Three possibilities: 1) Marvel stole the idea after hearing it from Austin -‘All’s fair in public domain and war.’ 2) Marvel accidentally stumbled upon the character and coincidentally made a version full of similarities to Austin. 3) Marvel execs genuinely didn’t know comic history and thought they invented something new without ever checking that assumption. Honestly, the third option is the craziest.
Personally considering some of the decisions that have been made with Marvel IP's over the past few years I could see number 3 as being less crazy that most might think. Not saying it's what happend, but definitely less crazy. I agree that a mix between 2 and 3 are the most likely.
According to Google there are more than 50.000 superheroes published by Marvel alone, so we can probably assume tens of thousands more. Now maybe this Blue Bolt guy has something extremely special about him, but if not it's pretty safe to rule out option 2. As for option 3, I didn't know what blue bolt even meant but as I understand it from the expression "bolt out of the blue", and is only used in its simplified form "blue bolt" as a tabletop RPG term. So not impossible that they turned this expression into a superhero name for a second time, but pretty unlikely too. What's very likely though, is that a person creating comics will watch a lot of content about comics. It doesn't necessarily mean he stole the idea. It's actually pretty common that artists copy each other without even realizing it. They see something but don't pay too much attention to it, then when they need to come up with something, that's what pops up in their head. That said, a lot of them also steal without remorse. So myeah I don't know. But pretty interesting.
Title: Blue Bolt: Worlds United Plot Overview: The multiverse is in chaos. Thousands of alternate realities are collapsing as an ancient cosmic being, Landor, awakens from the depths of the negative dimension. Known as the "Storm King," Landor has begun a conquest across universes, aiming to harness the combined electrical energy of every Blue Bolt who has ever existed. With each dimension he conquers, Landor grows stronger, feeding off the power of the Blue Bolts to restore his own weakened state and expand his dark empire. Three main Blue Bolts-Fred Parrish (the original hero from the 1940s comics), Chad Braxton (a formerly ruthless Marvel henchman trying to redeem himself), and a ragtag Fred Parrish who uses his powers for fame as a professional football star-find themselves united when Landor's forces invade their worlds. The Main Characters: 1. Fred Parrish (1940s Blue Bolt): A classic hero in every sense, Fred is the embodiment of courage and selflessness. He has fought countless battles in his home dimension, including against the evil Green Sorceress, and sees his powers as a responsibility to protect the innocent. His suit is retro-futuristic, mixing elements of World War II flight gear with advanced technology. 2. Chad Braxton: A former villain and henchman in the Marvel universe, Chad was once an expendable lackey for major supervillains. After being subjected to a failed experiment involving Blue Bolt technology, he gained powers but was left with a chip on his shoulder. Trying to leave his dark past behind, Chad struggles with being seen as a hero, often hiding his insecurities with sarcasm and bravado. He dons a sleeker, modern suit with a black and blue color scheme and specializes in using electricity-based gadgets. 3. Fred Parrish the Football Star: In this world, Fred Parrish never embraced the life of a traditional hero. Instead, he used his powers to become a football legend, flaunting his fame and enjoying the spotlight. Though he's initially reluctant to join the cause, the threat to the multiverse compels him to take his powers seriously for the first time. His suit resembles a football uniform, but with added high-tech armor and electrical enhancements. Storyline: The three Blue Bolts are brought together by a dimensional breach caused by Landor, who is manipulating space-time to drain the energy of alternate Blue Bolts, merging realities into a storm-filled dystopia. After barely escaping an attack on their own worlds, they find themselves in a shared, shattered dimension known as the “Nexus of Storms,” where remnants of destroyed realities swirl in chaos. In the Nexus of Storms, the trio encounter thousands of other Blue Bolts, ranging from a medieval knight with lightning-infused armor, a cyberpunk hacker using electricity to control machines, and even a Blue Bolt made entirely out of sentient plasma energy. They learn that these alternate versions of themselves are being hunted down by Landor's "Lightning Legion," corrupted Blue Bolts who have succumbed to his influence. Major Plot Points: 1. Landor’s Plan: Landor is revealed to be an ancient cosmic force that once ruled the multiverse's electrical storms, but was banished to the negative dimension. Now, he's using the collective power of the Blue Bolts to break free and regain his supremacy. His ultimate goal is to turn the multiverse into a single, dark storm where he reigns as the absolute monarch. 2. Recruiting Allies: Realizing the need for more help, the three lead Blue Bolts reach out to other heroes across different dimensions. This includes: Atlas (a strongman hero from mythological lore who fights using strength and invulnerability). Spider Queen (a 1940s-era heroine with spider-themed gadgets and a deadly web shooter). Catman (a crimefighter with feline abilities who brings agility and stealth to the fight). Little Red Riding Hood (a fearless warrior version of the fairy tale character, wielding a lightning-charged axe). Six-Gun Gorilla (a gorilla gunslinger from the Wild West dimension, armed with electricity-charged revolvers). 3. Black Bolt’s Cameo: As the multiversal chaos grows, Black Bolt from the Inhumans makes a surprise appearance. He warns the three main Blue Bolts that their battle against Landor is more than just a fight for power; it is a battle for the very nature of sound and energy across all realities. Using sign language and minor vocal sounds (his full voice would shatter dimensions), Black Bolt offers advice and a way to disrupt Landor's siphoning machine. 4. The Battle of Storms: The final act takes place in a darkened dimension where Landor’s storm fortress stands, surrounded by swirling portals leading to every alternate reality. Thousands of Blue Bolts, from dinosaurs with lightning breath to futuristic cyborgs with electrical weapons, unite in a desperate charge against the Lightning Legion. 