 film) - who owns that exactly, and particulary the DC adaptation?
The 1995 film is owned by Disney - their defunct production company
Hollywood Pictures produced films aimed at an older audience. I presume DC own that particular comic adaptation.
Quote from: sheridan on 11 August, 2016, 10:05:29 PMDredd (the 2012 film) - this should be easier to work out, as the Megazine runs stories based on this every year and a bit!]
DNA and IMGlobal own the film; the publishing rights presumably by Rebellion - with some possible caveats.
Quote from: sheridan on 11 August, 2016, 10:05:29 PM
- I'd heard about the potential controversy regarding Summer Magic, and possibly other work by Alan McKenzie, but don't know the reasoning behind it.
Alan McKenzie claims he never assigned the copyright on Summer Magic to 2000AD. Given that he was editing the comic, some people might assume that ensuring creators signed the right contracts might have been part of his job description and failure to ensure that he signed the same contracts that he was happy to see enforced on other creators makes him a bit of a [spoiler]cunt[/spoiler], but I couldn't possibly comment.
QuoteI presume DC own that particular comic adaptation.
With the caveat, DC may own the story and art, but Rebellion own the main character, both sides would have to collaborate to reprint, not much appetite anywhere for it I suspect!
Quote from: maryanddavid on 12 August, 2016, 12:25:38 AM
QuoteI presume DC own that particular comic adaptation.
With the caveat, DC may own the story and art, but Rebellion own the main character, both sides would have to collaborate to reprint, not much appetite anywhere for it I suspect!
Which is a shame, because it was good King Carlos art which was let down by flat colouring. Black and white or more modern colouring could do wonders for it.
Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 11 August, 2016, 10:57:53 PM
Quote from: sheridan on 11 August, 2016, 10:05:29 PM
- I'd heard about the potential controversy regarding Summer Magic, and possibly other work by Alan McKenzie, but don't know the reasoning behind it.
Alan McKenzie claims he never assigned the copyright on Summer Magic to 2000AD. Given that he was editing the comic, some people might assume that ensuring creators signed the right contracts might have been part of his job description and failure to ensure that he signed the same contracts that he was happy to see enforced on other creators makes him a bit of a [spoiler]cunt[/spoiler], but I couldn't possibly comment.
That was the general impression I got - be interesting to find out if he paid himself work-for-hire rates or keep-the-copyright rates...
QuoteQuote from: maryanddavid on Today at 12:25:38 am
Quote
I presume DC own that particular comic adaptation.
With the caveat, DC may own the story and art, but Rebellion own the main character, both sides would have to collaborate to reprint, not much appetite anywhere for it I suspect!
Which is a shame, because it was good King Carlos art which was let down by flat colouring. Black and white or more modern colouring could do wonders for it.
Apologies, I was talking about the DC comic series. The 95 Film adaptation by Carlos, I would imagine that the Film Producers and Rebellion own it.
Quotebe interesting to find out if he paid himself work-for-hire rates or keep-the-copyright rates...
Interesting question.
What about Metalzoic? DC copyright, presumably?
There's the largely forgettable tie-in to SNES game Urban Strike, too - presumably owned by Electronic Arts.
Oh, and Rick Random is presumably owned by whoever owns the rights to Detective Picture Library, although I suppose there's also the possibility it belongs to the estate of Harry Harrison.
Quote from: norton canes on 12 August, 2016, 11:37:37 AM
What about Metalzoic? DC copyright, presumably?
Good catch - one of my favourite stories and I complete forgot it! Pat Mills blogged about it last year - looks like some sort of joint copyright between DC and Rebellion (http://www.millsverse.com/home/4585194099/CANCELLED-METALZOIC-REPRINT/10156549).
Quote from: Lobo Baggins on 12 August, 2016, 12:30:56 PM
There's the largely forgettable tie-in to SNES game Urban Strike, too - presumably owned by Electronic Arts.
Didn't 2000AD run a Rebellion-owned adaptation of a game soon after they took over?
I'd forgotten about Rick Random - googling the story, I thought it was reprint and the Ezquerra episode was just a redrawn lost part.
I didn't realise it was written by Steve Moore and this was a new story.
Quote from: sheridan on 12 August, 2016, 12:38:31 PM
Quote from: norton canes on 12 August, 2016, 11:37:37 AM
What about Metalzoic? DC copyright, presumably?
Good catch - one of my favourite stories and I complete forgot it! Pat Mills blogged about it last year - looks like some sort of joint copyright between DC and Rebellion (http://www.millsverse.com/home/4585194099/CANCELLED-METALZOIC-REPRINT/10156549).
The joint venture Mills describes was Rebellion licensing the strip from DC and printing it up as a book, I think. In the same way they're licensing Monster and Misty from IPC.
I don't think Rebellion own Metalzoic at all. Every 2000ad episode ran with a disclaimer saying DC owned all trademarks and copyright, and that it was used with permission. They just serialized it, like the Megazine did with Preacher.
