Showing posts with label fan culture. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fan culture. Show all posts

Friday, January 13, 2023

‘People are leaving the game’: Dungeons & Dragons fans revolt against new restrictions; The Guardian, January 13, 2023

 , The Guardian; ‘People are leaving the game’: Dungeons & Dragons fans revolt against new restrictions

"It’s been a tough week for Dungeons & Dragons fans.

The reins were pulled in on users who come up with their own storylines and new characters, creating legions of imaginary worlds that spin off of the original fantasy roleplaying game. They have also been able to make and sell products required to play or based on the game under an open game license (OGL) agreement.

But as Gizmodo first reported, a leaked new agreement drafted by Wizards of the Coast (WoTC), the Hasbro subsidiary that owns D&D, threatens to “tighten” the OGL that has been in place since the early 2000s. It would grantWoTC the ability to “make money off of these products without paying the person who made it” and companies that make over $750,000 will have to start paying Hasbro a 25% cut of their earnings."

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Baby Yoda Shows Us the Force of Intellectual Property Rights; Observer, December 7, 2019

, Observer; Baby Yoda Shows Us the Force of Intellectual Property Rights

"Intellectual property protections allow for producers, such as Disney, to safeguard their secrets and profit off of the carefully-crafted storylines enjoyed by millions of fans around the world. Meanwhile, fans can still have their fun by posting movie-related memes that (likely) enjoy legal protection from copyright law.

And even when companies may be within their rights to sue for IP infringements, they must still weigh market considerations and make sensible decisions that please their consumer base. That’s critical, because ideas like lightsabers and Baby Yoda’s aren’t created in a vacuum (of space). IP protection allows us to travel to a galaxy far, far away, without being trampled by a bantha herd of lawsuits."

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Baby Yoda GIFs Are Being Pulled For Copyright Concerns; ScreenRant, November 23, 2019

Josh Plainse, ScreenRant; Baby Yoda GIFs Are Being Pulled For Copyright Concerns

"Baby Yoda GIFs from the Disney+ show The Mandalorian are being pulled from the internet, apparently due to claims of copyright infringement. Last week, the Star Wars spin-off show The Mandalorian released its first episode along with the simultaneous launch of Disney's streaming service. The show's first episode, titled “Chapter One,” ended with a character reveal which has played a huge role in the creation of viral memes and GIFs throughout the entirety of the internet, all of them containing The Mandalorian character referred to as Baby Yoda for now."

Tuesday, September 18, 2018

Avengers 4 Fan Trailer Calls in the X-Men & Defenders; Comic Book Resources, September 18, 2018

Brittany Matter, Comic Book Resources; Avengers 4 Fan Trailer Calls in the X-Men & Defenders

"A new fan trailer seamlessly mashes up the heroes of the Marvel Cinematic Universe with the X-Men, the Defenders and even Ghost Rider to take on the [sic] Thanos in Avengers 4."

Sunday, April 22, 2018

IP-Transformative Entrepreneurs or IP Law Infringers and Scofflaws? Observations from Steel City Con 2018

IP-Transformative Entrepreneurs or IP Law Infringers and Scofflaws?
Observations from Steel City Con 2018

Kip Currier: Last weekend at Pittsburgh's Steel City Con 2018, I observed and spoke with a number of sellers/vendors. These vendors, as I see it, primarily fall into 2 different categories, in terms of what they're selling.

Category #1: Unaltered Goods.


Sellers of sold-as-is comic books, action figures, toys, games, autographed celebrity photos, etc. Items whose original form has not been materially altered (transformed) from the time they were created by the original publisher, manufacturer, or company. [Other than perhaps having been previously read (in the case of comic books) or played with (e.g. action figures, toys, and games)].