5. Redemption and Sacrifice: Chad Braxton, the redeemed former henchman, decides to make the ultimate sacrifice. Using a device Black Bolt provided, he amplifies his electrical powers to overload Landor's siphoning machine, allowing the other Blue Bolts to free their captive counterparts. Chad knows the device will likely kill him, but he sees this as his one chance to truly be a hero. His final act causes the fortress to collapse and shatter Landor's dark empire. 6. The Final Showdown: The remaining Blue Bolts, led by Fred Parrish and the football star Fred, confront Landor himself. In a spectacular, reality-warping showdown, they combine their powers in a climactic strike that disperses Landor's energy form across the multiverse, breaking his control over the stolen Blue Bolt energies. Epilogue: As reality stabilizes, the three Blue Bolts stand victorious, surrounded by countless other versions of themselves. Chad Braxton's sacrifice is honored by the Blue Bolt multiverse, and Fred Parrish, the football star, finally decides to embrace the role of a true hero in his world. Meanwhile, the classic Fred Parrish reflects on the endless possibilities and responsibilities that come with being a hero across worlds. In the final scene, Black Bolt appears again, standing silently over a grave marked "Chad Braxton: A True Blue Hero." He gives a subtle nod, hinting that though the multiverse was saved, greater threats still loom on the horizon. Post-Credits Scene: A portal opens in a dark alley, and out steps an enigmatic figure wearing a torn cloak, holding a broken lightning bolt staff. The camera pans up to reveal Landor’s true form-still alive, his essence merely dispersed, not destroyed. He whispers, “This is just the beginning,” as the scene fades to black. Blue Bolt: Worlds United ends, setting the stage for even more multiversal chaos and adventures to come.
Austin becoming a Marvel Studios director would be the wildest plot twist in RUclips history lol But on a serious note, as someone who started my channel partly thanks to you Austin, it's always cool to see the creative rabbit holes you end up in.
I guess my only concern would be Marvel sending you a C&D about your Blue Bolt banking on the fact you do not have the money to fight them in court to strong-arm you into changing the character's name.
@turtle1658 I feel like people don’t realize how much of a problem that will actually be. The original version of Batman didn’t have strict rules against killing and guns, and I feel like you’d have to be REALLY careful with that, as I think making it too big of a deal for your own version could cause issues. So you’d either have to not mention that he has those rules (which I have a problem with because of how important that is to his character now), or let him kill like in his earlier comics, which we all know will not go over well. Also, so many other things won’t be in the public domain that are incredibly important. Alfred, The Batcave, Robin, literally any of his villains, and even the name “Gotham City.” I really just don’t think it’s worth doing anything with Batman right away when he enters the public domain. We should all wait a few years until more material is available to use. Otherwise, we’re gonna end up with a Bruce Wayne that wears a Batman suit and goes by Batman, but acts nothing like the character and is dropped into a world that is nothing like the one he belongs in.
Not that it's a problem but it's kind of funny that you made Blue Bolt black. A hilarious number of writers have a strange habit of creating black superheroes with lightning powers, which is something people can generally never unhear after it's pointed out to them. Think Electro, Miles Morales, Black Lightning, Storm, and countless minor heroes from smaller properties
Marvel color-swapping Max Dillon was a stupid idea designed to satisfy stupid people. He’s a much cooler-looking and better villain as a white guy. I didn’t mind Nick Fury though. It fits his character to be like/look like Samuel L. Jackson.
You're not the only one. In 2011, I launched my own indie superhero named "All Hallows Eve". While she never found much traction, she did carve out a small fan base. In 2022, Marvel debuted "Hallows' Eve". While, conceptually, the two characters sound as different as night and day, after having read Marvel's solo titles with their character, I'm noticing situations and even lines of dialogue that sound familiar. To be fair, I made my character open-source, so it's totally legal for them to do this in my case (if you wanted to, you could also include her in the Superzeroes universe as a result). But you can bet that I'm going to ride Marvel's coattails and remind everyone where this character originally came from. Honestly, you should too with the Blue Bolt.
Oh man what a small world. I made that connection to one of my friends years ago! At first I'd thought it was just coincidence too but you really compare the details and it becomes obvious just how much was ""inspired"" by your Eve.
That Was You? Holy cow, I was perusing Public Domain Heroes Wiki ages ago and was looking for Halloween-themed heroes/villains for an OCT I was in. While I ultimately wound up going with a lesser-known villain (Fang from Baily Comics), All-Hallows Eve was certainly one of the standouts. I love the fact that she’s from Canada (she’d be an awesome member of Alpha Flight), and her ghoulish abilities certainly made her a fun hero for the holidays. Plus, the fact that she’s partnered up with Jack O’Lantern himself just makes the idea of writing her conversations with his disembodied voice even more interesting.
@@lazer-ape at first I was bitter and overreacted. Now, I'm actually kinda happy that Marvel is doing 99% of my brand's promotion for me. All I have to do is strategically ride their coattails. I've got new projects on the go with Eve, I'm even writing a new series of short stories.
This reminds me when Alan Moore decided to resurrect a forgotten golden age hero, Marvel Man, and Marvel comics threw a hissy fit over the use of the name and forced him to change it to Miracle Man. Then ended up buying Miracle Man in the long run and changing his name back to Marvel Man. Maybe they will tell you to stop using the Blue Bolt name then end up buying the rights to your character design.
