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FEBRUARY 5, 2005 at 7:21 PM
Posted by GERI
Source: Sunday Herald
Representatives of JK Rowling and Warner Bros. are investigating possible copyright infringement centering around images HPANA posted last week from an issue of the U.S. Army's official Preventive Maintenance Monthly. The cartoon magazine, distributed to 80,000 army personnel, featured a multi-page parody of "Harry Potter" in the publication's May 2004 issue.
A spokesman for Rowling has confirmed
that they were looking into the matter and that the U.S. Army never approached them or Warner Bros. prior to its release.
According to Ken Crunk, based at Redstone arsenal in Alabama:
"The drawings were done by a contracted artist for us. They do not look like any of the characters from Harry Potter. We are very careful when we do these things not to copy images because that would be illegal. We use them to encourage soldiers to read the mag."
A U.S. Army spokesman added:
"Each issue of the magazine is reviewed by the aviation and missile command legal office. After reviewing this particular issue the legal office concluded that there was nothing done that was impermissible and that the illustrations were clearly in the scope of parody and that, therefore, there was no need to seek permission from JK Rowling."
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Potions Master
Points: 4784
Half-Blood Prince says:
JKR and WB have a great opportunity to collect. The Army's case is pretty weak and I imagine there will be a settlement.
Posted Feb 5, 2005 at 8:50 PM EST
Head Boy
Points: 445
Dark_Soul says:
Why would J.K. Rowling want more money than what she already has, ha... she already is like... umm... how many times richer than the queen of england? Well back to the topic, this would teach the Army a lesson...
Posted Feb 5, 2005 at 8:54 PM EST
High Inquisitor
Points: 23488
KT Lady says:
Hmmm....well I hope nothing serious happens! I thought the cartoons were funny, but hey if something happened with the copyright, that would not be good ;)
Posted Feb 5, 2005 at 8:55 PM EST
Witch
Points: 832
latinabloomlova says:
Odd how things happen eh? hehe. I agree. I REALLY wouldn't want to be JKR right now. I wonder too if they found out from HPANA. That would be such a huge coincidence.
Posted Feb 5, 2005 at 8:56 PM EST
Head Girl
Points: 450
MS.PHOENIX says:
I want to see it for myself. My brother is in the Army so I'm going to ask him if he got one. I hope he does, I want to see if there's any actual similarity.
Posted Feb 5, 2005 at 8:59 PM EST
Squib
Points: 140
Dark Lord DiG says:
Hahahaha, that's what you get when you use something without the copyright. That's just asking for trouble.
Posted Feb 5, 2005 at 9:04 PM EST
Student
Points: 205
Accio Potter says:
I agree that maybe they should have asked permission,or at least checked with her Agents.
I'm not a big fan of Parody myself,but it was for a good cause. Now that I can relate to.
Posted Feb 5, 2005 at 9:05 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 4th Class
Points: 1266
AsiaLovesHP says:
I dont think JKRowling would have taken it further..true what you guys..it would be true much stress on top of everything else she has on her plate...
I havent read the magazine because my computer is not working but by the looks of it its must be pretty funny...anyway I have to go and do some reading...
<3
Posted Feb 5, 2005 at 9:10 PM EST
Wind Made Solid
Points: 2579
GryffindorGrad99 says:
Interesting... if that is infringement, then what are all of our avatars and fanfics and the like? Well Jo and her publishers have to do what they have to do to protect their copyrights. But I thought the publication was funny myself, I don't think they meant any harm by it.
Posted Feb 5, 2005 at 9:29 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 3rd Class
Points: 1414
Hp Fan 9374 says:
They should be told not to then if they persist or keep doing it then they should be in trouble or sued or whatever else you do, but yer.
Posted Feb 5, 2005 at 9:33 PM EST
Squib
Points: 110
soccerpotterfan10 says:
I hope the Army doesn't get into trouble they were just kidding! Oh well, I love J.K. so whatever she does is ok but WOW!
Posted Feb 5, 2005 at 9:40 PM EST
Witch
Points: 556
hpbri says:
I think it's funny how they probably found out about the zine comics from here! hee hee
Posted Feb 5, 2005 at 9:40 PM EST
Hogwart's Jedi Princess
Points: 3491
Darth Amanda says:
Oh come on, JK! Dont sue them. That would be so lame. You are really letting me down here. That totally was a parody, just like SNL or Mad Magzine does. It was all in good fun. You wouldn't sue SNL, would ya? And that Nick kiddie show All That did a parody once. It's the same thing.
