<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1">
<META content="MSHTML 6.00.6000.17104" name=GENERATOR>
<STYLE></STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Hi Folks! </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>He shouldn't be selling sketches of Groo he has
drawn, but judging from their reaction to past situations, this would
definitely fall into the "not worth the effort" category as far as Mark and
Sergio are concerned. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>-Gary G. </FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=Comics230@cox.net href="mailto:Comics230@cox.net">Comics230</A>
</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=groop@groo.com
href="mailto:groop@groo.com">groop@groo.com</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, November 16, 2011 7:21
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: [Groop] Possible Groo
copyright infringment on eBay</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>As an ACEO / sketch card collector, I do not see a problem with them.
While technically, they are copyright infringement, a reasonable person would
/ should know this artist did not create Groo or Spider-Man or Wonder Woman. I
have never seen a Groo ACEO, other than one someone did for me after I had
several cards from them. I think this artist would be a fan. </DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>Question: Isn't there a story about doing cartoons and selling them to
his classmates? I wonder if they were all him original creations?
<BR><BR>John
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>Go Bruins!</DIV>
<DIV>Go Patriots!</DIV></DIV>
<DIV><BR>On Nov 16, 2011, at 9:04 PM, Kaytee <<A
href="mailto:bodhikt@aol.com">bodhikt@aol.com</A>> wrote:<BR><BR></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE type="cite">
<DIV><FONT face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" color=black
size=2><FONT class=Apple-style-span
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size=2>The only thing is,
Sergio (and Mark) want to be asked beforehand if their TM'd characters are
going to be used, even if not for sale. And </FONT><FONT
class=Apple-style-span
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">definitely</FONT><FONT
class=Apple-style-span face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size=2>,
they need to be credited for the original-- he just "signed" the cards with
his initials, saying nothing about copyright/TM owners. It's not hard to get
permission-- Mark OK'd my use of Rufferto via e-mail. Dougie also has done
Groo sketches-- but not for sale.</FONT><BR><BR><FONT class=Apple-style-span
face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Maybe it's not
"worth" pursuing monetarily, but both Sergio and Mark still may
consider it worth "shutting down" the infringement because they want/need to
retain control of their intellectual properties. And if it's a "PSC"-- why
is he SELLING it?</FONT>
<DIV>
<DIV
style="CLEAR: both; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">
<DIV><BR></DIV></DIV>
<DIV
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: arial, helvetica">-----Original
Message-----<BR>From: Porter <<A
href="mailto:publicporter@gmail.com">publicporter@gmail.com</A>><BR>To:
groop <<A href="mailto:groop@groo.com">groop@groo.com</A>><BR>Cc: Tone
<<A
href="mailto:Tone@cranksgiving.net">Tone@cranksgiving.net</A>><BR>Sent:
Wed, Nov 16, 2011 9:41 am<BR>Subject: Re: [Groop] Possible Groo copyright
infringment on eBay<BR><BR>
<DIV id=AOLMsgPart_2_9e3a853b-d1e9-4a74-a37e-98f838774421>
<DIV>
<DIV>I think "AECO" is a typo. ACEO stands for Art Card Editions and
Originals and PSC stands for Personal Art Card. In other words, cards for
amateur artists and fan-art (see <A href="http://www.art-cards.org/"
target=_blank>http://www.art-cards.org/</A>).</DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV><BR>
<DIV>Technically I think you are right, Tone. Pretty sure these lots on eBay
would all be considered copyright infringement since they are of
trademarked/copyrighted subjects and are being sold publicly.</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>It is such small potatoes though. In my opinion this is just fan-art,
not a significant commercial enterprise, and is being sold for peanuts with
no claim to being the copyright owner or subject originator. To me, it would
seem rather petty to put the smackdown on such a lightweight transgression
by a fan.</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>With that said though, the seller/artist really should make note of the
original creator and/or copyright holder on the card or at the very least on
the sale page write something to the effect of "This is a fan-created
piece of art of a previously existing work by ____." That to me would
be enough.</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV>For an interesting discussion, see <A
href="http://www.plagiarismtoday.com/2010/05/13/the-messy-world-of-fan-art-and-copyright/"
target=_blank>http://www.plagiarismtoday.com/2010/05/13/the-messy-world-of-fan-art-and-copyright/</A></DIV></DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>On a related note, I have perfected forging the autographs of SA, ME,
SS & TL, which I am thinking I will use as blackmail in order to get one
of my letters printed in an upcoming Groograms (if I ever get around to
writing it - it's been probably 15-20 years since I last wrote one). If I am
denied, I shall flood the market with unbelievably hideous, poorly
drawn and conceived "original and unofficial" Groo-related comicbooks,
sketches and doodles, all sold for less than the cost of materials, and
thereby render Sergio and Mark as obsolete and remove them from their
evil monopoly over their own works. Solid plan, right? Groop-approved?
