#110, Plus Some Reminders

This year's "Golden Bladder 2008" award goes to...

For those just here for the weekly update, let's recap!

• Last Resort's been featured in a magazine now! W00T! Seriously, it's the cover story. Check it out.
  
• Those Badge Auctions are still going on until Tuesday, and spaces are still available. Worth note, I'll need to go into overdrive on pages once I've got my diploma, so if you're at all anxious for your badge, go bid on the dedicated auction.
  

As always, don't forget to go say something in the forums, and we'll see you next week!

Sweet! Last Resort's on Fleen!

Better late than never to post good press: Last Resort finally received some coverage on Fleen thanks to hitting the 100-strip mark!

If you're too lazy to click:

Finally, here’s a plot that makes you think Why didn’t anybody come up with this before?: reality show in space with alien critters. Last Resort is just about to hit 100 installments, so there’s enough story there to decide if you’re going to get sucked in or not, and not so much that you have to spend all day pretending to work when the boss walks by.

Thanks Fleen! Here's hoping more good webcomics press is coming our way.

About the "Orphan Works Bill" (and Why Nobody's About to Steal your Kingdom Hearts Fanart)

Okay, artists, let's recap: Relatively powerful animation guru writes incensed article about how Congress is trying to steal all of your artwork, family photos, and other assorted artwork, by declaring it an "Orphaned Work" unless you go and pay $45 to register its copyright (and do so before anyone else so that they don't get your precious copyright and steal it from you that way).

. . . and if you believe that, I still have lawyers outside my window.

The Truth: While there WAS an "Orphaned Works Bill" back in 2006, it died in committee. There is no bill in congress now with even similar language, and even if there was, it's in violation of the Berne Convention on so many levels that the minute Big Copyright (i.e. Disney) caught wind of the fact it would jeopardize their ability to leverage their copyrights outside of the United States, this thing would die faster than a mafia informant.

Yes, you should exercise due vigilance with your images/copyrights, but you don't need to register every single piece you have (and seeing how that's $45 a pop, you'll go broke trying), and if anyone is found violating your copyright you're still due all the usual damages this incurs. Yes, using your real name (and maybe a URL/email address) to sign your works is a damn good idea in case the image becomes separated from the website.

This said, writing/phoning/foaming rabidly from the mouth at your congressional representatives before this thing even has a bill number is stupid. To Congress, if it doesn't have a bill number, it doesn't exist. If this thing actually DOES gain a number and a chance in hell of passing, then by all means, foam away.

In the meantime, though? Just get back to work. If you really want to write someone, go ask Bill O'Reilly to "investigate" this. At least that way we'll either get the truth, or hilarity will ensue.