Really curious how much original ideas you have to bring to a character to make it not public domain. Like Mickey Mouse, it's public but not certain features - only how he was depicted in the steamboat willy. So the gloves and Minnie and stuff like that are still copyrighted
@@pXnTilde I'd say it's a question of an unmistakable combination of attributes that makes a character unique enough to claim ownership, So many superheroes have icons on their chest, that alone can make for a very specific identifier. A description like "a black and white mouse with puffy white gloves and three fingers" might be enough up to a point but when you add different animal bits it can't be claimed unless they're inseparable. But there's no telling how many visual variants of that description someone with enough cash might have in their archives from some 70 years of drawings to foul your plans.
I'd trademark the "Blue Bolt" name and not say anything unless a big deal was made, just to preserve all the work that was put into your project, but that's just me. I hate it when the big companies walk all over the little guy, just because they think they can. Beat them at their own game.
He can't trade mark it because he took it. He has no rights to Blue bolt other than the specific adaptation that he made, and when you actually look at the characters they are not similar at all. They both have lightning based powers and the same name, which makes a ton of sense even if marvels not based on the original character. I'm pretty sure marvel just used the name for their new character not knowing it was in use
I wouldn't worry either. "Black guy with electric superpowers" is such a trope in the world of comics that some comic book writers even make fun of the cliche. Personally, I find your idea of a Football player using superpowers to win at Football games a very interesting one, because it explores what the common man would do with super powers. The regular Joe wouldn't fight crime or anything, the regular Joe is usually lazy or greedy, and would use Super Powers for personal gain. I am not saying everyone would become a super villain and steal from a bank or something like that, but they would use it for "cheating at life" in some way. Him using powers to beat his opponents at Football, not by innate sports talent or training, but by simply using a super power, is a very interesting idea, and I seriously can't wait to see your spin on it and what you do. And as far as if Marvel Trademarks "Blue Blot" I mean, yeah, it would suck. But There are a hundred ways you can avoid any problems, like just renaming him "The Bolt" but with blue letters (I mean, you know who it is, we know who it is...) Or making him play for a team called "The Bolts" that play in "Blue Coast City" or something similar, and make sure the name BOLT is not on his jersey and just call him "Fred Parrish" ... or a combination of all these, and many other ways. But, I mean, you are a very talented, smart and resourceful person, and I'm sure you already have a very clear idea of what to do if Marvel does a trademark for the name Blue Bolt. In any case, I am, like many others, looking forward to see what the Atlas and Catman movies will be like, and of course the books too.
Am I the only one who noticed the “spider-woman” on this list of Avengers????? The Spider Queen AND Blue Bolt????? 😏 yeah, ok Marvel…… someone’s an Austin fan
It's going okay. Still dealing with issues from my hand, and my balance is still pretty wonky, but I'm getting back to full health slowly but surely. :)
@@austinmcconnell Cool! I’m glad you’re beginning to feel better Austin! I love your videos so much and I can’t wait to see your Altas and Catman movies. 😊
@@austinmcconnell i dinged up my brain a bit some years back - long story, but end result is wonky balance, some involuntary movements, memory issues - nothing super-severe, but enough to know i’m not who i was, my high achieving days are behind me, and the trajectory of my life has been irrevocably down-shifted. anyway, i been a bitter boy about it - past a point of self-indulgent wallowing, if i’m honest - but seeing your progress lightens my heart a bit somehow. keep going!
It is odd that they'd ring back Blue Bolt and reimagine him with a personality that is so similar to your reimagining, especially considering that 1) no reboot of him had that take on him until yours, 2) even some ofthe wording used, and 3) Marvel tends to bring back Golden Age Timely. It is a very odd set of coincidences.
I’ve been working on creating my own comic universe by scratch. Your original video about making your cinematic universe helped give me some inspiration/motivation. I’ve been mostly building out the world and a bunch of characters. I’ve only written a couple scenes so far, but I’m proud of the background/lore I’m setting up. One of my superheroes is a woman who goes by “Dreamer” and I was worried because DC has a Dreamer, but mine is completely different. Hopefully I won’t have to change her name… Anyway, thanks for the inspiration! It’s amazing what you’ve been able to put out and I can’t wait to see more!
It is worth looking for an original name, just to have more USPs for you character, more distinctive, less ordinary. Oneira (Greek), Soña Dora (Spanish), Musquq (Qechua), Reverist, Musard, Fantast, Fancier, Phantasist, Dreamsmith, Swevener (English).
I wouldn't worry about the name of your characters unless you're using them for the title of your work. If you are going to do that, you can search the US Trademark Office's website for active (aka "Live") trademarks to see if a name is being used.
I feel like they realized the potential of their 'forgotten' heroes and villains by people doing stuff like Austin so now they are going to try to scare anyone they can from using these characters. One people are scared I bet they will toss them aside like they did long ago.
I won't be among them. If anything that's gonna motivate me more to push back to let them know they're not the only ones in town that can play the game anymore.
Considering what happened with Lev Gleason’s Daredevil… Oh I’m sorry, I mean ____devil, I’m honestly hoping that Marvel doesn’t try to trademark another public domain character’s name. I’m hoping Blue Bolt, our Bargain Bin Cinematic Universe Hero, gets the chance to show his stuff in the future.
