Notes On Lester Dent, Doc Savage, and Life + 50 copyright

Greg Anos · 11-15-2009, 12:41 PM

For those Doc Savage fans, (yes, I mean you, and you, and you), under life + 50 copyright law, those Doc Savages of Lester Dent go PD in said countries as of Jan 1, 2010, or about 7 weeks from this posting.

However, not all Doc's were written by Dent. So I am providing a list of those Doc's who will not go PD in Life + 50 countries, starting in 2010. It's easier to list those that won't that those that will.

Author and title.

Lester Dent (d. 1959) - The Red Spider (published posthumously in 1979, separate timer.)

Evelyn Coulson (????) - The Yellow Cloud

Ryerson Johnson (d. 1995) - The Land of Always Night
Ryerson Johnson (d. 1995) - The Fantastic Island
Ryerson Johnson (d. 1995) - The Motion Menace

Alan Hathaway - (d. 1977) - The Devil's Playground
Alan Hathaway - (d. 1977) - The Headless Men
Alan Hathaway - (d. 1977) - The Mindless monsters
Alan Hathaway - (d. 1977) - The Rustling Death

William G. Bogart (d.1977) - The World's Fair Goblin
William G. Bogart (d.1977) - Hex
William G. Bogart (d.1977) - The Angry Ghost
William G. Bogart (d.1977) - The Spotted Men
William G. Bogart (d.1977) - The Flying Goblin
William G. Bogart (d.1977) - Tunnel Terror
William G. Bogart (d.1977) - The Awful Dynasty
William G. Bogart (d.1977) - Bequest of Evil
William G. Bogart (d.1977) - The Magic Forest
William G. Bogart (d.1977) - Fire and Ice
William G. Bogart (d.1977) - Death in Little Houses
William G. Bogart (d.1977) - The Disappearnig Lady
William G. Bogart (d.1977) - Target For Death
William G. Bogart (d.1977) - The Death Lady

The rest wiil be PD in Life + 50 countries as of Jan 1, 2010, as follows.

Lester Dent (d.1959)
Laurence Donovan (d. 1950) - (already available at PG austrailia)
Harold A Davis (d. 1955)

These would compromise 159 stories...

mtravellerh · 11-16-2009, 11:42 AM

Oh goody! I love Doc Savage!

Greg Anos · 11-16-2009, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mtravellerh

Oh goody! I love Doc Savage!

Remember, somebody in a life + 50 country must make it available, and it needs to be up loaded by a citizen in a life + 50 country.

If you're a citizen of a life + 70 (or US) it's still not public domain there. (You'd be breaking the law by downloading.)

Jellby · 11-16-2009, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ralph Sir Edward

Remember, somebody in a life + 50 country must make it available, and it needs to be up loaded by a citizen in a life + 50 country.

If you're a citizen of a life + 70 (or US) it's still not public domain there. (You'd be breaking the law by downloading.)

Is it really a matter of your citizenship, or just where you are at the moment of uploading/downloading?

Nate the great · 11-16-2009, 02:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jellby

Is it really a matter of your citizenship, or just where you are at the moment of uploading/downloading?

Where you are at the moment of uploading/downloading.

GeorgeH · 06-11-2012, 11:50 PM

I hope this isn't a necro post. Given that it's now 2012 and since I have the complete works of Doc Savage in electronic format, I was wondering if uploading them would now be legal?

I'm in Canada, obviously.

Edit: This would exclude the authors mentioned in the OP of course.

Jellby · 06-12-2012, 05:57 AM

My guess is that the text is public domain, but the introduction, cover and notes (if any) are probably not. Also, the "packaging" could be protected. That means that you shouldn't upload the ebook files directly. But you could copy the text from them, create new ebooks yourself and upload these.

GeorgeH · 06-12-2012, 12:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jellby

My guess is that the text is public domain, but the introduction, cover and notes (if any) are probably not. Also, the "packaging" could be protected. That means that you shouldn't upload the ebook files directly. But you could copy the text from them, create new ebooks yourself and upload these.

That sounds reasonable. I'll research it a bit more and hopefully other members here can provide input as well. Thanks!

GA Russell · 06-12-2012, 06:43 PM

Looking forward to it, George!

I've never read a Doc Savage. I guess I would like to try them in chronological order.

Greg Anos · 06-12-2012, 06:56 PM

Just saw this pop up. The original art status is unknown. I don't know if the artist(s) were identified, or if they got any residuals. They may have been work-for-hire. If so, they would be PD in Canada, but their status is very gray.

I would recommend building your own covers and leaving off the internal illustrations.

GA, if you want a sample, go to Project Gutenberg Australia and look up Laurence Donovan. Not the best Doc Ghost, but not the worst.

GeorgeH · 06-12-2012, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ralph Sir Edward

Just saw this pop up. The original art status is unknown. I don't know if the artist(s) were identified, or if they got any residuals. They may have been work-for-hire. If so, they would be PD in Canada, but their status is very gray.

I would recommend building your own covers and leaving off the internal illustrations.

GA, if you want a sample, go to Project Gutenberg Australia and look up Laurence Donovan. Not the best Doc Ghost, but not the worst.

I'll upload the first book, 'The Man of Bronze' with a cover I designed and no other illustrations. If it falls outside of PD then I'll remove it, of course.

Barring objections and dependent on demand I'll reformat and upload more in the series.