Wasn't Pat trying to get a new edition of Metalzoic into print last year? Can't remember the details (because I operated on my own Brian.)
Quote from: Steve Green on 12 August, 2016, 12:41:41 PM
I'd forgotten about Rick Random - googling the story, I thought it was reprint and the Ezquerra episode was just a redrawn lost part.
I didn't realise it was written by Steve Moore and this was a new story.
Prion released a collection (http://bearalley.blogspot.co.uk/2008/09/rick-random-space-detective.html) a while back - if you look carefully you can see that the cover of the book is copyright IPC Media 2008 (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_XsVALQtGIZM/SKX40H1BJyI/AAAAAAAAGTU/KYireNgafow/s1600-h/Rick+Random+FINAL.jpg)
(edit) Lew Stringer has more details (http://lewstringer.blogspot.co.uk/2008/09/rick-random-returns.html):
QuoteIPC sold off their comic rights to Warners, but Egmont (a separate company) still own material. It's quite complex; I think IPC owned the characters published up to 1970 and Egmont owned the rest or something. Anyway, Titan appear to have given up on IPC reprints and are now focusing only on Egmont material (Charley's War, Roy of the Rovers, Buster).
Quote from: The Cosh on 12 August, 2016, 01:07:01 PM
Wasn't Pat trying to get a new edition of Metalzoic into print last year? Can't remember the details (because I operated on my own Brian.)
Yes - the link I posted was Pat's announcement that it had come to nought.
Quote from: sheridan on 12 August, 2016, 01:09:59 PM
Quote from: The Cosh on 12 August, 2016, 01:07:01 PM
Wasn't Pat trying to get a new edition of Metalzoic into print last year? Can't remember the details (because I operated on my own Brian.)
Yes - the link I posted was Pat's announcement that it had come to nought.
Read the links! Are you mad?!
Quote from: The Cosh on 12 August, 2016, 01:07:01 PM
Can't remember the details (because I operated on my own Brian)
Who could be mad at the Cosh when he makes the funny.
Quote from: sheridan on 12 August, 2016, 12:39:31 PM
Quote from: Lobo Baggins on 12 August, 2016, 12:30:56 PM
There's the largely forgettable tie-in to SNES game Urban Strike, too - presumably owned by Electronic Arts.
Didn't 2000AD run a Rebellion-owned adaptation of a game soon after they took over?
Rings a vague bell - something that ran in the Meg? Errr... The Scrap?
Wardog?
Quote from: Steve Green on 12 August, 2016, 05:16:49 PM
Wardog?
That's the one!
Edit - holy cow, that was fifteen years ago! And it's nearly a thousand progs since the end of The Pit!
Quote from: Lobo Baggins on 12 August, 2016, 05:21:15 PM
Quote from: Steve Green on 12 August, 2016, 05:16:49 PM
Wardog?
That's the one!
Edit - holy cow, that was fifteen years ago! And it's nearly a thousand progs since the end of The Pit!
Urban Strike and Wardog had got fused into one in my head, so I hadn't realised there'd been two computer game-related strips printed...
p.s. trademark / copyright-wise, it looks like Matchbox still have the copyright on the Land Raider (or at least the toy version) as it was hinted by Keith Richardson that Rebellion tried to convince them to release a tie-in to Cursed Earth Uncensored, but no dice.
[quote author=Lobo Baggins link=topic=43591.msg925566#msg925566 date=147101887
Edit - holy cow, that was fifteen years ago! And it's nearly a thousand progs since the end of The Pit!
[/quote]
Never, ever say that again.
Never...
never
Quote from: Butch on 12 August, 2016, 04:30:46 PM
Quote from: The Cosh on 12 August, 2016, 01:07:01 PM
Can't remember the details (because I operated on my own Brian)
Who could be mad at the Cosh when he makes the funny.
My question is, did he operate on his wife's?
::)
the way I understand the situation with Metalozic is that Pat Mills & Kevin O'Neil own the rights to the story & art, DC own the publishing rights to the colour version & Rebellion part own the publishing rights to the B&W but they need DC's permission to reprint this. This was the main stumbling block on the collected edition as Pat & Kev wanted it to have both versions published together & now DC & rebellion are in a stalemate over the publishing rights to the B&W version
Quote from: Butch on 12 August, 2016, 01:00:00 PM
Quote from: sheridan on 12 August, 2016, 12:38:31 PM
Quote from: norton canes on 12 August, 2016, 11:37:37 AM
What about Metalzoic? DC copyright, presumably?
Good catch - one of my favourite stories and I complete forgot it! Pat Mills blogged about it last year - looks like some sort of joint copyright between DC and Rebellion (http://www.millsverse.com/home/4585194099/CANCELLED-METALZOIC-REPRINT/10156549).
The joint venture Mills describes was Rebellion licensing the strip from DC and printing it up as a book, I think. In the same way they're licensing Monster and Misty from IPC.
