In my novel, my character buys and reads a manga book that exists for real and was published by Tokyopop. Would it be illegal to write about the story and characters of that manga in my novel, even if I don't quote anything?
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| Mr Michael | What isn't copyrighted? |
    9,000 / 50,000 Official Participant
Joined: Okt 30, 2009
Location: Gothenburg, Sweden Posts: 176
Posted on:
Nov 4, 2009 - 01 59 |
In my novel, my character buys and reads a manga book that exists for real and was published by Tokyopop. Would it be illegal to write about the story and characters of that manga in my novel, even if I don't quote anything? |
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Nov 4, 2009 - 03 29
Titles, names etc. can't be copyrighted. They might be trademarked, but that's to stop someone else trying to use them as their own. Your characters can talk about other characters & titles to their heart's content, as long as you're not trying to pass off the actual content as your own. Also be careful if you're saying negative things about them.
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9,000 / 50,000
Nov 4, 2009 - 05 43
Thanks, xenith! You say I should "be careful if you're saying negative things about them", but since that's the complete opposite of what I'll be doing I should be OK.
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Nov 4, 2009 - 07 14
Note, even if you're saying negative things, it's generally fine if it's clear it's just an opinion (especially a character's opinion) and not you trying to put it over as fact.
Character A doesn't like McDonald's. - fine
Character A gets food poisoning from McDonald's. - not so fine
McDonald's is secretly run by aliens. - again fine because it's so absurd it's obviously parody and not in the realm of reality
Anyway. Have you ever seen the movie "Clerks."? At one point the characters just stand around discussing the implications of contracted workers on the Death Star in "Return of the Jedi"...