1st Edition
The Pocket Lawyer for Comic Book Creators A Legal Toolkit for Comic Book Artists and Writers
Focal Press' Pocket Lawyer series serves as a legal toolkit for independent producers and artists in the creative industries.
The Pocket Lawyer for Comic Book Creators is designed to help emerging artists and veteran professionals in the comic book industry build a solid foundation of business and communication practices that they need to thrive in today's ever-changing, uncertain world of indie comics. Readers will learn to protect their copyrights, negotiate publishing deals, hire artists so everyone wins, and learn the ins and outs of key contracts with this helpful resource.
Disclaimer
Acknowledgements
Dedication
About the Author and Contributors
PART I: Quick Start
FAQs
Getting Started
The Structure of the Book
How to Use this Book
The Audience for this Book
PART II: The Creative Process
Chapter 1: Intellectual Property
Chapter 2: Copyright Law
PART III: Contracts: The Engine Which Drives the Deal
Chapter 3: Contracts: Getting into Gear
Part IV: Putting It Together
Chapter 4: The Solo Creator
Chapter 5: Setting up Shop
Chapter 6: Collaboration
Chapter 7: Hiring Other Artists
Chapter 8: Clearances and Licensing the Rights of Others
Part V: Getting It out There
Chapter 9: Blog It! Tweet It! Post It! Promote It!
Chapter 10: Landing a Publisher
Chapter 11: Working for a Publishing Company
Chapter 12: The Comic Book Publishing Agreement
Chapter 13: Self-Publishing
Chapter 14: What Happens When Something Goes Wrong?
Part VI: The Law Library
Appendix A: A Comic Creator's Guide to Copyright Law
Appendix B: A Comic Creator's Guide to Protecting Ideas
Appendix C: A Comic Creator's Guide to Trademark Law
Appendix D: A Comic Creator's Guide to the Right of Publicity & Other Privacy Rights
Appendix E: A Comic Creator's Guide to Libel and Defamation
Appendix F: A Comic Creator's Guide to Moral Rights & the Visual Artists Rights Act
Appendix G: Contract Anatomy for Comic Book Creators
Appendix H: Famous Comic Book Cases
Appendix I: Online Resources
Biography
Thomas A. Crowell
“The Pocket Lawyer for Comic Book Creators: A Legal Toolkit for Comic Book Artists and Writers by Thomas A. Crowell Esq., is a powerful book that explains complex legal concepts in easy to understand language… In addition to being informative and easy to use, the book is also entertaining. Crowell writes in a conversational tone and his prose is not jargon laden… The legal landscape can be terrifying for the new and seasoned creator alike. Thankfully, there are books like The Pocket Lawyer for Comic Book Creators that can help them navigate this terrain.” - Joe Sergi, author of The Law for Comic Book Creators, Comics Experience