Oh man that would actually be awesome wouldnt it? I can see it now, you have classic cape and tights pulp sci-fi Fred, his "retired" war veteran self inspired by his later appearances in the comics, the star publications version with the yellow suit, and austin's bolt in the mix all uniting to defeat some super powerful version of the Green Sorceress! That reminds me I'd love to send Austin a Kirby-inspired redesign I did for Blue Bolt's costume awhile back. I think he'd get a kick out of it.
small correction: you could still use the blue bolt name in the story itself, just not in the marketing like the title. same thing happened to captain marvel/shazam
This reminds me of how ms marvel was really similar to a character i made, So about a month before she was revealed i made a character Who was a teenage superhero with powers, had a identity crisis due to her religious and racisl background while being an immigrant in america, with her looking up to a powerful female hero. Of course they couldn't have copied me because it takes months to get a marvel character up off the ground and my character wasn't even on the internet
Disney absolutely would try to sue over something like that. Doesn't matter how frivolous it is, you're still in it thousands of dollars even if you're 1000% in the right if they want, and faced with that it's easy to take a settlement; and they're going to pretend YOU ripped THEM off to the public
He's a Lobo pastiche, based on a public domain hero. Cat Man appeared in one of the Batman animated series, too. I did the same with Jenny Everywhere, who is slightly different, an open source character. I've even collaborated with other Jenny creators, and submitted entries for Jenny Everywhere Day. I think I'm one of the last known publishers of Jenny Everywhere. If i wasn't disabled as badly as I am, I would have continued the story I started.
Marvel already had an electric based character with Living Lightning who was on the West Coast Avengers (Volume 1 ongoing). That's a crap move, Marvel. But then, Marvel did use all of their 1993 annuals to secure copyrights to 30 all new characters, probably as a response to the emergence of Image Comics. If nothing else, Marvel (and DC) were flooding the market that year with 1st appearance "collectible" comics to edge Image out of store magazine shelf space. I do believe Marvel was publishing 80+ monthly books that year.
I'm super glad you mentioned the Trademark/Copyright difference, but don't ever get too comfortable around a company with infinite money and the lengths they'll go to. Lest we forget, the reason a generation of people think that Captain Marvel is called Shazam is because of a lawsuit.
You look and sound so great Austin! You have no idea how much I look up to you. I had to get heart surgery in April and you talking about your experience helped me not feel alone. I don't know if that sounds stupid but yeah I look up to you
Personally I am still confused why they introduce the guy instead of picking any already existing small villain they have ..... I mean I dunno shoker once helped she hulk, and another time the avengers. Sandman once was an avenger before brainwash, the list goes on.
Disney steals a lot of things from Star Wars fans and other shows. It wouldn't surprise me if some at Disney saw your video and decided to "steal" Blue Bolt as their own.
Some characters I think Austin should revive The puppteer Green mask Us Jones Strongman (Holyoke) Kinks mason The eagle Original daredevil 711 Air boy The heap Fighting yank
5:24 In the U.S. Copyright terms still vary a bit between different countries. Check your local laws to make sure something's in the public domain in your home country before using it. Getting a lawyer experienced in IP laws is a good idea too.
I do wonder IF someone at Marvel is keeping tabs on Austin because 1. When Austin made a Spider-Man: Far from Home theory the editor of the film contacted him 2. A few years ago Austin was contacted by a major but unnamed company regarding a franchise spin-off...could it have been Marvel/Disney. Who knows? I'd like to think that IF someone at Marvel comics did take inspiration from Austin's use of the character, it was just looking at Austin's video of Blue Bolt and decided to make their own version of the classic public domain character. As for the "all new" thing, marketing departments should not be taken as the final word on things. The Strangers: Chapter 1 falsely marketed its trailer as a prequel to the 2008 The Strangers film and it is obviously NOT
I get where you're coming from, but you're claim to be the first to bring these characters back isn't really true. Spider Queen was used by Marvel (along with other pd characters) in an Invaders mini by Roy Thomas. Six Gun Gorilla has been in a few comics I've seen before you did.
Not to mention that Antarctic Press has had two versions of Catman in comics; the original, and a new take on him. So that's actually 3 who were used before you did.
Considering they are using a similar angles as yours and Marvel is, like many entertainment companies, very litigious, they could possibly sue you on your finished work.
The problem with Marvel attempting to file a trademark claim is that you have published proof that you began using the name years before they even considered the concept. In the realm of trademark law, it's first come, first served. So let Marvel try. If they do, you can not only counter their fraudulent clam but then you can countersue. In that instance, Marvel absolutely will settle out of court rather than facing the risk of the Disney name being attached to a judgment against them. You could rake in tens or maybe even hundreds of millions in the settlement, depending on the level of potential embarrassment that Disney will likely endure which, if we're being completely honest, is extremely high right now with the recent drop in Marvel profits and their failed Star Wars series, The Acolyte.
Dick move, Marvel. 🙄 Also... what's with that character design? That's just Native American Namor. And they kinda already have one of those, in the MCU. 😅 Austin's Blue Bolt is already a thousand times better. 😁
I wouldn't worry about Marvel trademarking the name any time soon. They're just introducing the character, so they won't waste money when they have no idea how consumers are going to respond to their "Blue Bolt". If their character was getting his own series, cartoon, or line of action figures, then they would get a trademark (or at least claim it). While Marvel could own the trademark for all time, they usually don't bother to do so unless a character is a real money-maker.
I can't help but recall how paramount pictures "coincidentally" came out with "Star Trek: Discovery" while trying to shut down Axanar, or how the "Power Rangers" movie came out not long after the "Power-Rangers" dark fanfic was forced off of RUclips. The media giants often seem to "reverse engineer" successful, fan-based reinterpretations of old ideas, especially their own, in conjunction with legal action. The only difference here seems to be that they didn't sue you FIRST.
