Slog - Comments on Did a New Yorker Cartoonist Plagiarize a Comic Book Artist? http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/did_a_new_yorker_cartoonist_plagiarize_a Kinda looks like that way. Homage says the New Yorker; rip off says a University of Wisconsin prof/comic geek. More at the New York Post. Via Gawker.... Copyright 2008 Thu, 22 May 2008 06:23:32 -0800 Thu, 22 May 2008 12:30:23 -0800 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.34 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Comment by Jude Fawley How about, "Call legal!"?

Meh. The New Yorker Cartoon contest almost never comes up with anything good. The backwards process of creating captions that explain the picture produces cartoons that have no reason to exist outside of the contest. The only good one I've seen was the dog talking to the shrink saying, "I can smell my own fear."

]]> Jude Fawley http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/did_a_new_yorker_cartoonist_plagiarize_a#c1029663 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/did_a_new_yorker_cartoonist_plagiarize_a#c1029663 Media Thu, 22 May 2008 06:54:27 -0800 Comment by mark *University of Wisconsin

]]> mark http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/did_a_new_yorker_cartoonist_plagiarize_a#c1029664 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/did_a_new_yorker_cartoonist_plagiarize_a#c1029664 Media Thu, 22 May 2008 06:58:45 -0800 Comment by Cato the Younger Younger In the age of Bush Morality I see nothing wrong with this at all...not a thing wrong. And if you do then you are appeasing terrorists!!

]]> Cato the Younger Younger http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/did_a_new_yorker_cartoonist_plagiarize_a#c1029665 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/did_a_new_yorker_cartoonist_plagiarize_a#c1029665 Media Thu, 22 May 2008 07:00:29 -0800 Comment by Dan Savage Whoops -- thanks, Mark.

]]> Dan Savage http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/did_a_new_yorker_cartoonist_plagiarize_a#c1029666 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/did_a_new_yorker_cartoonist_plagiarize_a#c1029666 Media Thu, 22 May 2008 07:05:55 -0800 Comment by NapoleonXIV But what was the punch-line?

How can we shriek plagiarism! before we even read the punch-line?

]]> NapoleonXIV http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/did_a_new_yorker_cartoonist_plagiarize_a#c1029671 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/did_a_new_yorker_cartoonist_plagiarize_a#c1029671 Media Thu, 22 May 2008 07:23:36 -0800 Comment by Mike in MO I think the important question here is, "Does anyone really give a flying fuck?" That is what I wanna know...

]]> Mike in MO http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/did_a_new_yorker_cartoonist_plagiarize_a#c1029672 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/did_a_new_yorker_cartoonist_plagiarize_a#c1029672 Media Thu, 22 May 2008 07:24:44 -0800 Comment by Homage It's an obvious homage, not a rip off. The cartoonist on the right was obviously looking right at the classic monster comic when he drew his New Yorker cartoon.

Jack Kirby's covers have been referenced or outright recreated ever since he revolutionized comic books starting in the 40s. Covers, poses, entire panels get regularly recreated as loving tributes.

In the world of comics, this is like drawing the Mona Lisa or David into your work. A total nonissue and I guess a slow news day.

On the bright side, there's an incredible new Jack Kirby coffee table art book out...

http://www.amazon.com/Kirby-King-Comics-Mark-Evanier/dp/081099447X

]]> Homage http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/did_a_new_yorker_cartoonist_plagiarize_a#c1029677 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/did_a_new_yorker_cartoonist_plagiarize_a#c1029677 Media Thu, 22 May 2008 07:39:12 -0800 Comment by Chris B The guy who wrote that Kirby book, Mark Evanier, actually linked to this image a while ago and thought it was a hoot. With that in mind, it's pretty much a non-issue in my mind.

]]> Chris B http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/did_a_new_yorker_cartoonist_plagiarize_a#c1029679 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/did_a_new_yorker_cartoonist_plagiarize_a#c1029679 Media Thu, 22 May 2008 07:48:56 -0800 Comment by hal I doubt in this day and age that the New Yorker would publish a cartoon like this with the intent of ripping someone off, and think they could get away with it. Like the editors think they are the only ones who ever heard of Kirby.

It's a homage.

]]> hal http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/did_a_new_yorker_cartoonist_plagiarize_a#c1029681 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/did_a_new_yorker_cartoonist_plagiarize_a#c1029681 Media Thu, 22 May 2008 07:51:07 -0800 Comment by Pete If you have a passing familiarity with comics from this era, the Kirby-style monster is immediately recognizable even if the specific cover isn't. This is clearly an homage; maybe the punchline could be the guy in the window phoning Larry Lessig.

]]> Pete http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/did_a_new_yorker_cartoonist_plagiarize_a#c1029687 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/did_a_new_yorker_cartoonist_plagiarize_a#c1029687 Media Thu, 22 May 2008 08:19:46 -0800 Comment by Bill W Jack Kirby died back in 1994 at the age of 76?!?! Now I do feel old...
Thankfully at age 80 Steve Ditko is alive and kicking.
Stan Lee is 85. Stan Lee started as a teenager in 1939, became editor in 1941 and the rest is history...

