Category: Son of Stuck Funky

Tom Batiuk responds to Funky blog take down order at The Daily Cartoonist

Tom Batiuk responds to Funky blog take down order The Daily Cartoonist

Let me tell ya, snarkers, it’s not as dramatic as the headline makes it sound, but TB is officially on the record regarding last Friday’s legal action, with a rather terse, two-sentence comment. It’s linked above, but I might as well share this bit of intellectual property right here:

“When asked why he felt he needed to take legal action to take down the blogs, Tom [Batiuk] responds:

‘I fought a lawsuit to regain ownership of my creations and, as a result, I take my intellectual property rights including trademark and copyright very seriously, and will enforce my rights when I find them being infringed. That includes someone reprinting the work in total without permission or compensation.’”

The man has spoken. And without admitting any guilt on my part, I will say I respect and understand what TB (and his lawyers) have to say. This whole affair has been quite an education for yours truly. At the Daily Cartoonist site, comics luminaries including Comics Curmudgeon’s Josh Fruhlinger and My Cage cartoonist Ed Power have weighed in, with most of them (Ed excluded, bless his heart) have come down on TB’s side. “Caricaturist” Dave Stephens, whose work includes a cartoon of JFK getting his head blown off, calls me a “bad egg”.

A number of folks are following this turn of events and wondering if this may have a “chilling effect” on other comics blogs. I hope it will not, and I don’t expect that it will. It’s time to get back to the business of snarking. Let me offer my thanks once more to everyone who has voiced their support for Son of Stuck Funky: most especially Sgt Saunders for his intellectual property expertise, and to David O for covering the cost of the domain name, and everyone who emailed me when the heat came down. Lastly let me welcome those who’ve discovered this blog as a result of all the fracas! Stick around and enjoy Westview through our eyes.

Stay Funky, y’all!

TFHackett

Cease and Desist

Read it and weep. I did. Click to enlarge

Well, now we know why sonofstuckfunky.wordpress.com (and stuckfunky.wordpress.com) got the plug pulled. Here is the letter that Batiuk’s lawyers sent to the WordPress.com folks. They are not happy with the “unauthorized use of the Funky Winkerbean name, trademark, or comic strips” on the site. They go on to ask the WordPress people to provide them with my name, address, and email address.

I’m still reeling from having the plug pulled, then was feeling great about being able to move the blog so quickly. Now I’m feeling pretty anxious. I don’t have a lawyer, I (obviously) don’t have a deep knowledge of copyright, and really don’t need to get sued.

This turn of events ought to tell you everything you need to know about Tom Batiuk’s sense of humor.

I will collect my thoughts and decide on the course of action going forward. In the meantime, thank you, friends, for your support.

Stay Funky.

TFH

Man’s Best Buddy

So what’s Robbie’s story? Does he have any issues, or is Batiuk just incapable of drawing appealing children? For now, Robbie exists as a prop. He hasn’t been given any lines…can he speak? How old is he? Who’s his daddy? Was he conceived in the back of a van? Are his tiny arms a clue to some type of irregularity? Let’s have some backstory here! Robbie’s issues aside, I must admit that it’s a nice change to see Pvt. Winkerbean finally “at ease”.

Auld Les Syne

110101

bobanero
December 29, 2010 at 3:42 pm
We’re obviously being set up for some stroke-of-midnight showdown or non-showdown here.

Wouldn’t we love to see that long-awaited showdown? A fierce, champagne-soaked catfight between the two (living and breathing) rivals for Les’ affection? Ain’t. Gonna. Happen.

Epicus Doomus
December 27, 2010 at 8:25 pm
At the stroke of midnight Les will no doubt be talking to Lisa again, while the other (remaining) guests will be rolling their eyes. “Uh, what’s Les doing over there?” “Oh, just talking to his dead wife again, he does that all the time.”

Yup, no doubt.

S. P. Charles
December 28, 2010 at 12:13 am
You can pretty much see where this is going: at the stroke of midnight, as Kayla and Susan look on, Les kisses Zombie Lisa.

You peeked, Charles! Nah, we all saw this coming, didn’t we? But c’mon, let’s give poor Les a break. After all, it’s only been how long since…

Epicus Doomus
December 29, 2010 at 7:15 pm
…Lester’s weird obsessiveness would be creepy even if it was only three or four years since Lisa died, but 13? That is pretty messed-up…

Ten years for the jump plus three real-time years since equals 13 years of moping. And while grieving is perfectly normal, particularly for one who died such a lingering death at a young age…comes a time when you accept the way things are. Even in the comics.

Happy New Year, folks!

In the Midnight Hour

Almost midnight? Time for some huggin’ an’ a kissin’! Bull has loosened up with a few drinks, and Ann and Fred Fairgood exchange fond glances. Cayla and Susan each look for their man, but…where’s the host with the most? No doubt, he’s with a ghost.

TB cuts Cayla a little slack today by drawing her to look like Valerie from Josie and the Pussycats.