Reusing names of characters, locations, etc is allowed because they are not subject to copyright (only trademark, and in very specific cases). But it is bad on unfair to do so?
Reusing names of characters, locations, etc is allowed because they are not subject to copyright (only trademark, and in very specific cases). But it is bad on unfair to do so?
I mean, if you write a western with a character called Luke Skywalker, on a planet called coruscant, it’s pretty bad because it’s just shitty writing unless you’re doing a direct spoof.
Now, a western with Luke Skywalker, on a planet called tatooine, with him as a gunslinger recruited by a marshal to go after a notorious bank robber and killer that turns put to be his dad? That’s good because it’s doing something interesting, but expect to hear lawyers.
My rule for whether or not something is fair in that regard is who profits.
A big company, idgaf at all. A single writer/creator, maybe don’t reuse their names because it’s kinda shitty to rip off an actual creator rather than investors. But even then, if you’re not trying to ride their coattails, idgaf