Examples:



Licensed Negan-carrying "Lucille" Bats from The Walking Dead
James "Kip" Currier (c) 2018
Lost in Space DIY plastic kit
James "Kip" Currier (c) 2018

Rainbow (or Arc-en-ciel, en francais) Batman action figures
(...Curious to know the idea/motivation behind this incarnation of The Caped Crusader!)
James "Kip" Currier (c) 2018
Seller with miscellaneous goods for sale...and 2 Jeannies
James "Kip" Currier (c) 2018

Category #2: Altered Goods (--not to be confused with recently-released Netflix Sci-Fi show Altered Carbon)

Sellers of goods that incorporate, build upon, mashup (combine), transform, and/or some would say appropriate aspects of existing Intellectual Property, such as well-known trademarked logos, designs, characters, devices, etc.


The ongoing issue for consideration-- depending on where you fall on the "fan culture", "transformativeness", "IP infringement" spectrum--is whether you think 
the folks in Category 2 are:

  • Intellectual Property-Transformative Entrepreneurs?
  • Intellectual Property Law Infringers and Scofflaws?
  • Something else?

Last year I wrote about and included photos of some sellers, who I'd spoken with at Steel City Con 2017:


Some examples of works that I observed being sold at the Con veer closer to (and step over?) the edge of infringement than others that can make stronger arguments for "transformativeness". Cristine Cordero's Heroes and Heels is a good example of the latter. Cristine told me that she uses actual comic book-clipped images to bring one-of-a-kind "custom created comic book shoes" to life...and her customers' feet.

At the 2017 Steel City Con, I spoke with a seller named Jim Radeshak, who was back this year. He runs Feisty Goblin Crafts and make "Handmade Comic Book Art Items" that he sell at Conventions and on Etsy. Radeshak's business card cheekily declares that he is "Cutting up comics to make yours more valuable!" He explained that he cuts out images from comic books and free Previews of comic books. Then affixes those images to ceramic coasters, via a process of lacquer application and "baking":



Coasters made by Jim Radeshak's Feisty Goblin Crafts
James "Kip" Currier (c) 2018
More Feisty Goblin Crafts' Coasters
James "Kip" Currier (c) 2018

I also spoke briefly with Michael Fulton. He bills himself as The Wandmaker and makes "Original Hand-crafted Wands" of all shapes and sizes. The spitting image of Eddie Redmayne's Newt Scamander (J.K. Rowling's literary and cinematic protagonist in 2016's fantasy film Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them), the wand-and-magic-suitcase-in-hands would-be wizard dashed from behind his wands-covered vending table to conjure up a photo:


Wandmaker, Michael Fulton, as J.K. Rowling's Newt Scamander
James "Kip" Currier (c) 2018

This clever T-shirt business, called Cleveland Sleeves, "mashes up" brands, such as Star Wars characters with famous sports teams. Like this one that amalgamates the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball team with a Star Wars Stormtrooper mask:
James "Kip" Currier (c) 2018

In this photo, the Cleveland Sleeves salesperson on the left sports a T-shirt that displays Pittsburgh in the recognizable block-y font from the first Superman franchise film series:
Cleveland Sleeves T-shirts and vendors
James "Kip" Currier (c) 2018
This T-shirt that mashes up the Pittsburgh Steelers football theme with a Stormtrooper will be loved by my university-attending nephew--who is a die-hard fan of both franchises:
James "Kip" Currier (c) 2018

In a post about Steel City Con last week, I included this creative Wrestling Art example:
An artist (or artists) has taken iconic comic book covers from, say, Marvel and DC Comics and substituted and/or added in wrestling celebrities for the original comic book characters...Mick Foley standing in for Spider-Man. Becky Lynch swapping out She-Hulk:

James "Kip" Currier (c) 2018

James "Kip" Currier (c) 2018
Some vendors also make bespoke costume apparel and gear. Like this guy, seen talking with a Star Wars fan about special ordering some accessories:
Star Wars-themed bespoke clothing and gear
James "Kip" Currier (c) 2018
Replica "props" from diverse genres (e.g. Spy; Sci-Fi; Fantasy; Horror) are also a visible presence:
James "Kip" Currier (c) 2018
James "Kip" Currier (c) 2018
James "Kip" Currier (c) 2018
James "Kip" Currier (c) 2018
Other examples of goods for sale:

James "Kip" Currier (c) 2018
James "Kip" Currier (c) 2018
James "Kip" Currier (c) 2018
James "Kip" Currier (c) 2018
James "Kip" Currier (c) 2018
James "Kip" Currier (c) 2018
James "Kip" Currier (c) 2018
James "Kip" Currier (c) 2018

Even clothing for babies and toddlers:
James "Kip" Currier (c) 2018
James "Kip" Currier (c) 2018
And, finally...for that impossible-to-buy-for-person in your life who already has everything...
What about a colorful custom-made crocheted Mermaid tail?
Perfect on a cold night for snuggling--with yourself...
Or for cosplaying Daryl Hannah's Splash mermaid Madison, indulging in a summer seaside swim; albeit a soggy one.

Perhaps Plato had it right that "necessity" really is the "mother of invention".
James "Kip" Currier (c) 2018

Sunday, April 15, 2018

A Nexus of Fan Culture and IP: Steel City Con Cosplay Pics...AND the Real McCoy--err, Eden; Steel City Con, April 13-15, 2018

Kip Currier, "A Nexus of Fan Culture and IP:
Steel City Con 
Cosplay Pics...AND the Real McCoy Eden"

Chewbacca and Frenemies
James "Kip" Currier (c) 2018

Jurassic Park ranger "Show & Tell"
James "Kip" Currier (c) 2018

Star Wars Families: They're Just Like Us!
James "Kip" Currier (c) 2018
3 Jawas and a Stormtrooper walk into a Bar...
James "Kip" Currier (c) 2018

Holy Sith!
James "Kip" Currier (c) 2018
R2D2 chillin' at Steel City Con
James "Kip" Currier (c) 2018
Black Sheep of the R2D2 Clan
Enter the Marvel Heroes...
Captain America: The First Avenger
James "Kip" Currier (c) 2018
Spider-Man striking a pose
James "Kip" Currier (c) 2018
Don't Mess with Cap and Ms. Marvel
James "Kip" Currier (c) 2018
(Hey, Phoenix....We Told You--No Avengers v. X-Men dustup right now...the Disney/Fox merger HASN'T been approved yet!)
James "Kip" Currier (c) 2018
And at the other side of the Thunderdome...Enter the DC heroes...
(Green) Arrow and Black Canary
James "Kip" Currier (c) 2018
The 1st Flash....Jay Garrick
James "Kip" Currier (c) 2018

Clark Kent and Zatanna
James "Kip" Currier (c) 2018
The Joker...sporting REALLY good hair product!
James "Kip" Currier (c) 2018
Shades of a DC Marvel meet cute?...
--"Joker, say Hello to Silk"
--"Silk...meet Joker"
James "Kip" Currier (c) 2018
"Fox and Friends" 2.0...
It's "Flash and Friends"
James "Kip" Currier (c) 2018


Newt Scamander...Have Wand Will Travel
James "Kip" Currier (c) 2018
A magnificent Maleficent
James "Kip" Currier (c) 2018
"Uh, guys...I'm here for the Game of Thrones Season 8 Extras Audition..."
James "Kip" Currier (c) 2018


Freddy Krueger (...and Frozen's Elsa in the back left. Yikes!)
James "Kip" Currier (c) 2018
Michael Myers
James "Kip" Currier (c) 2018
Kylo Ren, Negan, and Lucille
James "Kip" Currier (c) 2018

Captain Kangaroo and Mr. Moose
James "Kip" Currier (c) 2018
King Ezekiel (AKA "not your king", "not your majesty", "just some guy") sans Shiva...
"Excuse me...Has anyone seen a really stealthy Bengal Tiger around here?..."
James "Kip" Currier (c) 2018
Seeing double...2 Jeannies
James "Kip" Currier (c) 2018



AND the REAL Jeannie herself...Miss Barbara Eden
James "Kip" Currier (c) 2018