Not targeting Austin here since it seems that he's made this video in slight jest at the coincidence, but also mild concern about the naming and copyright situation. But, I mean, Blue Bolt is such a generic name, with relatively generic powers (Comics Blue Bolt has an electricity gun so debatably Marvel's Blue Bolt is even more generic with powerset). I doubt they even saw the original comic in the first place, just accidentally came across the name. Really think about it. They already have a character named Black Bolt. Does that mean that he was based on Blue Bolt then had the color changed and his power changed from electricity to a thunderous booming noise that he is known for? No. Just Bolt is popular in a cool sounding name. Also this was a character from like the 40's, Hero names weren't exactly the most clever so they were generic enough that anyone can come across it. Doubling down on the coincidence in terms of name argument, The Superfriends show has a character named Blue Bolt as well, just the second most common power a character with *Bolt* in their name could have, and is a villain. (Now realizing 2 characters with Bolt in their name has shout based abilities, Black Bolt of course and Bolt the Dog from Bolt the movie. so that's like a close 3rd I guess). All in all, Marvel's Blue Bolt is probably just based on Wrestling Heels with a "shocking" personality, (Because wrestling seems to have had a spike in popularity, plus i mean... look at how he's dressed), thought of Lightning was a cool power to give him, then boom, Blue Bolt. I'd say this is more of a accidentally coming across the same name rather than a coming from the same start. Not saying its impossible, and I do think that its shitty that they will be able to take copyright of the name, but I really doubt this was an attempt to take a character from someplace else.
When can we expect updates on the Six-Gun Gorilla and Little Red? After all you've treated us to between Catman, Atlas, and Spider Queen I really cant wait to see what comes of those previously mentioned. I'd love to hear more updates on Landor too (and ofcourse this video gives us a much needed sneak peak into Blue Bolt's development) but Im especially eager to see you unveil Gorilla and Red!
I wouldn't be worried, this is West Coast Avengers **insert sick guitar riff here**, I give WCA (sick guitar riff) about 12 issues before it's cancelled.
You know how greedy big corpo works... They probably will try to get a Trademark at least if that Comic is doing well for them... Might i reccomend you then Just call your Character the Blue Blitz ?
you know what, someone like austin should file for a trademark for bluebolt and marvel studios will eventually come after that and they'll have to accept that it's in public domain.
I'd be incredibly surprised if Marvel even knew who the original Blue Bolt was. But I'd be amazed If they attempted to trademark the name considering that this character will probably never be seen again after this series comes out.
I'm not at all disagreeing with your statements about how copyright and trademark works (or is supposed to work, anyway). You are 100% able to use these PD characters, but it wouldn't shock me if Disney tried to sue you anyway. They commonly use "lawfare" to get their way: they keep pumping money into the lawsuit until their opponent runs out of money and they have to give up. (I'm sure you've heard about them trying to get out of a wrongful death lawsuit because the victim's family had a Disney+ account and the EULA had a mandatory arbitration clause in it. They only abandoned this fight because of the negative PR.) There are a few works that WERE in the public domain that have been weaseled out of it. (Sorry to the actual animal called a weasel.) It's a Wonderful Life is one of them. The movie wasn't very successful so the studio didn't bother renewing the copyright. Because of this, it was inexpensive programming, so stations started airing it regularly around Christmas. It was only THEN that it became a popular classic. After that, lawyers managed to get the movie out of the public domain. (Something to do with the movie's source material still being copyrighted.) Then there's the original Star Trek. When it originally aired, it did NOT have a copyright notice, and under the copyright law at the time, should've put it into the public domain. (This is the same way that Night of the Living Dead became public domain.) However, a judged ruled that somehow, the show airing didn't count as being "published". Paramount slapped a copyright notice on future reruns and that DID count as being published. The case was Paramount Pictures Corp. vs Leslie Rubinowitz, et al USDC E.D.NY (6-26-1981) ¤ 217 USPQ 48. (I'm not a lawyer, so maybe a lawyer could explain how this makes any sense.) And the recent Star Trek Discovery was clearly ripped off from Adas Abdin's Tartigrades video game. They took his story and just changed some of his characters' names and added in some Star Trek stuff. This is why, all of a sudden in this prequel to the original series, Starfleet is using giant space Tardigrades as their method of propulsion when no such concept was ever mentioned in any Star Trek show or movie prior to this. Yet, the judge ruled in the giant corporation's favor, and Abdin got screwed over. The judge said that space travel via tartigrade is a common sci-fi trope or some B.S. like that. (No idea about the other stuff they ripped off, such as the characters.)
Id like to think someone just went through the history of hidden characters, saw Blue Bolt and Jack Kirby and got excited. But...who knows? If they went ahead and trademarked it, thats pretty unfair. Considering they have such a gigantic catalogue of charscters they do own. Ones that have faded into obscurity
So, if Marvel DOES decide to trademark the name (which I think they probably will, and unfortunately, there isn’t anybody with enough money to take them in court that actually cares about stuff like this), do you have a backup name/character for your universe? If it happens, are you just gonna call him The Human Lightning Streak, or come up with a completely new name? Are you gonna try to use the name, but not in your titles? Or are you just gonna outright replace him with another character?
Some professional creators who have worked at Marvel & DC, and Image etc and other comics creators participate in the public domain heroes FB group. It’s a tight knit community that loves these characters. Maybe you gave someone the idea, but there is a culture of comics creators that love these PD characters going back to when Roy Thomas introduced them to a bunch of his contemporaries.
like and comment for the algorithm. Once they take a comic hero and make it an industry with movies, sequels, swag and licensing I lose interest in it fast. If they Hasbro the heck out of it I turn away and look for something worthy of investing my attention on. I like my stories done by a person. You, sir, are a person. Thank you, and I really hope life is treating you well.