I don't think Rebellion own Metalzoic at all. Every 2000ad episode ran with a disclaimer saying DC owned all trademarks and copyright, and that it was used with permission. They just serialized it, like the Megazine did with Preacher.
It is a DC property.
Unfortunately.
Quote from: Robo-K33F on 13 August, 2016, 11:23:21 AM
It is a DC property.
Unfortunately.
Thanks for confirming, Robo-K33F. Too bad - I have the original DC printing and while the colouring is better than the average comic of the era, the story as a whole was better in black and white. Would have been interesting to see what Kev made of re-colouring it with today's colour printing, and also to see B&W printed on non-bog paper.
Quote from: Colin_YNWA on 12 August, 2016, 10:05:37 PM
[quote author=Lobo Baggins link=topic=43591.msg925566#msg925566 date=147101887
Edit - holy cow, that was fifteen years ago! And it's nearly a thousand progs since the end of The Pit!
Never, ever say that again.
Never...
never
[/quote]
You think thats bad? I was 1 year old when The Pit concluded.
Finding this thread fascinating chaps, but no ones opened the can of worms that is Zenith yet?
Brian Cosh
Rebellion own Zenith! :D
Who owns Mind Wars from Starlord? IPC?
Quote from: Richard on 14 August, 2016, 11:50:57 AM
Rebellion own Zenith! :D
Don't let Grant Morrison here you say that! :lol:
This thread is a like trying to bottle smoke. Even if there could be a definitive list of who has the rights to what, those rights can be changed or might revert back to someone else at any point.
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 14 August, 2016, 08:34:42 PM
This thread is a like trying to bottle smoke. Even if there could be a definitive list of who has the rights to what, those rights can be changed or might revert back to someone else at any point.
It comes up enough in other threads (particularly the reprint wants lists) that I'm expecting this will be updated every now and then...
Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 11 August, 2016, 10:57:53 PM
Alan McKenzie claims he never assigned the copyright on Summer Magic to 2000AD. Given that he was editing the comic, some people might assume that ensuring creators signed the right contracts might have been part of his job description and failure to ensure that he signed the same contracts that he was happy to see enforced on other creators makes him a bit of a [spoiler]cunt[/spoiler], but I couldn't possibly comment.
John Ridgway seemed distinctly unimpressed with McKenzie's stance in his interview with The Comics Journal:
http://classic.tcj.com/superhero/david-robertson-an-interview-with-john-ridgway-part-two-of-two/
Ridgway also goes into some detail about the contracts of the period.
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 14 August, 2016, 08:34:42 PM
This thread is a like trying to bottle smoke. Even if there could be a definitive list of who has the rights to what, those rights can be changed or might revert back to someone else at any point.
...and while I was starting this thread, the ink was drying on the grand Rebellion / most comics from the 1970s/1980s contract!
This link (http://www.comicsbeat.com/mad-mental-crazy-the-true-life-of-the-fabulous-zenith-part-2/) was just posted on another thread - it's mostly about Zenith, but there are also interesting titbits concerning Medivac 318, Zippy Couriers and Chronos Carnival.
Just had a thought -- who owns One-Eyed Jack? If Rebellion now have it, it would be awesome to have a new story by Wagner.
Quote from: sheridan on 11 August, 2016, 10:05:29 PM
- Judge Dredd (the 1995 film) - who owns that exactly, and particulary the DC adaptation?
Cinergi Pictures produced the film, judging from their Wikipedia page (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinergi_Pictures), the rights either went to Disney (who distributed the 95 Dredd film), or maybe producer Andrew G. Vajna (who currently runs The Halcyon Company).
I'd also like to direct everyone's attention to my new thread discussing ownership of Time UK's comic book properties (https://forums.2000adonline.com/index.php?topic=43743.0).
Sorry to double post, but also,
The Dredd pinball game was made by Bally Midway, which has since been bought out by Warner Bros.
Other Dredd games were published (and are presumably still owned) by Virgin (which was bought out by Interplay, who is now selling its assets), Atari (owner of the Melbourne House and Gremlin Interactive libraries), Tin Man Games, and Kuju Entertainment.
Throwback Entertainment (http://throwbackentertainment.com) currently owns most of Acclaim's game titles. Perhaps they own Acclaim's Dredd games.
Also, a company called FarSight Studios put a game called The Pinball Arcade on Steam (http://store.steampowered.com/app/394560/), which includes a Dredd board.
Rebellion does outright own Dredd vs. Death and Dredd vs. Zombies.
Quote from: Richard on 26 September, 2016, 11:17:55 PM
Just had a thought -- who owns One-Eyed Jack? If Rebellion now have it, it would be awesome to have a new story by Wagner.
I was wondering this also. I would love to see this all reprinted. Excellent art by John Cooper.
I suspect though that Rebellion don't own him as he was created for Valiant (albeit he was created in the 1970's). My understanding was that any characters created for Valiant were not owned by Rebellion. Would be great if that was not the case though.
