Ok....this Is Interesting....

The Lensman · 02-06-2004, 06:47 AM

Okaaaaay....so those one or two of you that follow my comics at Booze! know I do a strip called "Redshirts!" (a new one is on the way), so I do a google search on the term, just for shits and grins, and guess what? I find that there's a strip called Redshirts about two security guards put into shitty situations all the time. Which is basically the premise of my own strip. Mine started about two guards, one a robot, the other a guy I just call #5 (the blonde guy with the robot in the first one). We've each only published two strips, and I can't tell who came first. My strip has a copyright with a date, theirs doesn't. But they do claim to have trademarked the name.

My Redshirts!

The other Redshirts

Now I'm not really sure what to do here. They don't have an e-mail addy on their site, or a link to e-mail them. The strips look different, but use the same concept. I have many comic irons in the fire, as evidenced by the content at Booze!, so Redshirts! is not my only strip, but it is one I value and want to keep doing. Since I have no way of contacting them to discuss this, I'm going to keep doing my own. However, I usually do google searches when I come up with names, and I'm certain I did one for Redshirts! when I came up with it to verify whether or not someone else was doing something similar. I came up with nothing, and went forward.

Now, I've never created a banner, or image sig promoting Booze! because I wanted to wait until I had more content on the site (and given some of the right wing religious nuts I go up against on Trekweb, I can already see the reactions to something like "Lil Gothy") but I'm starting to think I need to make my stuff more public so that my protected works stay that way.

Any thoughts by the writers\artists?

Arik · 02-06-2004, 08:09 AM

I wouldn't worry about it. Trademarks really are used to protect brands, and neither one of you really have to worry about the other artists squeezing in on your market.

Besides, they didn't register Redshirts. Honestly, I don't think they have enough uses of it to get it registered (and neither do you, BTW).

If you want to make yours look official, put in the TM symbol in the first prominant place you use your trademarkable brand (Redshirts!, Booze! etc.). Legally, you can (have?) to do that, should you want to be able to enforce the Trademark.

As far as copyrights, there shouldn't be a problem there. While the premise is the same, the stories themselves are different, and that's the important part.

Arik · 02-06-2004, 08:33 PM

I should have mentioned, for any lurkers out there, that IANAL.

Cymro · 02-23-2004, 07:12 PM

You Anal?

Arik · 02-24-2004, 02:48 AM

I Am Not A Lawyer.

Stag · 02-24-2004, 01:28 PM

Do you play one on TV?

Arik · 02-24-2004, 02:12 PM

That'd be a sweet gig.

02-06-2004, 06:47 AM	#1 (permalink)
The Lensman The Original Patron Join Date: Jan 1970 Location: Earth, Sol, Milky Way Posts: 269	Okaaaaay....so those one or two of you that follow my comics at Booze! know I do a strip called "Redshirts!" (a new one is on the way), so I do a google search on the term, just for shits and grins, and guess what? I find that there's a strip called Redshirts about two security guards put into shitty situations all the time. Which is basically the premise of my own strip. Mine started about two guards, one a robot, the other a guy I just call #5 (the blonde guy with the robot in the first one). We've each only published two strips, and I can't tell who came first. My strip has a copyright with a date, theirs doesn't. But they do claim to have trademarked the name. My Redshirts! The other Redshirts Now I'm not really sure what to do here. They don't have an e-mail addy on their site, or a link to e-mail them. The strips look different, but use the same concept. I have many comic irons in the fire, as evidenced by the content at Booze!, so Redshirts! is not my only strip, but it is one I value and want to keep doing. Since I have no way of contacting them to discuss this, I'm going to keep doing my own. However, I usually do google searches when I come up with names, and I'm certain I did one for Redshirts! when I came up with it to verify whether or not someone else was doing something similar. I came up with nothing, and went forward. Now, I've never created a banner, or image sig promoting Booze! because I wanted to wait until I had more content on the site (and given some of the right wing religious nuts I go up against on Trekweb, I can already see the reactions to something like "Lil Gothy") but I'm starting to think I need to make my stuff more public so that my protected works stay that way. Any thoughts by the writers\artists? __________________ Everyone Booze Up And Riot!!! Milk and Cheese

02-06-2004, 08:09 AM	#2 (permalink)
Arik Astro-Monkey Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Here, dumbfuck! Posts: 2,304	I wouldn't worry about it. Trademarks really are used to protect brands, and neither one of you really have to worry about the other artists squeezing in on your market. Besides, they didn't register Redshirts. Honestly, I don't think they have enough uses of it to get it registered (and neither do you, BTW). If you want to make yours look official, put in the TM symbol in the first prominant place you use your trademarkable brand (Redshirts!, Booze! etc.). Legally, you can (have?) to do that, should you want to be able to enforce the Trademark. As far as copyrights, there shouldn't be a problem there. While the premise is the same, the stories themselves are different, and that's the important part. __________________ The writers of this post apologize for you being too stupid to understand it.

02-06-2004, 08:33 PM	#3 (permalink)
Arik Astro-Monkey Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Here, dumbfuck! Posts: 2,304	I should have mentioned, for any lurkers out there, that IANAL. __________________ The writers of this post apologize for you being too stupid to understand it.

02-23-2004, 07:12 PM	#4 (permalink)
Cymro Religious Fanatic Join Date: Nov 1999 Location: Shitsville, CF63 Posts: 4,912	You Anal? __________________ "Let me tell you something about humans, nephew: They're a wonderful, friendly people - as long as their bellies are full and their holosuites are working. "But take away their creature comforts, deprive them of food, sleep, sonic showers, put their lives in jeopardy over an extended period of time and those friendly, intelligent, wonderful people...will become as nasty and as violent as the most blood-thirsty klingon."

02-24-2004, 02:48 AM	#5 (permalink)
Arik Astro-Monkey Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Here, dumbfuck! Posts: 2,304	I Am Not A Lawyer. __________________ The writers of this post apologize for you being too stupid to understand it.

02-24-2004, 01:28 PM	#6 (permalink)
Stag It's me again Join Date: Jan 1970 Location: Florida Posts: 3,286	Do you play one on TV? __________________ "I want to do a motorboat on Shatner's manboobs" - Sam Cogley

02-24-2004, 02:12 PM	#7 (permalink)
Arik Astro-Monkey Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Here, dumbfuck! Posts: 2,304	That'd be a sweet gig. __________________ The writers of this post apologize for you being too stupid to understand it.

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