]]> Bill W http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/did_a_new_yorker_cartoonist_plagiarize_a#c1029688 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/did_a_new_yorker_cartoonist_plagiarize_a#c1029688 Media Thu, 22 May 2008 08:20:40 -0800 Comment by MarsAttack If the character is immediately recognizable, or if the New Yorker mention's the source material, or the artist cites the source material: it is an homage.

If it is not immediately recognizable and they did not mention where they got it from- then it is plagiarism.

From what I can tell, Dan, this actually IS an homage. Not a single thing was changed except the man in the window, and since it has already been established that this marshmallow fiend is easily recognizable to comic-fans, I'm fairly certain the artist knew exactly what he was doing.

And this is coming from a professional illustrator who is extremely paranoid about plagiarism.

]]> MarsAttack http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/did_a_new_yorker_cartoonist_plagiarize_a#c1029690 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/did_a_new_yorker_cartoonist_plagiarize_a#c1029690 Media Thu, 22 May 2008 08:24:15 -0800 Comment by Graphic designer 12 has it perfectly.

]]> Graphic designer http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/did_a_new_yorker_cartoonist_plagiarize_a#c1029691 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/did_a_new_yorker_cartoonist_plagiarize_a#c1029691 Media Thu, 22 May 2008 08:31:11 -0800 Comment by Jubilation T. Cornball I'm just glad someone finally captured an image of the monster that's been living on the side of my building the last four nights.

Ooops -- gotta go -- time for another booty bump, and gotta find the teeth that fell out last night. And fold clothes...fold, fold, and fold.

]]> Jubilation T. Cornball http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/did_a_new_yorker_cartoonist_plagiarize_a#c1029692 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/did_a_new_yorker_cartoonist_plagiarize_a#c1029692 Media Thu, 22 May 2008 08:34:03 -0800 Comment by UNPAID BLOGGER Speaking of design plagiarism, here's a great blog on the subject:

http://www.youthoughtwewouldntnotice.com

]]> UNPAID BLOGGER http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/did_a_new_yorker_cartoonist_plagiarize_a#c1029700 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/did_a_new_yorker_cartoonist_plagiarize_a#c1029700 Media Thu, 22 May 2008 08:55:28 -0800 Comment by michael strangeways Most art produced today, is one big hommage/rip-off. It's not reportage.

Move on.

]]> michael strangeways http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/did_a_new_yorker_cartoonist_plagiarize_a#c1029719 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/did_a_new_yorker_cartoonist_plagiarize_a#c1029719 Media Thu, 22 May 2008 09:33:24 -0800 Comment by rb Besides which, that article is from the NY Post, which is barely more credible than the Enquirer.

]]> rb http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/did_a_new_yorker_cartoonist_plagiarize_a#c1029739 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/did_a_new_yorker_cartoonist_plagiarize_a#c1029739 Media Thu, 22 May 2008 09:58:58 -0800 Comment by SeMe it looks like a rip off to me.

oh and jack "captain america" kirby was the greatest american artist of all time.

]]> SeMe http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/did_a_new_yorker_cartoonist_plagiarize_a#c1029841 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/did_a_new_yorker_cartoonist_plagiarize_a#c1029841 Media Thu, 22 May 2008 11:02:45 -0800 Comment by elswinger Roy Lichtenstein never got busted for plagiarism:

http://davidbarsalou.homestead.com/LICHTENSTEINPROJECT.html

]]> elswinger http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/did_a_new_yorker_cartoonist_plagiarize_a#c1029908 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/did_a_new_yorker_cartoonist_plagiarize_a#c1029908 Media Thu, 22 May 2008 11:33:28 -0800 Comment by zachd Meh- that's homage. There's a more troubling story with David Mack:
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=265475
, but that's probably of less general interest.

]]> zachd http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/did_a_new_yorker_cartoonist_plagiarize_a#c1029946 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/did_a_new_yorker_cartoonist_plagiarize_a#c1029946 Media Thu, 22 May 2008 11:48:46 -0800 Comment by Gabe Not about this image, but if you haven't seen this:

http://capwiz.com/illustratorspartnership/issues/bills/?billid=11320236

]]> Gabe http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/did_a_new_yorker_cartoonist_plagiarize_a#c1030001 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/did_a_new_yorker_cartoonist_plagiarize_a#c1030001 Media Thu, 22 May 2008 12:15:40 -0800 Comment by Fnarf Jack Kirby, bleh. Superheroes, bleh. The genius of comic art was Alex Kotzky's work on "Apartment 3-G" in the 1960s.

http://profmendez.tripod.com/html/apart3G.htm

]]> Fnarf http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/did_a_new_yorker_cartoonist_plagiarize_a#c1030028 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/did_a_new_yorker_cartoonist_plagiarize_a#c1030028 Media Thu, 22 May 2008 12:30:23 -0800