[The KKM]

QUOTE Hey you. Yes, you. You read Archie Sonic? Yes, no? Don't care, please send this to someone. This is about principles and professionalism.

Ken Penders just copyrighted all of his stories and Characters from Archie Sonic, and proceeded to forbid anyone, ANYONE, particularly Archie and SEGA, from using them or face cease and desist.

Basically, 80% of the comic's mythology.

This, my friends, is called BEING A DOUCHE.

Please spread this. This is unacceptable- imagine Stan Lee forbidding Marvel from using any character he created?

I mean, even if Penders manages to make his stories alone, who will publish him? and who will buy from such a douche?

[link] here, read it.

Some quotes:

"Every story since issue #160 that features my characters and concepts is essentially unauthorized, as I did not grant Archie Comics the right to use my creations for their benefit without compensation to me."

"For now, they cannot reprint any of my stories in any media whatsoever, nor can they use any of my characters. Julie-Su, Geoffrey St. John, Hershey, Rob O' the Hedge, Lien-Da, the Dark Legion along with the rest of the characters and concepts I created - including the alternative universes and future timeline - cannot appear in the series"

So yeah. Spread the word- Penders is a douche, and we have evidence to support it. Let's boycott him even before he does anything more.

What he is doing is cancel a comic he is no longer affiliated with, five years after he left, because he's throwing a tantrum.

This post has been edited by The KKM: 27 March 2013 - 07:36 PM

[Quarterman]

This has to be a joke. I can't believe that this dude would be so spiteful towards the publisher. I think that Archie will find a way around it, either through monetary compensation or outright challenging it in court. Panders is showing the maturity of a small, over privileged child. Such unprofessionalism is disgusting.

[Adamis]

So he complains because a Sega game borrowed things from stories he wrote, these stories being inspired by Sega's properties? Yeah right, Penders.

[Frozen Nitrogen]

I find it difficult to believe he'll have a leg to stand on legally. Archie or SEGA owns the Archie Sonic characters, surely.

[Andlabs]

At this time, anyone distributing and selling copies of SONIC ARCHIVES Nos. 3 through 13, SONIC SELECT Nos. 1 and 2, as well as any of the latest issues of SONIC THE HEDGEHOG and SONIC UNIVERSE that feature my characters in any way, shape or form will be asked to cease and desist or else risk facing the consequences. This includes any version of said material, which also includes my original works, which sees release in any format beyond the original published comic books, including but not limited to digital downloads. (Yes, the iTunes and iPhones stores distributing my stories are currently infringing my copyrights, and are in the process of being made aware of this infringement.)

He also claims that the first sale doctrine doesn't exist. Too bad Autodesk already tried that.

[Tweaker]

I guess Ken Penders couldn't stand watching the series go on without a healthy heaping of gay walruses, rings and dick. What a douche.

[Donnyku]

Are you saying he JUST copyrighted it? If so, as soon as it was published it was copyright by Archie, at least I've always read that's how it worked.

[Ritz]

How is this even possible? There's no way he could actually own any of these characters when they're all essentially Knuckles with optional gender swaps and accessories tacked on. Geoffrey is practically the only remotely original character he could lay claim to. He's going to crash and burn spectacularly.

[Dr. Mecha]

.......Fuck you Ken............fuck you.

That's all I've got to say about this.

[Andlabs]

Oh and just to clear it up, here are the possible legal issues Ken is facing:

• Sega and whoever else owns SatAM suing him for trademark infringement and copyright infringement by claiming ownership of Sonic and the SatAM characters
• Consumers suing for false advertising (since this means Ken made Sonic and the characters) and violation of first sale doctrine (see above)
• Archie suing for potential breach of contract (who knows), trademark infringement (the Archie logo), and copyright infringement (Archie owns the rights to the stories, not him)

Yeah, he won't stand a chance.

This post has been edited by Andlabs: 07 July 2010 - 06:13 PM

[Dr. Mecha]

Oh and just to clear it up, here are the possible legal issues Ken is facing:

• Sega and whoever else owns SatAM suing him for trademark infringement and copyright infringement by claiming ownership of Sonic and the SatAM characters
• Consumers suing for false advertising (since this means Ken made Sonic and the characters) and violation of first sale doctrine (see above)
• Archie suing for potential breach of contract (who knows), trademark infringement (the Archie logo), and copyright infringement (Archie owns the rights to the stories, not him)

Yeah, he won't stand a chance.

Well Crisis averted then.

[Ranger]

So Ken Penders is claiming his fancharacters are © him
wow he is literally every deviantart recolour artist

[Spanner]

Well it looks like anyone with the name of Ken is a retard. This is truly copyrights as you imagined it.

[The KKM]

Read here, Mr. Penders answers some questions

UPDATE: Obviously, I was concerned what this might mean for the book. Having spoken to the editors, I've been told that the lawyers have the situation well in hand and that I - and you all - having nothing to worry about.

Still - let's not dwell on this nonsense.

[Quarterman]

Andlabs raises a valid point. If I know my Sonic history correctly, the SatAm television show came first. Since Penders wasn't a part of that creative team, he can't lay a claim. Especially since Archie either licensed or (more likely) outright bought the characters and concepts therein. Not to mention that if Archie didn't copyright the stories, they would be public domain. Usually (or always) part of a story copyright includes the phrase "and all characters therein are the property of Archie Comics Incorporated". He very likely has no claim. If he did this a decade ago it would be a different story, but as it stands there is a good chance that his claim to the story and characters will not stand in court.