Quote from: sheridan on 11 August, 2016, 10:05:29 PM
- IDW: the Dredd volumes, Rogue Trooper, Anderson, Mars Attacks Judge Dredd, et al
I wanna say that Rebellion owns any IDW comics based on 2000AD properties.
Though The Topps Company owns the Mars Attacks Martians, 20th Century Fox owns Aliens and Predator (with Dark Horse Comics owning certain rights to the crossovers), and Pat Mills and Kevin O'Neill owns Marshal Law (he guest starred in a Dredd story).
And the Comic Relief Comic (released in 1991 by Fleetway) which features Dredd, is a cluster of copyrights.
Quote from: John Pannozzi on 28 September, 2016, 08:30:47 PM
and Pat Mills and Kevin O'Neill owns Marshal Law (he guest starred in a Dredd story).
He did? I don't remember that one!
Quote
And the Comic Relief Comic (released in 1991 by Fleetway) which features Dredd, is a cluster of copyrights.
Bruce Forsythe* probably owns copyright on the centre spread in that one :-)
* or was it some other large-chinned 'celebrity'? I don't do celeb-culture so couldn't comment.
Quote from: John Pannozzi on 28 September, 2016, 08:30:47 PM
Pat Mills and Kevin O'Neill owns Marshal Law (he guest starred in a Dredd story).
Kinda but not really; it was one page of a ten-pager in one of those specials
- 25th anniversary - where all the old toys get poured out onto the floor and played with.
A Night 2 Remember prog#1280 -
(https://grizzlybomb.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/judge-dredd-vs-marshal-law.jpg)
Ha! I see Amok there too.
Also, I think Square-Enix (via their buyout of Eidos) co-own the Rogue Trooper video game.
Quote from: John Pannozzi on 30 September, 2016, 04:12:26 AM
Also, I think Square-Enix (via their buyout of Eidos) co-own the Rogue Trooper video game.
The RT game rights would have reverted to Rebellion years ago, after Eidos declined to make a sequel and would have just let the clock run down on however long the original contract was for.
And there's Pixel Puzzles Ultimate: 2000 AD by Decaying Logic and KISS ltd:
http://store.steampowered.com/app/538600/
Sorry to doublepost, but I completely forgot that Dredd had a crossover with Elephantmen, owned by Richard Starkings and Active Images.
Quote from: John Pannozzi on 23 October, 2016, 12:18:26 AM
Sorry to doublepost, but I completely forgot that Dredd had a crossover with Elephantmen, owned by Richard Starkings and Active Images.
I really need to track that down some time. Was it a free comic book day release?
It's in the Thought Bubble anthology.
Quote from: sheridan on 23 October, 2016, 02:26:59 AM
Quote from: John Pannozzi on 23 October, 2016, 12:18:26 AM
Sorry to doublepost, but I completely forgot that Dredd had a crossover with Elephantmen, owned by Richard Starkings and Active Images.
I really need to track that down some time. Was it a free comic book day release?
It was originally in Thought Bubble Anthology 2013. It's included, along with a Strontium Dog crossover, in Elephantmen: Shots #1 ( https://imagecomics.com/comics/releases/the-cbldf-presents-elephantmen-shots-1 )
Quote from: John Pannozzi on 26 October, 2016, 01:35:06 PM
Quote from: sheridan on 23 October, 2016, 02:26:59 AM
Quote from: John Pannozzi on 23 October, 2016, 12:18:26 AM
Sorry to doublepost, but I completely forgot that Dredd had a crossover with Elephantmen, owned by Richard Starkings and Active Images.
I really need to track that down some time. Was it a free comic book day release?
It was originally in Thought Bubble Anthology 2013. It's included, along with a Strontium Dog crossover, in Elephantmen: Shots #1 ( https://imagecomics.com/comics/releases/the-cbldf-presents-elephantmen-shots-1 )
And also in new '10 years of comics' anthology:
https://imagecomics.com/comics/releases/thought-bubble-anthology-collection-10-years-of-comics-tp
Quote from: jacob g on 26 October, 2016, 02:05:24 PM
Quote from: John Pannozzi on 26 October, 2016, 01:35:06 PM
Quote from: sheridan on 23 October, 2016, 02:26:59 AM
Quote from: John Pannozzi on 23 October, 2016, 12:18:26 AM
Sorry to doublepost, but I completely forgot that Dredd had a crossover with Elephantmen, owned by Richard Starkings and Active Images.
I really need to track that down some time. Was it a free comic book day release?
It was originally in Thought Bubble Anthology 2013. It's included, along with a Strontium Dog crossover, in Elephantmen: Shots #1 ( https://imagecomics.com/comics/releases/the-cbldf-presents-elephantmen-shots-1 )
And also in new '10 years of comics' anthology:
https://imagecomics.com/comics/releases/thought-bubble-anthology-collection-10-years-of-comics-tp
I knew that. The original Thought Bubble issue is printed at a large magazine size (all reprints are normal comic size) , so I think it's still worth getting.
