u/Greybishop_PDSH

Let's take a really famous "for instance" and pretend it's January 2, 2034.

The covers of the first few Action Comics issues are now public domain. The art is fully public domain. But the character of Superman and the character's signature symbol (various versions) are still trademarked. I am not certain, but I believe there is a trademark on his red and blue unitard/cape look as well.

My question is, can someone use that famous Action Comics #1 art for a cover piece for a new comic, book or poster?

I'd be more than happy to signal that the work is not DC Comics approved or related, but I'm hazy on how such usage works in relation to trademark.

This example is just for illustrative purposes. I'm well aware he's still currently not public domain.

Talking to u/ThePirateThief about Rebus Reborn, his public domain super hero universe.

Another take on the infinite possibilities of the public domain and the characters who inhabit it.

I only recently learned that the Superman comic strips from 1939 were not properly registered, making them public domain.

My question is, where can one get scans of those strips that could be used to reproduce them?

The only source I've found is a scan at Internet Archive of the DC Comics book, Superman Dailies and I don't know if it would be legal to reproduce the scans of the strips from that in a book of my own.

Does anyone here know where I can find what I'm looking for?

This is a property I only learned about this evening.

A really great idea, basically historical fiction with a single, incredible sword as the main throughline through the ages, written by Arthur D. Howden Smith in 1929, so it's public domain, even in the U.S.

I'm strongly considering adding this to my line as a public domain, illustrated reprint, though not until I've taken a closer look at the text and history of the stories. It feels like something that might be a good fit within my Public Domain Super Heroes universe, though again, I need to do the research before deciding that.

I will be reading it closely this week, but I'd love to know if anyone here is aware of it and what they think of it.

Just to let all those here know, if you have an interest specifically in public domain super heroes, I've just been granted mod status at r/Publicdomainsuperhero and will be reviving what had become a dormant sub over the next few days and weeks.

I am changing some rules and hoping to encourage lots of posting.

Obviously, this sub is the primary and that's as it should be, but if you want to talk about public domain super heroes, specifically, I'd love to see you over there.

Cross posting from here will be very welcome if it's on topic.

I currently moderate r/PubDomainSuperHeroes, a community dedicated to public domain super heroes. The requested subreddit has no moderators and has been inactive for months. I'd like to revive it as a properly moderated resource for discussion, news, and preservation of public domain superhero characters and related media.

This is an ongoing universe, interconnected on a grand scale, with all of these characters existing in the same timeline. Someone elsewhere asked me for a list like this and once I'd compiled it, it seemed a shame not to share it further.

Happy to answer questions!

I write every word, 100% me and a human editor responsible for the work. I did start with AI covers but I'm now working with human artists going forward. 1 book a month, links in my bio.

Here's the list of the characters I’ve pulled from the public domain and beside each, any significant changes from the original that I’ve added. There are also at least this many original characters peppered through all the books, many as interesting or even more than some of the better known ones I've used.

Kull of Atlantis. Usually portrayed as a King, I’ve gone with a younger version, wandering in my Earth’s prehistory, rather than Robert E. Howard’s pre-Hyborain Thurian Age.

Solomon Kane. Essentially unchanged.

Red SonYa of Rogatino. She only ever appeared in a single Robert E. Howard story. The biggest change is that she doesn’t speak like a Howard pastiche character.

Tarzan. My version is Chinese. You read that right.

Sherlock Holmes. My version is (redacted) and that affects every aspect of his character and mystery solving. Soon to be revealed. (It’s a doozy, folks!)

The Invisible Man (Griffin). He’s now a mercenary smuggler, along with a crazed scientist. More to come.

Professor Challenger. Essentially unchanged.

Captain Nemo. Essentially unchanged, moved a bit forward in time to allow him to still be alive circa WWI.

Ibis the Invincible. One of a very small number of PoC lead characters from the 1940s comics, I’ve made him my ‘Ferryman” character, responsible for finding, vetting and escorting each era’s champion (Captain Marvel) to meet that era’s Shazam and be burdened with the power. I’ve made him (sorta) immortal. And he bakes.