Many thanks for the comments!

crich70 · 07-10-2012, 10:45 PM

So where could someone in a life + 70 country (or the US) get the books legally without any violation of copyright?

GeorgeH · 07-10-2012, 11:29 PM

The only way I'm aware of is to somehow acquire paper copies. I have't seen anyone offer e-versions for sale.

Quote:

Originally Posted by crich70

So where could someone in a life + 70 country (or the US) get the books legally without any violation of copyright?

Greg Anos · 07-14-2012, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeorgeH

The only way I'm aware of is to somehow acquire paper copies. I have't seen anyone offer e-versions for sale.

Correct, no legal e-versions exist. There are a few recent Will Murray completions available on Amazon, look under Will Murray...

JeremyR · 07-18-2012, 12:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crich70

So where could someone in a life + 70 country (or the US) get the books legally without any violation of copyright?

Someone is doing licensed reprints (also of The Shadow)

http://www.adventurehouse.com/shoppi.../dept_176.html

Dunno if they are still doing them (additional issues) or if they've stopped

11-15-2009, 12:41 PM	#1
Greg Anos Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,388 Karma: 35440406 Join Date: Jan 2008 Device: Pocketbook	Notes On Lester Dent, Doc Savage, and Life + 50 copyright For those Doc Savage fans, (yes, I mean you, and you, and you), under life + 50 copyright law, those Doc Savages of Lester Dent go PD in said countries as of Jan 1, 2010, or about 7 weeks from this posting. However, not all Doc's were written by Dent. So I am providing a list of those Doc's who will not go PD in Life + 50 countries, starting in 2010. It's easier to list those that won't that those that will. Author and title. Lester Dent (d. 1959) - The Red Spider (published posthumously in 1979, separate timer.) Evelyn Coulson (????) - The Yellow Cloud Ryerson Johnson (d. 1995) - The Land of Always Night Ryerson Johnson (d. 1995) - The Fantastic Island Ryerson Johnson (d. 1995) - The Motion Menace Alan Hathaway - (d. 1977) - The Devil's Playground Alan Hathaway - (d. 1977) - The Headless Men Alan Hathaway - (d. 1977) - The Mindless monsters Alan Hathaway - (d. 1977) - The Rustling Death William G. Bogart (d.1977) - The World's Fair Goblin William G. Bogart (d.1977) - Hex William G. Bogart (d.1977) - The Angry Ghost William G. Bogart (d.1977) - The Spotted Men William G. Bogart (d.1977) - The Flying Goblin William G. Bogart (d.1977) - Tunnel Terror William G. Bogart (d.1977) - The Awful Dynasty William G. Bogart (d.1977) - Bequest of Evil William G. Bogart (d.1977) - The Magic Forest William G. Bogart (d.1977) - Fire and Ice William G. Bogart (d.1977) - Death in Little Houses William G. Bogart (d.1977) - The Disappearnig Lady William G. Bogart (d.1977) - Target For Death William G. Bogart (d.1977) - The Death Lady The rest wiil be PD in Life + 50 countries as of Jan 1, 2010, as follows. Lester Dent (d.1959) Laurence Donovan (d. 1950) - (already available at PG austrailia) Harold A Davis (d. 1955) These would compromise 159 stories...

06-11-2012, 11:50 PM	#6
GeorgeH Addict Posts: 373 Karma: 1138320 Join Date: May 2012 Location: Ontario, Canada Device: Kindle 3, Nexus 7	I hope this isn't a necro post. Given that it's now 2012 and since I have the complete works of Doc Savage in electronic format, I was wondering if uploading them would now be legal? I'm in Canada, obviously. Edit: This would exclude the authors mentioned in the OP of course. Last edited by GeorgeH; 06-12-2012 at 12:09 AM.

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11-16-2009, 11:42 AM	#2
mtravellerh book creator Posts: 9,656 Karma: 3856660 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Luxembourg Device: Kindle Scribe	Oh goody! I love Doc Savage!

06-12-2012, 05:57 AM	#7
Jellby frumious Bandersnatch Posts: 7,536 Karma: 19000001 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Spaniard in Sweden Device: Cybook Orizon, Kobo Aura	My guess is that the text is public domain, but the introduction, cover and notes (if any) are probably not. Also, the "packaging" could be protected. That means that you shouldn't upload the ebook files directly. But you could copy the text from them, create new ebooks yourself and upload these.

06-12-2012, 06:43 PM	#9
GA Russell Argos, Riders advance Posts: 7,632 Karma: 31487351 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Raleigh, NC Device: Paperwhite, Kindles 10 & 4 and jetBook Lite	Looking forward to it, George! I've never read a Doc Savage. I guess I would like to try them in chronological order.

06-12-2012, 06:56 PM	#10
Greg Anos Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,388 Karma: 35440406 Join Date: Jan 2008 Device: Pocketbook	Just saw this pop up. The original art status is unknown. I don't know if the artist(s) were identified, or if they got any residuals. They may have been work-for-hire. If so, they would be PD in Canada, but their status is very gray. I would recommend building your own covers and leaving off the internal illustrations. GA, if you want a sample, go to Project Gutenberg Australia and look up Laurence Donovan. Not the best Doc Ghost, but not the worst.

07-10-2012, 10:45 PM	#12
crich70 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,309 Karma: 43993832 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Monroe Wisconsin Device: K3, Kindle Paperwhite, Calibre, and Mobipocket for Pc (netbook)	So where could someone in a life + 70 country (or the US) get the books legally without any violation of copyright?

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