I'd wonder if the writer of the new comic drew from the same source, but honestly I agree it's fairly easy to have two ideas be stunningly similar, I had a friend unwisely submit a story to marvel with a "red Hulk" character, month later, what should appear? Did they steal his idea? he thinks so, but when you character id defined by a color like Green, why wouldn't you make a rival in an opposing color, inspired by/stolen from someone's submission or not, (keep in mind: Marvel tells you in their submission guide lines, not to submit original concepts to avoid just such a situation.) Working for a small press comic company, our CEO (at the suggestion of Diamond distribution - the big daddy of comic shipments), started a plan to use several other Public Domain characters to start a connected "cinematic universe" line because most of our books were creator owned and not part of a singular story line, only to find two or more of the characters had recently gone into publication at other small press publishers (one of which may have been the early inspiration for Swamp Thing... or Man-thing, which "thing" came first is kinda murky.) Erik Larson, creator of the Savage Dragon has apparently borrowed several PD characters for his comics in the past. It's like a treasure trove of old toys, hopefully everyone that wants to, gets to play with them equally.
I feel like it's worth checking what other of their hero names marvel filed trademarks for. If that's something they do for most if not all of them they most certainly will.
your blue bolt story is definitely good, austin, so it wouldn't surprise me if some ultrawealthy megacorporation would steal your story in full or in part (for legal reasons, "or if at all"), and release it as "their" story now to profit from. i'm saying this because the odds of both you and they finding and working on this same free hero from the past is very low, almost too low to be suspicion-free.
Marvel really have to be creatively bankrupt to copy from a small youtuber.Who is creating an awesome superhero universe that will be 10× better than the current MCU.
Three possibilities:
1) Marvel stole the idea after hearing it from Austin -‘All’s fair in public domain and war.’
2) Marvel accidentally stumbled upon the character and coincidentally made a version full of similarities to Austin.
3) Marvel execs genuinely didn’t know comic history and thought they invented something new without ever checking that assumption.
Honestly, the third option is the craziest.
i could see something thats a mix between 2 and 3.
Personally considering some of the decisions that have been made with Marvel IP's over the past few years I could see number 3 as being less crazy that most might think. Not saying it's what happend, but definitely less crazy. I agree that a mix between 2 and 3 are the most likely.
According to Google there are more than 50.000 superheroes published by Marvel alone, so we can probably assume tens of thousands more. Now maybe this Blue Bolt guy has something extremely special about him, but if not it's pretty safe to rule out option 2. As for option 3, I didn't know what blue bolt even meant but as I understand it from the expression "bolt out of the blue", and is only used in its simplified form "blue bolt" as a tabletop RPG term. So not impossible that they turned this expression into a superhero name for a second time, but pretty unlikely too.
What's very likely though, is that a person creating comics will watch a lot of content about comics. It doesn't necessarily mean he stole the idea. It's actually pretty common that artists copy each other without even realizing it. They see something but don't pay too much attention to it, then when they need to come up with something, that's what pops up in their head. That said, a lot of them also steal without remorse. So myeah I don't know. But pretty interesting.
Executives don't make comics, creatives do. And if there is anyone who loves comic history, it's comic writers.
Considering there is the Two Catman's thing, and how long the characters have not been in the spotlight, it is probably the third
I think we should get a triple crossover between Blue Bolt, Blue Bolt, and Blue Bolt
So true fr
:spiderman pointing at spiderman meme:
And a cameo from blackbolt
Beat me to it @@Coffeepanda294
Title: Blue Bolt: Worlds United
Plot Overview: The multiverse is in chaos. Thousands of alternate realities are collapsing as an ancient cosmic being, Landor, awakens from the depths of the negative dimension. Known as the "Storm King," Landor has begun a conquest across universes, aiming to harness the combined electrical energy of every Blue Bolt who has ever existed. With each dimension he conquers, Landor grows stronger, feeding off the power of the Blue Bolts to restore his own weakened state and expand his dark empire.
Three main Blue Bolts-Fred Parrish (the original hero from the 1940s comics), Chad Braxton (a formerly ruthless Marvel henchman trying to redeem himself), and a ragtag Fred Parrish who uses his powers for fame as a professional football star-find themselves united when Landor's forces invade their worlds.
The Main Characters:
1. Fred Parrish (1940s Blue Bolt): A classic hero in every sense, Fred is the embodiment of courage and selflessness. He has fought countless battles in his home dimension, including against the evil Green Sorceress, and sees his powers as a responsibility to protect the innocent. His suit is retro-futuristic, mixing elements of World War II flight gear with advanced technology.
2. Chad Braxton: A former villain and henchman in the Marvel universe, Chad was once an expendable lackey for major supervillains. After being subjected to a failed experiment involving Blue Bolt technology, he gained powers but was left with a chip on his shoulder. Trying to leave his dark past behind, Chad struggles with being seen as a hero, often hiding his insecurities with sarcasm and bravado. He dons a sleeker, modern suit with a black and blue color scheme and specializes in using electricity-based gadgets.
3. Fred Parrish the Football Star: In this world, Fred Parrish never embraced the life of a traditional hero. Instead, he used his powers to become a football legend, flaunting his fame and enjoying the spotlight. Though he's initially reluctant to join the cause, the threat to the multiverse compels him to take his powers seriously for the first time. His suit resembles a football uniform, but with added high-tech armor and electrical enhancements.
Storyline:
The three Blue Bolts are brought together by a dimensional breach caused by Landor, who is manipulating space-time to drain the energy of alternate Blue Bolts, merging realities into a storm-filled dystopia. After barely escaping an attack on their own worlds, they find themselves in a shared, shattered dimension known as the “Nexus of Storms,” where remnants of destroyed realities swirl in chaos.