Captain Midnight. Once a male hero of comics, screen and radio, I’ve retooled her as a gay, bodybuilding woman who masqueraded as a man through WWII so she could fly bombers against the Axis.

The Spider. The original Spider was essentially a serial killer who used his wealth and secret identity to target criminals. My version is Richard Wentworth’s daughter, Rikki, who operates as The Spider in Silk City. She’s essentially a flirty, sexy Batman. How fun is that?

Dr. Satan. Taken from his single appearance in the 1940 serial film, Mysterious Dr. Satan, my Dr. Satan is essentially unchanged.

Spy Smasher. Essentially unchanged from his comics appearance in Fawcett Comics in the 1940s except for a colour scheme update, my version is a post war vigilante hunting Nazi scientist war criminals, while simultaneously his civilian persona (a C.I.A. operative) is tasked with bringing Spy Smasher in, since the government is using those same war criminals in scientific projects.

Hop Harrigan. I’ve given Hop a limb difference which led to his nickname. He’s basically my Six Million Dollar Man.

The Flame. Gary Preston was the super hero The Flame. My version maintains all those powers, including the bonkers idea of teleporting through flame, but he’s a Prince of the planet Pyrodania, real name Gar Ypres-Ston. He’s the alien equivalent of an African-American and he’s gay.

Crash Corrigan. Essentially the same as his single appearance in the 1936 serial, Undersea Kingdom, except he’s gay too.

John Carter. Essentially unchanged except for being a WWII soldier, rather than a Civil War veteran.

Buck Rogers. Essentially unchanged except for moving slightly ahead in time to be a WWII soldier.

Wilma Deering. The character is now a fellow American military officer during WWII rather than being someone Buck meets in the future.

Minute-Man. Essentially unchanged.

Fighting American. Essentially unchanged.

Miss Victory. Essentially unchanged, though she is the strongest one on her team, apparently inheriting her strength and speed through the female line in her family. More to come.

The Shield. Essentially unchanged.

Uncle Sam. Essentially unchanged.

Dan Garret. As yet to take up the mantle of the Blue Beetle, Garret is a cop in Silk City, moonlighting as a security guard.

Copperhead. My version of Bob Wayne (yes, that’s really his name) is very similar to the hero of the 1940 serial, Mysterious Dr. Satan, but I’ve fleshed him out and given him some neat serpent based super-powers. He also might just have a cousin named “Bruce” but so far he’s only mentioned an uncle Thomas…

Captain Marvel. My version is pretty different. I derive the powers of SHAZAM from Indigenous mythology rather than Greco-Roman as in the original. My Billy Batson is a girl. Captain Marvel is still male when she transforms and THAT is a huge part of my long term plan for the universe. Much, MUCH more to come.

Captain Marvel Jr. My version of Captain Marvel Jr. is very similar to the original, but my version of Freddy Freeman is an indigenous youth who is also a trans-boy. The wish fulfilment aspects of the Shazam power are in full play in this case and as with Captain Marvel, that is essential to my long term plot.

Mary Marvel. My version of Mary is essentially unchanged with the exception of her civilian identity being an indigenous girl.

Uncle Marvel. My version of Uncle Dudley doesn’t dress up or pretend to have powers. Like his nieces, he is an indigenous person.

Tawky Tawny. My version is Toni, owner of Toni’s Talkies, possibly the last DVD rental store on earth. She is Uncle Dudley’s lady friend. More to come on her.

Captain Nazi. I’ve made Captain Nazi a bit different. One of my original villains, Perdita DeVachron, inhabits the clone of her late brother, the once formidable (and original) WarWulf who fought for the Axis. She gains the power of SHAZAM through nefarious means in Never, Mind!

Mr. Mind. My version of the alien worm is a bio-engineered parasite who feeds on negative emotion, magic and the powers of super heroes. He is a tiny, green, red and black worm with teeth along his flanks, mildly psychic and wholly terrifying.