There was also a Stronium Dog game made by Quicksilva, which later became Grandslam Entertainment.
And a Nemesis the Warlock game made by Martech.
Have Big Finish and their 2000 AD audio dramas been mentioned yet?
Quicksilva made two Stronium Dog games, actually.
Krisalis Software made a Rogue Trooper game for Amiga, there was an older Rogue Trooper game from Pirahna, and Martech also made a Sláine game.
And now a company called EN Publishing is doing a Dredd RPG. (https://www.tabletopgaming.co.uk/board-games/news/judge-dredd-gets-a-new-rpg-in-the-form-of-the-worlds-of-2000-ad?utm_content=buffer720b3&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer)
It says they are working with Rebellion, so presumably Rebellion have licensed it to them.
Jason Kingsley, Rebellion CEO, said they would be looking to work with indie games developers on 2000AD games at the 40th bash.
He was talking about computer games but presumably the same applies to board games (?)
https://www.2000adonline.com/post/1414
I'd love to see some 2000 AD board games, rather than role playing games. Anything along those lines in the offing?
the judge dredd pinball machine williams made is definatly on throwbacks arcade pinball collection....
I know this because i actually bought it just for that pinball table :D
Also holy crap the black knight pinball themes catchy as hell
Quote from: Spaceghost on 21 February, 2017, 03:40:52 PM
I'd love to see some 2000 AD board games, rather than role playing games. Anything along those lines in the offing?
I'd like to see board games and role playing games (in the meantime I have my copies of Judge Dredd, Rogue Trooper, Block Mania and Mega-Mania looming over me (they're stacked on top of a bookshelf - which itself contains Judge Dredd the RPG (from Games Workshop), Judge Dredd the RPG (based on D20), Judge Dredd the RPG (based on Traveller), Slaine the RPG and Strontium Dog the RPG. There's also a few JD the Card Game cards there as well - but don't mention that to any of the art droids who contributed artwork).
Time UK up for sale. (http://downthetubes.net/?p=40438)
Quote from: Professor Bear on 25 September, 2017, 01:27:16 PM
Time UK up for sale. (http://downthetubes.net/?p=40438)
Not sure many Squaxx share Freeman's desire for Rebellion to revive the old characters, but buying the rest of the IPC catalogue seems like a good way to hide all that horrible Sniper Elite cash from HMRC.
I think it's pretty amazing Rebellion are buying all this stuff. I feel happier with the Kingsleys safeguarding British comics history than pretty much anyone else. If they bought the comics bits of Time, too, I can't see that as being anything but positive.
I think Rebellion is interested,but it all comes down to money,I guess.
I'd like to see a collected Bloodfang (basically Flesh, but appearing in Eagle) though I suspect it's owned by Dan Dare Corporation rather than Time UK :-(
I don't think Dan Dare Corp actually have much use for non Dan Dare content from Eagle - they've pretty much nailed their colours to the mast with the name of their company. A publisher could probably swing a deal to reprint some of the other strips.
I (and I suspect many others) live in hope of a complete Doomlord.
Quote from: Professor Bear on 29 September, 2017, 10:01:06 AMI don't think Dan Dare Corp actually have much use for non Dan Dare content from Eagle - they've pretty much nailed their colours to the mast with the name of their company. A publisher could probably swing a deal to reprint some of the other strips.
They also seem to be a bit more media savvy these days. I approached them one time to try and get image permission rights for a feature on Computer Warrior, and got threatened with legal action, which was, to put it politely, a surprise. When I tried again a few years later, sanity prevailed – although by that point, interest in the feature had waned and it never actually happened. Perhaps one day.
Quote from: sheridan on 29 September, 2017, 12:06:38 AM
I'd like to see a collected Bloodfang (basically Flesh, but appearing in Eagle) though I suspect it's owned by Dan Dare Corporation rather than Time UK :-(
Yep intrigued by that one.
Quote from: Greg M. on 29 September, 2017, 11:58:22 AM
I (and I suspect many others) live in hope of a complete Doomlord.
You know my dreams.
How many Doomlord collections has Hibernia ever released?
Quote from: sheridan on 30 September, 2017, 01:23:48 AM
How many Doomlord collections has Hibernia ever released?
One (http://www.comicsy.co.uk/hibernia/store/products/doomlord-the-deathlords-of-nox/)
Quote from: IndigoPrime on 25 September, 2017, 04:05:18 PM
I think it's pretty amazing Rebellion are buying all this stuff. I feel happier with the Kingsleys safeguarding British comics history than pretty much anyone else. If they bought the comics bits of Time, too, I can't see that as being anything but positive.
^This, though they may be keeping their funds/financing earmarked for the MC1 TV project.
Maybe not the best place to ask,but anyway - Warrior.I know whats with Miracleman and V,but who owns the rest?Still Dez or did everything went to Image?
By the way - don't know if it got mentioned up-thread, but the Legends of the Law (originally published by DC) are copyright Rebellion, who are free to reprint them as they see fit.
