Is anyone here afraid of theft?

[Brian R]

Basic question, a lot of people post their own original ideas on this forum, whether it be in the form of a written piece or some artwork. Are any of you scared that your ideas might be ripped-off and someone use them to make a new comic?

[comic_lover]

Basic question, a lot of people post their own original ideas on this forum, whether it be in the form of a written piece or some artwork. Are any of you scared that your ideas might be ripped-off and someone use them to make a new comic?No,because if your truly talented your not worried if someone takes an idea : there's plenty more where that came from besides,only a fool would want to piss off a potential money maker for the company by stealing his/her work.

[Ayo]

Basic question, a lot of people post their own original ideas on this forum, whether it be in the form of a written piece or some artwork. Are any of you scared that your ideas might be ripped-off and someone use them to make a new comic?

It could happen, but it's not likely.

[Johnny Morningstar]

Well, I never give story ideas online because 1. theft 2. I don't want to give away the plot and 3. the plot may change.

Visually, maybe. But, I've had some of my characters see print several years ago. So, I have some means of proof that I developed them first.

[Night]

You have to understand that if you're posting on a board you're basically publishing to a free service. So you don't post something you mind losing.

On the topic of theft, that's a problem you get publishing anywhere. Take Steven King for example. A good amount of his work is directly based off of other people's published plotlines. The only way to keep ideas from being stolen is to never publish.... then you have the D.O.A. problem.... you have to never put anything to paper... or in this case to computer.

Edit: As comic_lover pointed out... if you're talented you have more to come. If your works get out, by whatever means, then you can become known enough that people may want to start buying. Metallica pretty much got it's start by people bootlegging their live performances. Which is why I'm critical of their anti-music-swapping crusade... I mean... the old school version of it is how they got all the fame and money in the first place.

[Ayo]

Metallica pretty much got it's start by people bootlegging their live performances. Which is why I'm critical of their anti-music-swapping crusade... I mean... the old school version of it is how they got all the fame and money in the first place.

live music bootlegs aren't the same thing; someone else selling your stuff and making a profit is bad, but it's totally different from someone else taking credit for your work, and pretending that it is their own.

[Ayo]

No,because if your truly talented your not worried if someone takes an idea : there's plenty more where that came from

Stealing someone's idea is never cool, no matter how many ideas one has. It's not a matter of "if you're truly talented..."

No. Truly talented people have cultivated a pride in their work; truly talented people do not take lightly people attempting to steal their hard earned fruits of labor.

[Brian R]

No,because if your truly talented your not worried if someone takes an idea : there's plenty more where that came from besides,only a fool would want to piss off a potential money maker for the company by stealing his/her work.

I dont agree with that at all. Sure, as a creative person you probably have tons of different ideas, but what if this particular one was your best one yet, something you were really proud of... and someone rips it off. I would say keep your best ideas to yourself, but then what would be the point of this forum?

[howyadoin]

someone else selling your stuff and making a profit is bad, but it's totally different from someone else taking credit for your work, and pretending that it is their own.Nobody was doing either of those things to Metallica, though.

[taintedcereal]

As far as art goes it is copyright protected the moment you post it on the internet. Or put it in a tangible format.

[Ayo]

As far as art goes it is copyright protected the moment you post it on the internet. Or put it in a tangible format.

Not even; it's technically protected the moment it exists. Or, if that's what you meant by "tangible format."

Everything one does is automatically protected. The documentation makes it foolproof (or nearly-so).

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ayo
someone else selling your stuff and making a profit is bad, but it's totally different from someone else taking credit for your work, and pretending that it is their own.

Nobody was doing either of those things to Metallica, though.

I know, I know, I was just responding in a blur. Either way, the Metallica situation isn't analogous to our discussion here.

[MR REVENANT]

As far as art goes it is copyright protected the moment you post it on the internet. Or put it in a tangible format.

Artwork is not copyright protected at all, you can't copyright artwork, unless it is part of a book, manual, or any other written material.

What I tell people to do is get all the artwork they have and make a book out of it. It doesn't have to be a story, although it would be better if it was, because a story helps describe the character and what the character can do, and also give names and titles and descriptive attributes to the characters that you drew.

It doesn't cost that much to copyright, and it's not that hard to do.

Just remember you can not copyright an idea.

[Arrjay]

Well, I never give story ideas online because 1. theft 2. I don't want to give away the plot and 3. the plot may change.

This is a good point. I don't put my ideas online because I'm extremely paranoid from years of self destructive drug abuse so I definitely fear theft.

[Arrjay]

Metallica pretty much got it's start by people bootlegging their live performances. Which is why I'm critical of their anti-music-swapping crusade... I mean... the old school version of it is how they got all the fame and money in the first place.

This is completely off topic but I just saw Some Kind Of Monster last night with my wife and I can safely say that I've never seen such an infantile display of ego and juvenile greed. It's amazing what fame can do to a person.

[atoningunifex]

I actually had quite a discussion about this with a friend at some point. He didn't understand why I would post artwork on my weblogs or here.

My feelings are:

1) The stuff I post is far form professional level work. I'm not making a living off of it. The chances of someone else making a living off of it is minimal.

2) If someone wants to claim my work is their own that's cool. Eventually someone will ask them to demonstrate their talent and they'll be up shit creek without the proverbial paddle.

[Johnny Morningstar]

Plus, we can take Jade Dragon's car and find out where the @$(*%# live and lay a hurtin' one the theives one skull crack at a time.

[comic_lover]

Stealing someone's idea is never cool, no matter how many ideas one has. It's not a matter of "if you're truly talented..."

No. Truly talented people have cultivated a pride in their work; truly talented people do not take lightly people attempting to steal their hard earned fruits of labor.Of course you take pride in your work,but don't get so egotistical that you have a fit if someone makes a character similar to one you have created.Now if it's exactly the same,there's a major problem,but that's highly unlikely.No one wants to label themselves a thief.The comic book industry frequently exchanges ideas,as seen by the similarities between Superman and every other flying,invulnerable, super vision enhanced hero.Night has the right idea when he stated : " You have to understand that if you're posting on a board you're basically publishing to a free service. So you don't post something you mind losing. " That's about it people.

[taintedcereal]

Actually, your work IS protected the moment you create it. Someone asked about this a little while back heres a link to what it says about copyright law, its the 4th question from the top, where it asks "when is my work protected?" http://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/faq-general.html
Heres a link to the thread where I saw this posted originally: http://forums.comicbookresources.com/showthread.php?t=48783&highlight=copyright
thanks for the info brandon hanvey

[Night]

Actually, your work IS protected the moment you create it. Someone asked about this a little while back heres a link to what it says about copyright law, its the 4th question from the top, where it asks "when is my work protected?" http://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/faq-general.html
Heres a link to the thread where I saw this posted originally: http://forums.comicbookresources.com/showthread.php?t=48783&highlight=copyright
thanks for the info brandon hanveyOften this comes down to who has the better lawyer and what the judge thinks of a particualr case. There are occasional Davids with their mighty slings, but there's a lot of burden of proof that something was actually stolen and to what level things are protected. If you question this follow the law concerning Microsoft.

[SUPERECWFAN1]

I'm not really worried about It. Unless I post something I create and then I keep another written copy at home. But with my Fan Fiction I post It and hope people read.