Comments on: Washington Post to host “cartoon project” (UPDATED)

By: Bearman Cartoons

Bearman Cartoons — Fri, 14 May 2010 03:31:56 +0000

Rules have been updated to what I consider favorable terms for the artist and now they announced a $1000 grand prize

By: Eileen Conley

Eileen Conley — Fri, 14 May 2010 00:20:40 +0000

Thanks to Michael C. for keeping on through three straight days of rules-revision meetings. For those of us who like to draw cartoons, we know that kind of serious engagement must have seemed like twelve days. With those changes, I am happy to jump into this too. Thanks again.

By: Michael Cavna

Michael Cavna — Thu, 13 May 2010 00:32:57 +0000

Absolutely. After three straight days of rules-revision meetings, I’ll continue to update until this is hammered out.

–M.C.

By: Bearman Cartoons

Bearman Cartoons — Wed, 12 May 2010 00:28:14 +0000

Thanks for the continued updates Michael.

By: Mike Cope

Mike Cope — Tue, 11 May 2010 14:26:47 +0000

Too bad the eligibility isn’t more inclusive like Comic Strip Superstar was — it was a fun experience.

By: Kelly McNutt

Kelly McNutt — Tue, 11 May 2010 13:50:17 +0000

Leave it to lawyers to take a good idea and lame it up.

By: Michael Cavna

Michael Cavna — Tue, 11 May 2010 13:19:36 +0000

Thanks again, Bearman Cartoons, for pointing to the clauses that most concerned you. They need revision.

I met with the contest’s producers and Post legal yesterday and I have proposed new wording so that, among other things, the Entrant/Creator does NOT forfeit rights to his/her work. Revisions are absolutely TK in the days ahead.

My cartoon creations have always been like my children; there’s a big difference between letting my “kid” go on an audition with hopes of landing a national commercial VS. signing away my firstborn. (And feel free to run with that metaphor however you see fit — it’s a fertile one, to be sure.)

I’ll definitely keep folks apprised.

–M.

By: Ted Rall

Ted Rall — Tue, 11 May 2010 12:05:51 +0000

I was recently asked to judge a new cartoon contest. The rules contained the same language about transferring copyright in toto to the organization sponsoring the contest.

It got changed–after a lot of argument–but this is clearly something of a trend: Lawyers Gone Wild.

Certainly contest organizers need the right to reproduce winning entries, but the right to reprint is sufficient for that. Six decades after Milt Caniff waged the battle against his syndicate, it is standard for cartoonists to retain copyright in their work.

By: Shawn Labadie

Shawn Labadie — Tue, 11 May 2010 04:26:40 +0000

I read through all the rules today and that was a HUGE concern for me as well. It looks like it only applies to the challenge portion of the contest which means that the original 6 strips or panels that you submit are not subject to this. Based on the way the rules read the challenge portion looks like you will be asked to create some original work that may or may not include any current features that you are working on.

I’d be interested in seeing the clarification from The Post on this.

By: Tony Piro

Tony Piro — Tue, 11 May 2010 03:07:00 +0000

Wow, so I get to lose my copyright, whether I win or not?

Sign me up!