Quote from: Smith on 02 October, 2017, 10:50:03 AM
Maybe not the best place to ask,but anyway - Warrior.I know whats with Miracleman and V,but who owns the rest?Still Dez or did everything went to Image?
If you go in to a bookshop then the edition of V that you'll find is published by DC. Current Miracleman reprints are published by Marvel (so I don't know why they don't publish it as Marvelman now that that isn't an issue). I would presume that all the other content would be owned by its respective creators or their estates (Steves Moore, Parkhouse and Dillon, et al).
I read the first four issues of Legends of the Law. It's by Wagner and it's about Anderson as a cadet helping Dredd on a case. The script is brilliant and funny, and the story is entirely consistent with 2000AD continuity. It deserves a reprint in the floppy.
Quote from: Professor Bear on 25 September, 2017, 01:27:16 PM
Time UK up for sale. (http://downthetubes.net/?p=40438)
Meredith is buying Time. (https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/official-meredith-buy-time-28-billion-1061403?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=THR%20Breaking%20News_now_2017-11-26%2017:22:11_knordyke&utm_term=hollywoodreporter_breakingnews)
Quote from: John Pannozzi on 27 November, 2017, 01:37:09 AM
Quote from: Professor Bear on 25 September, 2017, 01:27:16 PM
Time UK up for sale. (http://downthetubes.net/?p=40438)
Meredith is buying Time. (https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/official-meredith-buy-time-28-billion-1061403?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=THR%20Breaking%20News_now_2017-11-26%2017:22:11_knordyke&utm_term=hollywoodreporter_breakingnews)
But Meredith may not have bought
Time UK.
The current negotiations are believed to be for the entire portfolio, minus several divestitures that are already in the works (Sunset, Golf, Time Inc. U.K.), which has led to speculation that Meredith might decide to unload the newsweeklies after acquiring them. (Perhaps to the Kochs as a play thing?, some of my sources wondered.) Meredith would presumably be more keen on keeping Time Inc.'s resident cash cow, People, and perhaps Entertainment Weekly.https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017/11/time-inc-deal-meredith-koch-brothers
Now finally someone will do something with the powerhouse IP that is Dan Dare.
I'm continually amazed that people can muster enthusiasm for Dan Dare reboots. They must see something in the character that I don't.
Dare has always benefitted from some really quality ideas and some outstanding artwork. By the same token, some of the stories that have been told over the years have really lacked focus and sold the character short, even some of the tooth and original Eagle material. Tom Tully did not do the character any favours, either with the final tooth strip or some of the later Eagle stuff.
And now Epiris Fund II owns Time UK and the pre-1970 IPC properties. (https://www.privateequitywire.co.uk/2018/02/27/261640/epiris-fund-ii-acquires-time-inc-uk)
Quote from: John Pannozzi on 20 May, 2018, 04:12:06 PM
And now Epiris Fund II owns Time UK and the pre-1970 IPC properties. (https://www.privateequitywire.co.uk/2018/02/27/261640/epiris-fund-ii-acquires-time-inc-uk)
One of these days an IP company will own all the pre70s IPC IP that actually does something with it (or at the least splits it off from whatever they've been buying all the other IP for and sell it to somebody who does reprint / develop it).
Chanced upon this thread looking for some info on who owns Metalzoic (DC, thanks for that) and saw some other stuff come up where I might be able to help with some answers. Nothing definitive of course (I'm not a copyright lawyer, thank god), but just some info I've come across from researching this stuff over the years.
Not going to get into conentious 2000AD strips (Summer Magic, Zenith) as that's been done to death elsewhere and ultimately an issue between Rebellion and the creator's involved. Also, all the old IPC/Egmont 'pre-1970 plus characters from Buster' stuff has now been resolved with Rebellion buying it all I think?
The other stuff though...
* Licenced Dredd games/books/comics etc. - Standard practice across the industry - certainly today, most likely in the past as well - is that the licensor (in this case Rebellion, who would also retrospectively own anything licensed by IPC) owns the copyright on any licensed works, with the licensee's interest lasting only as long as the period agreed in the original contract between the two parties. You can see that most clearly with Star Wars comics (and, more recently Conan) produced by Dark Horse. They're ultimately owned by Lucasfilm/Disney, so now their licensing agreement with Dark Horse has expired, they're free to publish them wherever else they like (in this case, under the Marvel Comics banner).
For a much more obscure example of this see the Grant Morrison/Ian Gibson Steed & Mrs Peel series, co-published by Atomeka and Eclipse (what a nightmare *that* would be to resolve if you had to untangle their affairs) but ultimately owned by the current license holders of The Avengers TV show, StudioCanal, who were the only one's Boom! Comics needed to seek permission from in order to republish the series (scanned from the old comics, smooth move Boom) a few years back.
All of which is to say, pretty much any non-Rebellion Dredd content you can think of is almost certainly owned by Rebellion, but may be subject to an ongoing licensing agreement with someone else. Phew!
