Comic Book Plus Forum

About The Comic Books We Have => Comics Not Allowed => Topic started by: JVJ on November 25, 2008, 11:03:27 PM

Title: Dell 1940s War titles
Post by: JVJ on November 25, 2008, 11:03:27 PM

Any info on whether these PD or not, Aussie? I just got a request from one of the guys scanning my comics to send a bunch in the next batch and I don't want to volunteer anything except PD books. The titles are War Comics, War Heroes and War Stories. Thanks.

Peace, Jim (|:{>

Title: Re: Dell 1940s War titles
Post by: narfstar on November 26, 2008, 03:02:02 AM

Aussie can confirm but I believe only the licensed titles from Dell are a problem. Their own books have all been OK. It was usually the license holders that had their titles renewed. So all the war books should be OK.

Title: Re: Dell 1940s War titles
Post by: Yoc on November 26, 2008, 03:05:12 AM

Hi Jim,
I did my own search on only found the Atlas War Comics had been renewed and the others are fine but could you please send JCOLAG a Private Message with your question to do a check as well.  I trust him to spot anything I might have missed.
If Aussie sees this I'm sure she will check as well.

Were there any other titles being requested that you wanted us to check for?

-Yoc

Title: Re: Dell 1940s War titles
Post by: JVJ on November 26, 2008, 03:49:33 AM

Thanks, Yoc,
I was pretty certain that War Comics was okay or else how could Atlas have used the title, eh? No, these were the only ones that I had any questions about. Just want to keep the spirit of the site - which I just noticed has recently reached its terrible twos. Lots of scans in only two years.

Title: Re: Dell 1940s War titles
Post by: Yoc on November 26, 2008, 04:31:49 AM

Thanks Jim.
And may GAC have many more birthdays as well!
:)

Title: Re: Dell 1940s War titles
Post by: John C on November 26, 2008, 06:53:59 PM

If you have the years handy, I can try a more rigorous issue-by-issue search.  However, if they were all published pre-1950 and we trust Ockerbloom's "first renewals" list (I do, for at least a first pass), then they're public domain.

I'm guessing that Atlas went ahead because there's no trademark issue, not because of any copyright details.  Nobody was going to confuse their title with the older series, so it's safe.  As a modern parallel, I doubt even DC would give you more than a tiny bit of trouble if you published a comic titled "Resurrection Man," as long as it doesn't resemble their character.

Title: Re: Dell 1940s War titles
Post by: JVJ on November 26, 2008, 09:17:55 PM

point taken, jcolag,
but YOU have a much more benign view of DC's lawyers than I'll ever have.

Yes, all those Dells were published during WWII.

Peace, Jim (|:{>

Title: Re: Dell 1940s War titles
Post by: Aussie500 on November 28, 2008, 11:05:47 PM

They all look fine to me. :)