Team Redbeanime was on site at Long Beach Comic Con, attending the “Legal and Business Aspects of Comic Book and Graphic Novel Publishing” panel hosted by literary agent, author, and lawyer Paul Levin.
Opening With a Legend
Levin opened with an anecdote about a client who had a big impact on his career: Jack Kirby. His boss introduced him to Kirby, who he hadn’t heard of at the time—much to the audience’s amusement. Levin shared that he grew up reading DC Comics, not Marvel, which he told Kirby directly. Kirby liked that as he had recently left Marvel.
Copyright Basics
Levin explained that “copyright is the foundation of anything creative,” protecting original works of authorship. He clarified that “original” means it originates with you and has an element of creativity. If you create something, you own the copyright—unless you’re employed to create it, which falls under work-for-hire. He noted that most of the industry operates on work-for-hire.
He explained the difference between assigning copyright (transferring ownership) and licensing—granting certain rights defined by medium, term, and territory. The principle, he said, is to “grant or license those rights that the buyer can use, and keep for yourself the rights that the buyer can’t use so you can sell them elsewhere.”
State of Distribution
Levin discussed the uniqueness of graphic novels, which are published by both comic publishers (DC, Marvel) and the Big 5 (Penguin Random House, Macmillan, etc.). He noted that distribution used to go through Diamond, but since Diamond is no longer in business, “things are in a state of flux,” speculating that “maybe there’ll be another Diamond-like company that rises from the ashes.”
AI and Copyright
Levin addressed AI and copyright, stating that the Copyright Office’s position is that something must be created by a human to be copyrighted—not generative AI. In his opinion, this won’t change: “No matter what AI creates, it will never be protected by copyright.” He also noted that “for the most part, the material that AI is scraping is protected by copyright.”
Q&A Highlights
- Asked about a publishing clause stipulating AI not be used, Levin said if a publisher discovered AI use in a volume, they would likely pull the comic and pursue the writer for breach of contract. However, he noted the volume could become a collector’s item due to its rarity.
- On whether protections for bigger publishers apply to self-publishing, Levin said no—”self-publishing is on your own and if you do something wrong you’ll be sued for copyright infringement, defamation, etc.” He noted that smaller publishers are revising their contracts to reflect the same clauses as the Big 5.
Coming Soon
Levin revealed he has a book about publishing for the layperson coming out in 2028.
Summary
The panel offered valuable insight into the legal and business realities of comic publishing, from copyright fundamentals to AI’s impact on creators. For aspiring comic creators, Levin’s advice was clear: understand your rights, read your contracts, and beware of AI’s legal gray areas.
Source: Bsky
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