Odd Gotham Law
Thursday, February 19th, 2009 @ 12:00 am | Batman, What Were They Thinking
Gotham City is odd
I love that law.
The trial is better.
Forgetting all the zany time-travel, does that legal argument even make sense?
February 19th, 2009 at 1:34 am
Technically, yes, it makes sense. It’s sort of like… if somebody built a song based around the Pachelbel’s Canon chord progression, and Green Day sued them for plagiarism of Basket Case, Green Day would be legally wrong.
February 19th, 2009 at 1:53 am
Yeah, but that’s a civil case, Metz. Someone has to bring a suit for a civil case. If it’s the city or state bringing the charges it’s probably criminal, which means there’s actually a law on the books that it’s illegal to wear a Batman costume if you aren’t Batman. Which begs the question of how do they know he isn’t actually Batman? They don’t know Batman’s true identity…or do they?
February 19th, 2009 at 2:55 am
The whole thing is made much funnier by Bruce’s ultra grim and serious expression in the last panel. Dude, just listen to what you’re saying!
February 19th, 2009 at 4:19 am
The fact that Batman already “existed” in the past has no legal consequences if the Gotham Batman has laid some sort of patent or property rights. I believe the same thing has happened with some songs and melodies that were part of a public domain e.g. no-one knew who first wrote them yet it was possible to claim authorship. (some legal mumbo jumbo)
February 19th, 2009 at 4:34 am
I dunno, but that’s some awesome composition.
February 19th, 2009 at 5:00 am
yeah it’s impressive how they already mastered modern drawing techniques.
February 19th, 2009 at 8:53 am
He really shoul add a big TM to his costume, and to all of his toys, which includes Robin, too. (I’m reminded of the time when a ressurected Jason Todd pretended to be Nightwing…morality aise, Dick could have sued him…)
Maybe he will think of some franchise system someday, what would bring Batman II and Robin II to mind.
February 19th, 2009 at 9:06 am
If Bats had a copyright, he would have to sue. If there is a law against wearing a Batman costume, it could be similar to a law against impersonating a police officer. Seeing Robin running around with a big TM on his head would be funny, though.
February 19th, 2009 at 9:30 am
The best part is how no one bats an eye that a guy in a Batman costume was running around in ancient babylon!
February 19th, 2009 at 1:03 pm
Gotham’s judicial system must be having a slow day, if a relatively minor offense can go to trial just like that.
February 19th, 2009 at 2:21 pm
Yes..cuz Babylonian Wall Reliefs were THAT descriptive.
The only reason Archaeologists are finding stuff like that anyways is cuz ole Bats is lost in time thanks to Darkseid….
February 19th, 2009 at 3:57 pm
I’m just waiting to find Judas tied to a tree with a bat-rope.
February 19th, 2009 at 11:01 pm
Or Batman nailed to a cross.
Batman R.I.P. – Batman died for our sins!
February 20th, 2009 at 5:24 am
Let us imagine how Christianity would have turned out…
who would be Maria Magdalena? Catwoman?
John the Baptist? The Graaaaaaaaay Ghost?
St. Peter? Dick Grayson?
February 20th, 2009 at 8:05 am
Lovely art. Is it Dick Sprang?
February 21st, 2009 at 1:52 pm
Rorschach: Robin already has the R-In-A-Circle Registered Trademark Logo! What more do you want?
Someone needs to send this to Cory Doctorow at boingboing, so he can rant about copyright extensions and the public domain.
February 22nd, 2009 at 5:53 am
@David: Actually, I’m guessing this might actually be Moldoff. And I don’t usually like Moldoff.
February 22nd, 2009 at 6:27 am
“Lovely art. Is it Dick Sprang?”
“Actually, I’m guessing this might actually be Moldoff. And I don’t usually like Moldoff.”
If it’s inked by Charles Paris. who can tell?
“He took it upon himself to promote a consistency in style between the two camps which was not reflected in the underlying pencils.”
http://www.supermanartists.comics.org/batman/Sprang.htm
February 22nd, 2009 at 6:46 am
Batman Vol 1 #102
September, 1956
Cover Artists: Sheldon Moldoff, Charles Paris
“The Batman from Babylon”
Writer: Bill Finger
Penciler: Dick Sprang
Inker: Charles Paris
You gotta love the internets!
February 22nd, 2009 at 10:45 am
@Serpent: A bar code.