I would be very disaspointed in JK Rowling if she sued them because that would just be greedy. I dont think she is hurting for money.
Jk is like my personal role model soI hope she does not let us down.
Please JK, be a good example for your fans! Dont disaspoint us! Dont let us down!
Posted Feb 5, 2005 at 10:04 PM EST
Forgetful Werewolf
Points: 14831
Patronus_Potter says:
That spoof was a bit rubbish, not really worth taking legal action over.... Looks like they are gonna let it slide.
Posted Feb 5, 2005 at 10:06 PM EST
The Faerie Queene
Points: 3278
merri maven says:
The Warner Brothers and JKR reps should let this slide. The cartoon was obviously a parody, just like any other politcal cartoons that resemble the HP series or characters.
Plus, c'mon! The WB & JKR representatives are making LOADS of money anyways.
Posted Feb 5, 2005 at 10:15 PM EST
Seer
Points: 15207
Brittany Radcliffe says:
Hmmm, so...uhhhh is this a good thing.
i thought it was quite funny.
it was just for HA HA's and nothing wrong.
im sure JK "liked" it o_O
Posted Feb 5, 2005 at 10:21 PM EST
Hogwarts Psychologist
Points: 4236
Patronus Wiz says:
Whoops... I wonder about that? Did Jo find out about it because of HPANA? I understand why she would want to look into this. But, I also understand the Army's argument that it is a parody.
Posted Feb 5, 2005 at 10:36 PM EST
Ethereal Fairy
Points: 3077
harrypotterfreak_4life says:
Wow that's got to stink for them. But I think they should of taken the safe road an seek out permission anyways. Better safe than sorry.
Posted Feb 5, 2005 at 10:45 PM EST
Muggle
Points: 9
Saraha912 says:
If they copyrighted then thats bloodie wrong.
Posted Feb 5, 2005 at 10:52 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 2nd Class
Points: 1619
DurmStrang says:
Well, I hope no one gets in trouble. I do not think any harm was meant. I think if anything, it has helped promote the series to a wider audience.
Posted Feb 5, 2005 at 11:06 PM EST
Witch
Points: 879
Amara Nevena Malfoy says:
Wow, that's terrible. I assumed, being the military, that they would have simply asked permission of JKR to spoof HP. And how can they say that the comic doesn't resemble and HP characters? You've got a violently red-headed student wizard and a long-beared old wizard by the name of Rumbledore attending Mogwarts, plus many more! The army's incompetence in this little matter is making my head hurt....
Posted Feb 5, 2005 at 11:10 PM EST
Witch
Points: 570
ginnypotter2004 says:
I thought what the army had done was quite clever and I thought they would have gone through the proper people to make sure everything was legal but they have no one to blame but themselves so they shouldn't be trying to get out of it by saying they didn't copy. It's pretty pathetic.
Posted Feb 5, 2005 at 11:17 PM EST
Points: 15101
xeon says:
One has to wonder if JK Rowling and Warner Bros. representatives would not have found out about this magazine if not for our site posting the scans, hmmmm? im sure someone would have posted it, and somehow, it would have gotten to her and the wb.
Posted Feb 5, 2005 at 11:24 PM EST
Order of Merlin, 3rd Class
Points: 1508
Cute Petil says:
Wow, those army people should've asked JK's representatives if they could've used HP characters. I was quite obvious that they were copying off HP so they can't say that it was it was their own illustrative idea's.
The other thing is that JK must check HPANA or someother sites to have found this out, cool!!
Coolness :)
Posted Feb 5, 2005 at 11:32 PM EST
The Extra Terrestrial
Points: 2771
THE GREEN FLAME says:
They are funny all right.But I really do wish it wouldn't be any truble to THE Harry Potter series.Well if they are not copying and all I don't see whats the problem.Well I am not the expert!!**hehe**
And for the editers note..HPANA is surely the best.
Posted Feb 5, 2005 at 11:40 PM EST
Squib
Points: 150
k j says:
The comics were pretty funny, but you would think the the U.S. Army would have gotten permission to do something like that.
Posted Feb 5, 2005 at 11:54 PM EST
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