Links: Copyright in the News

A friend and I were discussing the comic and book industries which eventually led to the discussion to the changing nature of copyright. She believes that the future of the creative arts will lie with s/he who creates the intellectual property. I believe we're going to have to come up with a less antiquated way to license and sell that intellectual property to make that work. While I've previously posted the link on the Lenz v. Universal suit, here are some other court cases you should be aware of:

• A translation of the Lexicon Ruling from A Chair, A Fireplace and a Tea cozy.
• Penguin wins a reversal on the Steinbeck ruling.
  
• Earlier this year a judge ruled that the heirs of Jerome Siegel were entitled to part of the copyright of Superman (rights that were sold for $130).
  

Note: Jerome Siegel's case was not unique, Jack Kirby did not have rights to many of the characters he created for Marvel. Even today, my comics knowledgeable friend says, there are comic book companies whose contracts strip the writer/creator of all rights to their characters.