From “A Farewell to Arms” to the cartoon character Popeye the Sailor, thousands of artistic works will enter the public domain in the United States on Wednesday.
US copyright law expires after 95 years for books, films and other works of art, while sound recordings from 1924 will also be copyright-free. By entering the public domain, the pieces can be copied, shared, reproduced or adapted by anyone without paying the rights owner.
Every December, the Center for the Study of the Public Domain publishes a list1 of the cultural works that lose their copyright in the new year. The center, part of the Duke University School of Law in the southeastern US state of North Carolina, makes the list available on its website for anyone to peruse.
Get ready for B-movie horror Popeye and Tintin.
B-movie horror Popeye would be fuckin dope.
But with no spinach
I hope they don’t do some abominable shit to Tintin
edit: They already have
I’m ready with my unauthorized sequel “A farewell to legs’” by Eddie Hamonbone. It continues with Frederick walking in the rain when suddenly aliens appear and his wacky journey is just beginning.
What I don’t understand about this is why it matters if it’s just the USA.
Tintin is Belgian. So almost certainly published there first and covered under their copyright law. I’ve no idea what that is but just because it expires in the USA can’t mean it’s just an intentional free-for-all.
Wouldn’t the work still be covered in Belgium and any reuse anywhere would leave people liable to legal action there?
You’re gonna love it when you read about the events leading to Hollywood’s founding…
thank god disney has not gotten away with extending these laws any further. they need to be returned to 20 years.