Great. Details and payment options to follow once I learn how to draw.</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>From the lurking shadows of the Groop and with kind regards to
all,</DIV>
<DIV> ~ Porter.</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><BR>
<DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE type="cite">
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: medium; FONT-FAMILY: 'Helvetica'"><B>From:
</B></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: medium; FONT-FAMILY: 'Helvetica'">"Tone" <<A
href="mailto:Tone@cranksgiving.net">Tone@cranksgiving.net</A>><BR></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: medium; FONT-FAMILY: 'Helvetica'"><B>Date:
</B></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: medium; FONT-FAMILY: 'Helvetica'">November 16, 2011
11:01:46 AM PST<BR></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: medium; FONT-FAMILY: 'Helvetica'"><B>To:
</B></SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: medium; FONT-FAMILY: 'Helvetica'"><A
href="mailto:groop@groo.com">groop@groo.com</A><BR></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: medium; FONT-FAMILY: 'Helvetica'"><B>Subject:
</B></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: medium; FONT-FAMILY: 'Helvetica'"><B>[Groop] Possible
Groo copyright infringment on eBay</B><BR></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV style="MARGIN: 0px"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: medium; FONT-FAMILY: 'Helvetica'"><B>Reply-To:
</B></SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: medium; FONT-FAMILY: 'Helvetica'"><A
href="mailto:Tone@cranksgiving.net">Tone@cranksgiving.net</A><BR></SPAN></DIV><BR><BR><SPAN
class=Apple-tab-span style="WHITE-SPACE: pre"></SPAN>I saw these two
auctions being sold on eBay by "hothunter" for Groo<BR>cards, which are
clearly not drawn by Sergio.<BR><BR>"AECO, Original PSC Sketch Groo The
Wanderer"<BR><A
href="http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170730125140"
target=_blank>http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170730125140</A><BR><BR>...and...<BR><BR>"AECO,
Original PSC Sketch Groo The Wanderer"<BR><A
href="http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170730124713"
target=_blank>http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170730124713</A><BR><BR><SPAN
class=Apple-tab-span style="WHITE-SPACE: pre"></SPAN>It looks like this
person, apparently named Mike Fletcher according to<BR>the descriptions,
draws up cards with subject matter, which does not<BR>belong to him, then
sells the cards on eBay. At the moment Hothunter has<BR>cards on eBay with
characters from Star Wars, Family Guy, Batman, and<BR>Groo. Their starting
bids are all $5 or less, but still... if he had<BR>drawn himself or anyone
he knew instead of popular fictional characters,<BR>would anyone ever be
interested in paying one cent?<BR><BR><SPAN class=Apple-tab-span
style="WHITE-SPACE: pre"></SPAN>I do not know what "AECO" or "PSC" in the
item heading stand for, but I<BR>doubt they have any legal justification
for his card sales. It is not<BR>like he describes any percentage going to
support the Comic Book Legal<BR>Defense Fund or anything like that either.
Can anyone in the Groop<BR>clarify what those acronyms mean?<BR><BR><SPAN
class=Apple-tab-span style="WHITE-SPACE: pre"></SPAN>Gary, is this a case
where you might have to inform Sergio or
Mark?</BLOCKQUOTE><BR></DIV><BR></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV><!-- end of AOLMsgPart_2_9e3a853b-d1e9-4a74-a37e-98f838774421 -->
<DIV id=AOLMsgPart_3_9e3a853b-d1e9-4a74-a37e-98f838774421
style="FONT-SIZE: 12px; MARGIN: 0px; COLOR: #000; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, Sans-Serif; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #fff"><PRE style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt"><TT>_______________________________________________
Groop mailing list
<A href="mailto:Groop@groo.com">Groop@groo.com</A>
<A href="http://mailman.newdream.net/mailman/listinfo.cgi/groop" target=_blank>http://mailman.newdream.net/mailman/listinfo.cgi/groop</A>
</TT></PRE></DIV><!-- end of AOLMsgPart_3_9e3a853b-d1e9-4a74-a37e-98f838774421 --></DIV></DIV></FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE type="cite">
<DIV><SPAN>_______________________________________________</SPAN><BR><SPAN>Groop
mailing list</SPAN><BR><SPAN><A
href="mailto:Groop@groo.com">Groop@groo.com</A></SPAN><BR><SPAN><A
href="http://mailman.newdream.net/mailman/listinfo.cgi/groop">http://mailman.newdream.net/mailman/listinfo.cgi/groop</A></SPAN></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE>
<P>
<HR>
<P></P>_______________________________________________<BR>Groop mailing
list<BR>Groop@groo.com<BR>http://mailman.newdream.net/mailman/listinfo.cgi/groop</BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>