In need of Advice

[ChaosBurnFlame]

Lately, a troll of mine(for those that are familiar with the saga of Larry lewis) has started to kick up activity again.

He's first claimed that after finding the first thread posted about him on the CG forums that we all are cowards and have no right to criticize his work. And that I had no right to post his work anywhere(even though he claimed disappointment that I didn't post them on my website as 'fanart', which by definition is permission for me to post it anywhere I'd like).

Well, his latest threat is to make his own version of Point Guardian.

He's sent me the first two pages he's drawn.

Needless to say, his artistic 'skills' have not improved over the years.

http://s48.photobucket.com/albums/f213/ ... doc020.jpg

http://s48.photobucket.com/albums/f213/ ... doc021.jpg

It gives me bad flashbacks from the days of heroes Reborn...

But it appears his threat of trying to make a derivative of my work is coming true. Should I contact any sort of legal aid?

[McDuffies]

Personally, if that happened to me, I'd spill my guts out laughing.

Edit: Wow, CBF, you're being plagiatrized by Rob Liefeld on crack!

[Turnsky]

ignore him, CBF, i mean honestly, the man has no idea how to draw himself. He obviously has ego issues and thinks he can do better, trust me, i have my own potential troll issue, they're fun to watch.. don't worry, if he goes around spouting shit about you, there's no such thing as bad publicity on the internet, so that'll only serve to help you in the long term..

Edit: oh, and if he tries to publish, and make money, you can sue his little ass for copyright violations

[That guy]

... he claimed disappointment that I didn't post them on my website as 'fanart', which by definition is permission for me to post it anywhere I'd like....

Technically, a request to post in one place is not permission to post anywhere, although if they're your characters and they were a gift you do retain certain copyrights (the same rights that make it illegal for him to steal them without permission now). I have no idea the context of that thread, but it would seem rather mean if it had been a "Hey, look at this guy, doesn't he suck?" kind of post.

... Well, his latest threat is to make his own version of Point Guardian...

Wow. That doesn't work as a threat so much as a heads-up, here's something you can pursue legal action over. Why he would seek revenge by copying you is beyond me - bit of a bizarre compliment in a way.

As to whether or not you should pursue legal action - I would certainly inform him of your rights and his position should you choose to enforce them. Your characters are your intellectual property and Copyright law specifically prohibits the distribution of derivative works - with very few exceptions (If his were clearly satirical or a kind of interprative work).

If he were to try posting them here on CG, for instance, you could contact your admins and have his work removed as it is obviously against CG's rules and regs to violate copyright law. Similar rules, I'm sure, exist on Drunk Duck and other comic servers.

My guess is he's young and foolish and doesn't realize the laws involved. If he behaves himself and stops acting immature, you might even consider taking the immitation as flattery and offer to put up his story in a fan-fiction section on your own site. It doesn't hurt to get fans involved and show that you appreciate their attention (other fans love to see that and it can only make you look better by comparison).

[McDuffies]

Less talking, more making fun of those attrocious drawings! I mean look at that guy! Does he fight villains with a bulge in his pants or with a wasp-this waist?

[Turnsky]

Less talking, more making fun of those attrocious drawings! I mean look at that guy! Does he fight villains with a bulge in his pants or with a wasp-this waist?

worked for Henry the Eighth

[ChaosBurnFlame]

... he claimed disappointment that I didn't post them on my website as 'fanart', which by definition is permission for me to post it anywhere I'd like....

Technically, a request to post in one place is not permission to post anywhere, although if they're your characters and they were a gift you do retain certain copyrights (the same rights that make it illegal for him to steal them without permission now). I have no idea the context of that thread, but it would seem rather mean if it had been a "Hey, look at this guy, doesn't he suck?" kind of post.

... Well, his latest threat is to make his own version of Point Guardian...

Wow. That doesn't work as a threat so much as a heads-up, here's something you can pursue legal action over. Why he would seek revenge by copying you is beyond me - bit of a bizarre compliment in a way.

As to whether or not you should pursue legal action - I would certainly inform him of your rights and his position should you choose to enforce them. Your characters are your intellectual property and Copyright law specifically prohibits the distribution of derivative works - with very few exceptions (If his were clearly satirical or a kind of interprative work).

If he were to try posting them here on CG, for instance, you could contact your admins and have his work removed as it is obviously against CG's rules and regs to violate copyright law. Similar rules, I'm sure, exist on Drunk Duck and other comic servers.

My guess is he's young and foolish and doesn't realize the laws involved. If he behaves himself and stops acting immature, you might even consider taking the immitation as flattery and offer to put up his story in a fan-fiction section on your own site. It doesn't hurt to get fans involved and show that you appreciate their attention (other fans love to see that and it can only make you look better by comparison).

My personal theory is he's no fan... at least, not in the traditional sense.

He's a bully that doesn't know how to handle any other aspect of a comic other than draw(bare with me for a minute). He thought he could force himself onto the webcomic scene by bullying me to relinquish my pencil and brush by degrading me into nothing and 'saving' my work by doing it for me.

Now, btw, even if he was as good as he claimed he was, I would have still flat out refused because I started Point Guardian as a constant exercise to continually draw and write as a way to improve my skills in both fields.

He couldn't take refusal so he resorted to pure bullying tactics and harassment. But in the end, I took his occasional(and very badly formatted) e-mails as jokes.

This latest issue, however, requires a more serious, and potentially legal, response.

[That guy]

My personal theory is he's no fan... at least, not in the traditional sense.

He's a bully that doesn't know how to handle any other aspect of a comic other than draw(bare with me for a minute). He thought he could force himself onto the webcomic scene by bullying me to relinquish my pencil and brush by degrading me into nothing and 'saving' my work by doing it for me...