* - For properties not ultimately owned by Rebellion, but published under license by them (or IPC) - Dan Dare, Urban Strike etc. etc. - see above; the strips are almost certainly owned by the rights holder and a specific licensing agreement would need to be struck to reprint them. This would also apply retrospectively to all of the Eagle content that the Dan Dare Corporation apparently bought by accident (I'd love to read more info on what happened there...)
* - The Comic Relief Comic is a copyright nightmare, a miracle it ever got published in the first place to be honest. Its not immediately clear who owns the story itself, but you'd not be able to reprint it without licensing agreements with probably dozens of different rights-holders. Don't hold your breath on ever seeing that one again.
* - V For Vendetta was sold to DC by Moore, Lloyd and Dez Skinn back in the 1980's, under similar/the same terms as Watchmen - a decent sales royalty and once it goes out of print (i.e. never) we might let you have it back, but probably not. The rest of the Warrior strips (apart from Marvelman) are owned by the creators, as was Skinn's intention from the get-go (see, he's not all bad...)
* - Miracleman (the character) is now owned by Marvel, who bought the rights from Mick Anglo. The story Skinn told for years about buying the rights from the Official Receiver was a load of rubbish (hmm, maybe he is all bad...) and the strip was for all intents and purposes created under a (legal) assumption that the character was in the public domain. Whether it was or not, everyone involved agreed that the best way to resolve the years and years of litigation surrounding it was to assume Anglo still held the rights and for Marvel to buy them off him. The question of who owns the rights to the actual work done for Warrior and Eclipse is much more complicated and (as far as I know) still being ironed out between the creators and Marvel; just one of the myriad reasons why Gaiman's conclusion to the series is still yet to appear.
Hope that's cleared something up for someone, anyway :)
Quote from: dstransmissions on 20 September, 2018, 08:36:04 PM
All of which is to say, pretty much any non-Rebellion Dredd content you can think of is almost certainly owned by Rebellion, but may be subject to an ongoing licensing agreement with someone else.
The publisher's blurb on the opening pages of the DC Judge Dredd comics does indeed say '© Egmont Foundation 1995'.
Since that's a lot of free content and Tharg has reprinted just about everything else of any interest, my guesses why we've not seen these stories in a Megazine floppy are:
A/ DC negotiated some kind of mad 100-year lease
B/ Tharg doesn't think he owns the copyright
C/ Egmont never bothered to ask for film/digital copies of that material, so Rebellion didn't receive it in the huge mountain of archive they bought. DC must have it somewhere, but even if they can find it, there's a good chance it was stored on CD, in a format that's now unreadable/a pain in the arse to reformat.
Cheers, Law-Talking Guy.
Quote from: dstransmissions on 20 September, 2018, 08:36:04 PM
This would also apply retrospectively to all of the Eagle content that the Dan Dare Corporation apparently bought by accident (I'd love to read more info on what happened there...)
As long as we get that Bloodfang collection at some point!
Quote* - The Comic Relief Comic is a copyright nightmare, a miracle it ever got published in the first place to be honest. Its not immediately clear who owns the story itself, but you'd not be able to reprint it without licensing agreements with probably dozens of different rights-holders. Don't hold your breath on ever seeing that one again.
Once I dig my copy out I might list which IP appears in it! Having not glanced at it in twenty-something years, all I can remember is the chin-off between JD and Bruce Forsyth...
QuoteHope that's cleared something up for someone, anyway
Ta - it all helps!
Rebellion has now bought out the pre-1970 Fleetway/IPC library from Epris Fund II/TI Media (nee Time UK):
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-45645553
https://downthetubes.net/?p=101020
Interestingly, the Down the Tubes article claims that the deal doesn't include the magazine Look and Learn. Anyone know who owns Look and Learn? It also claims that TV Comic, Countdown and TV Action are owned by Reach plc / the Mirror Group.
Quote from: Frank on 20 September, 2018, 09:03:47 PM
Quote from: dstransmissions on 20 September, 2018, 08:36:04 PM
All of which is to say, pretty much any non-Rebellion Dredd content you can think of is almost certainly owned by Rebellion, but may be subject to an ongoing licensing agreement with someone else.
The publisher's blurb on the opening pages of the DC Judge Dredd comics does indeed say '© Egmont Foundation 1995'.
Since that's a lot of free content and Tharg has reprinted just about everything else of any interest, my guesses why we've not seen these stories in a Megazine floppy are:
A/ DC negotiated some kind of mad 100-year lease
B/ Tharg doesn't think he owns the copyright
C/ Egmont never bothered to ask for film/digital copies of that material, so Rebellion didn't receive it in the huge mountain of archive they bought. DC must have it somewhere, but even if they can find it, there's a good chance it was stored on CD, in a format that's now unreadable/a pain in the arse to reformat.
Cheers, Law-Talking Guy.
