Differing from those instances when a cartoon is modified by redrawing one portion of the art to change the purpose, here is a case where the entire idea is just redrawn without credit or permission.
A US cartoonist has accused a Hong Kong education publisher of “stealing” his work after a drawing depicting a “cultural invasion” by American multinational brands appeared in a sample textbook for the revamped liberal studies subject.
Artist Andy Singer told HKFP on Friday that the political illustration – which appeared in a draft textbook printed by Marshall Cavendish Education for secondary school teachers – was “copied” from his work Invading new markets first published in 1998.
left: half of Andy Singer's cartoon © Andy Singer; right: same redrawn
Some users on Twitter on Thursday alleged that the textbook illustration was a “direct steal” from Singer. In response to HKFP’s enquiries, Singer agreed and and said there may be a copyright infringement.
“Yes, the cartoon seems like a direct steal. My cartoons appear in a Chinese news magazine called Neweekly, so someone either saw the image there (and copied it) or the found it on the internet,” Singer wrote in an email.
The Hong Kong Free Press carries the story of Andy Singer‘s stolen property.