Oh, sh*t, I DO remember that thread! I may have even commented on what a dick he was then. Ahem...

LARRY LEWIS: because you'll likely find this thread. Your artwork is not impressive. It is decent-amateur work at best and downright painful at worst. What's more, a comic author is much more than an artist. The writing, the concepts, the characters, the layouts - these are all arguably more important. Your rip-off would be both worse than the original and illegal. Stop being dumb. Just stop. Move on.

[Turnsky]

you know, from looking at this guy's work.. i've seen better drawn furry porn.

[ChaosBurnFlame]

You insult Furry porn by making the comparison.

[Rkolter]

Any publicity is good publicity.

Good grief. This guy must be in love with you or something.

[The Mortician]

Actually, if I understood what Linkara said in chat last night, the same guy is lusting after Lightbringer as well.

[Spqrblues]

This latest issue, however, requires a more serious, and potentially legal, response.

Though in theory I agree with you, I'd still be careful, though. My joking reference to taking legal action if someone did something similar with my own comic ended with, yup, someone doing something similar with my own comic just to teach me a lesson or something. They took my art and substituted obscene and homophobic comments for the dialogue in ten strips or so. One place where it was posted, the ISP later removed it on their own. I think it's still online on another website that encourages doing that sort of thing. When I commented about it here on CG, I was pretty much warned to keep my head down or it would only get worse, though the mods were sympathetic. So, unless he gets out of hand, maybe you should just keep your head down, and wait for him to go away, right? He probably just wants attention. Maybe he wants to be just like you when he grows up....

(In fact, I debated whether or not even to join this conversation, but I really don't want to be afraid even to post on CG.)

P.S.:

Wow, CBF, you're being plagiatrized by Rob Liefeld on crack!

Bwahahaha!

[ChaosBurnFlame]

Actually, if I understood what Linkara said in chat last night, the same guy is lusting after Lightbringer as well.

Yes, Linkara PM'ed me about it and I gave him the advice of not accepting on the principle that the guy's a bully and would try to overshadow any work he's done to Lightbringer.

[ChaosBurnFlame]

also, spqrblues, I just peeked at your comic, and I like what I see. You have a very nice, classical art style befitting of the age and feel you're going for.

[Shishio]

This latest issue, however, requires a more serious, and potentially legal, response.

Though in theory I agree with you, I'd still be careful, though. My joking reference to taking legal action if someone did something similar with my own comic ended with, yup, someone doing something similar with my own comic just to teach me a lesson or something. They took my art and substituted obscene and homophobic comments for the dialogue in ten strips or so. One place where it was posted, the ISP later removed it on their own. I think it's still online on another website that encourages doing that sort of thing. When I commented about it here on CG, I was pretty much warned to keep my head down or it would only get worse, though the mods were sympathetic. So, unless he gets out of hand, maybe you should just keep your head down, and wait for him to go away, right? He probably just wants attention. Maybe he wants to be just like you when he grows up....

I agree with this.

And I agree with your assessment of SPQR Blues.

SPQR Blues rocks.

Anyway, it could be worse. I could be trying to rip you off. (I make that guy look like Michaelangelo.)

[ChaosBurnFlame]

This latest issue, however, requires a more serious, and potentially legal, response.

Though in theory I agree with you, I'd still be careful, though. My joking reference to taking legal action if someone did something similar with my own comic ended with, yup, someone doing something similar with my own comic just to teach me a lesson or something. They took my art and substituted obscene and homophobic comments for the dialogue in ten strips or so. One place where it was posted, the ISP later removed it on their own. I think it's still online on another website that encourages doing that sort of thing. When I commented about it here on CG, I was pretty much warned to keep my head down or it would only get worse, though the mods were sympathetic. So, unless he gets out of hand, maybe you should just keep your head down, and wait for him to go away, right? He probably just wants attention. Maybe he wants to be just like you when he grows up....

I agree with this.

And I agree with your assessment of SPQR Blues.

SPQR Blues rocks.

Anyway, it could be worse. I could be trying to rip you off. (I make that guy look like Michaelangelo.)

I disagree..

You're actually quite good, IMHO.

[Spqrblues]

also, spqrblues, I just peeked at your comic, and I like what I see. You have a very nice, classical art style befitting of the age and feel you're going for.

Thanks I'm trying not to stay too posed or formal all the time, but I doubt I'll ever be breaking too far out of the horizontal strip format. The latest comic is pretty much as crrrazy as I get. Wild! Madness! Now with more thighs!

SPQR Blues rocks.

Shishio is such a great supporter--someday we'll meet at some comic convention and I'll have to give you a plate of blueberry brownies or something in appreciation. Or a big glass of Roman vermouth. And if my comic's hero, Felix, had internet access, you know he'd be a huge fan of One-liners. And some stalker-troll would probably be copying all our webcomics onto the walls of the latrine at the Baths....

(I make that guy look like Michaelangelo.)

Yikes, I disagree. Clearly you need more vermouth, which I find always increases my opinion of myself.

[Shishio]

Thanks guys, but I write One-liners.

Let me know if you're ever going to find yourself in Toronto, Klio.

[McDuffies]

LARRY LEWIS: because you'll likely find this thread. Your artwork is not impressive. It is decent-amateur work at best and downright painful at worst.

That's to put it mildly. Everything is in the wrong place on those drawings, they might look "cool" at the first sight, but they barely resemble human. Perhaps that style is fit to some kind of bizzare parody, but for anything remotely serious, with that style you'd be a subject of ridicule.