In the Nexus of Storms, the trio encounter thousands of other Blue Bolts, ranging from a medieval knight with lightning-infused armor, a cyberpunk hacker using electricity to control machines, and even a Blue Bolt made entirely out of sentient plasma energy. They learn that these alternate versions of themselves are being hunted down by Landor's "Lightning Legion," corrupted Blue Bolts who have succumbed to his influence.
Major Plot Points:
1. Landor’s Plan: Landor is revealed to be an ancient cosmic force that once ruled the multiverse's electrical storms, but was banished to the negative dimension. Now, he's using the collective power of the Blue Bolts to break free and regain his supremacy. His ultimate goal is to turn the multiverse into a single, dark storm where he reigns as the absolute monarch.
2. Recruiting Allies: Realizing the need for more help, the three lead Blue Bolts reach out to other heroes across different dimensions. This includes:
Atlas (a strongman hero from mythological lore who fights using strength and invulnerability).
Spider Queen (a 1940s-era heroine with spider-themed gadgets and a deadly web shooter).
Catman (a crimefighter with feline abilities who brings agility and stealth to the fight).
Little Red Riding Hood (a fearless warrior version of the fairy tale character, wielding a lightning-charged axe).
Six-Gun Gorilla (a gorilla gunslinger from the Wild West dimension, armed with electricity-charged revolvers).
3. Black Bolt’s Cameo: As the multiversal chaos grows, Black Bolt from the Inhumans makes a surprise appearance. He warns the three main Blue Bolts that their battle against Landor is more than just a fight for power; it is a battle for the very nature of sound and energy across all realities. Using sign language and minor vocal sounds (his full voice would shatter dimensions), Black Bolt offers advice and a way to disrupt Landor's siphoning machine.
4. The Battle of Storms: The final act takes place in a darkened dimension where Landor’s storm fortress stands, surrounded by swirling portals leading to every alternate reality. Thousands of Blue Bolts, from dinosaurs with lightning breath to futuristic cyborgs with electrical weapons, unite in a desperate charge against the Lightning Legion.
5. Redemption and Sacrifice: Chad Braxton, the redeemed former henchman, decides to make the ultimate sacrifice. Using a device Black Bolt provided, he amplifies his electrical powers to overload Landor's siphoning machine, allowing the other Blue Bolts to free their captive counterparts. Chad knows the device will likely kill him, but he sees this as his one chance to truly be a hero. His final act causes the fortress to collapse and shatter Landor's dark empire.
6. The Final Showdown: The remaining Blue Bolts, led by Fred Parrish and the football star Fred, confront Landor himself. In a spectacular, reality-warping showdown, they combine their powers in a climactic strike that disperses Landor's energy form across the multiverse, breaking his control over the stolen Blue Bolt energies.
Epilogue:
As reality stabilizes, the three Blue Bolts stand victorious, surrounded by countless other versions of themselves. Chad Braxton's sacrifice is honored by the Blue Bolt multiverse, and Fred Parrish, the football star, finally decides to embrace the role of a true hero in his world. Meanwhile, the classic Fred Parrish reflects on the endless possibilities and responsibilities that come with being a hero across worlds.
In the final scene, Black Bolt appears again, standing silently over a grave marked "Chad Braxton: A True Blue Hero." He gives a subtle nod, hinting that though the multiverse was saved, greater threats still loom on the horizon.
Post-Credits Scene:
A portal opens in a dark alley, and out steps an enigmatic figure wearing a torn cloak, holding a broken lightning bolt staff. The camera pans up to reveal Landor’s true form-still alive, his essence merely dispersed, not destroyed. He whispers, “This is just the beginning,” as the scene fades to black.
Blue Bolt: Worlds United ends, setting the stage for even more multiversal chaos and adventures to come.
To be fair, Blue Bolt was written by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby. Two Marvel icons. It makes a little sense that they'd want to use his character.
Austin becoming a Marvel Studios director would be the wildest plot twist in RUclips history lol
But on a serious note, as someone who started my channel partly thanks to you Austin, it's always cool to see the creative rabbit holes you end up in.
I wish for Austin any and all opportunities/success that may come his way... as long as he would never sell his soul for it. That's always the danger.
@@TonisFilmClub Best case scenario for sure lol
@@miguelthedrawtist Considering some of the movies in the latest phase, Austin would knock it out of the park already
@@TonisFilmClubthat'd be great
Big fan of you both
I guess my only concern would be Marvel sending you a C&D about your Blue Bolt banking on the fact you do not have the money to fight them in court to strong-arm you into changing the character's name.
Its a public domain name super hero, even if they do send a c&d they would have to grounds to continue
I’d contribute to any legal defense fund for Austin if they did
@@ulises4241 Even if they are in the wrong, they can tie him up in procedural BS for a long time.
DC and austin should team up to take on marvel. both are helpless alone but if they work together they might be able to get something done.
If that happened and I was Austin, I'd contact Elon Musk and ask him to pay my legal fees. 😊
Once batman goes public domain it'd be really funny if you used him
he'll have to use the version of batman that was first introduced though, he couldn't use anything introduced affter that
@@turtle1658 wow no way, he definitely doesn't know that
Why wait? "The Black Bat" a Pulp Magazine character that dresses in a black cowl and cape is already in the Public Domain.