D/ the main DC Dredd monthly just wasn't good enough to warrant a reprint (I liked
Legends of the Law though).
As I said, the first four issues are by John Wagner.
Quote from: sheridan on 28 September, 2018, 10:46:04 PM
Quote from: Frank on 20 September, 2018, 09:03:47 PM
Tharg has reprinted just about everything else of any interest ...
... the main DC Dredd monthly just wasn't good enough to warrant a reprint
The
Megazine floppies have featured the nineties
Harlem Heroes and
Flesh reboots (5 books),
Valkyries, and
Judy Janus (2 books).
Quote from: Frank on 29 September, 2018, 10:34:47 PM
Quote from: sheridan on 28 September, 2018, 10:46:04 PM
Quote from: Frank on 20 September, 2018, 09:03:47 PM
Tharg has reprinted just about everything else of any interest ...
... the main DC Dredd monthly just wasn't good enough to warrant a reprint
The Megazine floppies have featured the nineties Harlem Heroes and Flesh reboots (5 books), Valkyries, and Judy Janus (2 books).
I'd still say that the non-Legends of the Law DC Dredd was worse than all of those, both in terms of script and art.
Quote from: sheridan on 30 September, 2018, 02:20:15 AM
Quote from: Frank on 29 September, 2018, 10:34:47 PM
The Megazine floppies have featured the nineties Harlem Heroes and Flesh reboots (5 books), Valkyries, and Judy Janus (2 books).
I'd still say that the non-Legends of the Law DC Dredd was worse than all of those, both in terms of script and art.
JH Williams III's
Judge Dredd is
definitely better than Carl Critchlow's coffee ground palette or Siku hurriedly painting over Kev Hopgood.
Helfer's VR storyline was misbegotten
[1], but the
Ministry Of Fear put anything I was reading in
2000ad at that time
[2] in the shade, in terms of art, story, or originality.
In 1994-1995,
2000ad and
DC Dredd both featured storylines about a Justice Department coup. Wagner's version is a conversation in a car park, Helfers is skull-masked terrorists tearing around on alt-lawmasters and storming the Senate (https://i.imgur.com/DnzKOoU.jpg) on zip wires
[3].
(https://i.imgur.com/weordyy.jpg?1)
[1] like all virtual reality stories
[2] ... or for the previous four years. If you own Case Files 16-23 you own many, many worse strips than Helfer Dredd. NB: I'm not making an impassioned plea for these stories to be reprinted; I'm responding to the suggestion that the reason they haven't been collected is their quality or their interest to readers.
[3] ... and the President of the USA blasting invaders on the capitol steps, using alien weaponry! As an explanation of how Justice Department seized control in Megacity One, Helfer's tale of a psychotic Vice President Booth as Fargo's stooge is not in any way definitive. It is, however, more lively and engaging than anything in Origins except the Cadet Dredd (and Rico) episodes. Helfer's decision to relocate Dredd at the beginning of Justice Department's hegemony always felt awkward, but it demonstrates why sections of Origins where Dredd's telling his team stories by the campfire never really come to life. Like the Cadet Dredd episodes of Origins, the Ministry Of Fear material works because Dredd's an active participant in an action-based storyline.
Quote from: John Pannozzi on 28 September, 2018, 07:48:08 PM
It also claims that TV Comic, Countdown and TV Action are owned by Reach plc / the Mirror Group.
For what it's worth this probably isn't a huge coup for the Mirror Group as nearly all of the strips in those comics (I think?) were licensed, and are almost certainly owned by whoever owns the property itself. The Thunderbirds strips for example will be owned by whoever owns the Thunderbirds property (ITV? Some sort of Gerry Anderson holding group? I dunno) etc. etc.
Same applies to Rebellion's recently acquired Look-In unfortunately. We're there *any* strips in Look-in that weren't adaptations of some TV property or another??
I suppose the (slightly) silver lining here is that Rebellion are certainly the best placed to publish any reprints of those Look-in strips should they want to, but they'd for sure have to enter into a new licensing agreement with whoever the owners are.
Look-In ran loads of stories based around shows on ITV (both Us & UK programs) such as Charlie's Angels, the Six Million Dollar man, the A-Team, Benny Hill, Catweazle, the Tomorrow People & terrahawks
Interesting notes from the "Literature" section of the TV Tropes page "Divorced Installment" (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/DivorcedInstallment):
QuoteJohn Grant's 1994 licenced Judge Dredd novel The Hundredfold Problem was republished in 2003 with all references to the Mega-City One 'verse removed. Judges Dredd and Callisto were replaced by Dave Knuckle and Petulia McTavish.
The Doctor Who novel, The Burning Heart was supposed to be a crossover with Judge Dredd but after the failure of the 1995 movie, Dredd was replaced with Adjudicator Joseph Craator.
This passed me by in 2018 (and the page has been updated in 2020) but DownTheTubes has a pretty comprehensive round-up (https://downthetubes.net/?page_id=101053) of the state of copyright of all UK comic IP.