@@lumpylumpyloo im just clarifying jeez
@turtle1658 I feel like people don’t realize how much of a problem that will actually be. The original version of Batman didn’t have strict rules against killing and guns, and I feel like you’d have to be REALLY careful with that, as I think making it too big of a deal for your own version could cause issues. So you’d either have to not mention that he has those rules (which I have a problem with because of how important that is to his character now), or let him kill like in his earlier comics, which we all know will not go over well.
Also, so many other things won’t be in the public domain that are incredibly important. Alfred, The Batcave, Robin, literally any of his villains, and even the name “Gotham City.” I really just don’t think it’s worth doing anything with Batman right away when he enters the public domain. We should all wait a few years until more material is available to use. Otherwise, we’re gonna end up with a Bruce Wayne that wears a Batman suit and goes by Batman, but acts nothing like the character and is dropped into a world that is nothing like the one he belongs in.
Not that it's a problem but it's kind of funny that you made Blue Bolt black. A hilarious number of writers have a strange habit of creating black superheroes with lightning powers, which is something people can generally never unhear after it's pointed out to them.
Think Electro, Miles Morales, Black Lightning, Storm, and countless minor heroes from smaller properties
Electro is white tho
Or was before
Static Shock
Marvel color-swapping Max Dillon was a stupid idea designed to satisfy stupid people. He’s a much cooler-looking and better villain as a white guy. I didn’t mind Nick Fury though. It fits his character to be like/look like Samuel L. Jackson.
Static Shock
You're not the only one. In 2011, I launched my own indie superhero named "All Hallows Eve". While she never found much traction, she did carve out a small fan base. In 2022, Marvel debuted "Hallows' Eve". While, conceptually, the two characters sound as different as night and day, after having read Marvel's solo titles with their character, I'm noticing situations and even lines of dialogue that sound familiar. To be fair, I made my character open-source, so it's totally legal for them to do this in my case (if you wanted to, you could also include her in the Superzeroes universe as a result). But you can bet that I'm going to ride Marvel's coattails and remind everyone where this character originally came from. Honestly, you should too with the Blue Bolt.
Oh man what a small world. I made that connection to one of my friends years ago! At first I'd thought it was just coincidence too but you really compare the details and it becomes obvious just how much was ""inspired"" by your Eve.
You do onow he didn't make blue bolt right
That Was You? Holy cow, I was perusing Public Domain Heroes Wiki ages ago and was looking for Halloween-themed heroes/villains for an OCT I was in. While I ultimately wound up going with a lesser-known villain (Fang from Baily Comics), All-Hallows Eve was certainly one of the standouts.
I love the fact that she’s from Canada (she’d be an awesome member of Alpha Flight), and her ghoulish abilities certainly made her a fun hero for the holidays. Plus, the fact that she’s partnered up with Jack O’Lantern himself just makes the idea of writing her conversations with his disembodied voice even more interesting.
@@flashtybMost def gonna read through AHE because of what you just said
@@lazer-ape at first I was bitter and overreacted. Now, I'm actually kinda happy that Marvel is doing 99% of my brand's promotion for me. All I have to do is strategically ride their coattails. I've got new projects on the go with Eve, I'm even writing a new series of short stories.
This reminds me when Alan Moore decided to resurrect a forgotten golden age hero, Marvel Man, and Marvel comics threw a hissy fit over the use of the name and forced him to change it to Miracle Man.
Then ended up buying Miracle Man in the long run and changing his name back to Marvel Man.
Maybe they will tell you to stop using the Blue Bolt name then end up buying the rights to your character design.
It's like how anyone can make a Cinderella movie. But only Disney can legally use the footage and designs from the movies they've created.
Or Marvel's Thor and Hercules characters. They can own THOSE designs, but they will never stop someone from creating their own personal version.
I saw you in the Murder on the Orient play! You and your costars did a really good job! My wife and I loved it!
I can’t believe that Austin McConnell got his character/story stolen by Marvel before GTA 6
At this point, we already have two moons, so nothing surprises me.
@@JoWilliams-ud4euWe got TWO MOONS?
@ramirezproductions0826 it's about the size of a school bus, but it's going away soon.
@@JoWilliams-ud4euOh. Cool.
@@JoWilliams-ud4eu Oh. Cool.
Maybe we can prevent Marvel from trying to file a trademark if all of us create our own Blue Bolts and make him a common name.
lol. Would've been hilarious to see lots of people use 'Blue bolt' as usernames
Well, he *is* a Public Domain character.
Really curious how much original ideas you have to bring to a character to make it not public domain. Like Mickey Mouse, it's public but not certain features - only how he was depicted in the steamboat willy. So the gloves and Minnie and stuff like that are still copyrighted
@@pXnTilde I'd say it's a question of an unmistakable combination of attributes that makes a character unique enough to claim ownership, So many superheroes have icons on their chest, that alone can make for a very specific identifier. A description like "a black and white mouse with puffy white gloves and three fingers" might be enough up to a point but when you add different animal bits it can't be claimed unless they're inseparable. But there's no telling how many visual variants of that description someone with enough cash might have in their archives from some 70 years of drawings to foul your plans.
as a law student currently studying intellectual property laws, good job summarizing the differences between copyright and trademark law.
No matter what similarities they may share i’m 100% confident your version will be better
I'd trademark the "Blue Bolt" name and not say anything unless a big deal was made, just to preserve all the work that was put into your project, but that's just me. I hate it when the big companies walk all over the little guy, just because they think they can. Beat them at their own game.
He can't trade mark it because he took it. He has no rights to Blue bolt other than the specific adaptation that he made, and when you actually look at the characters they are not similar at all. They both have lightning based powers and the same name, which makes a ton of sense even if marvels not based on the original character. I'm pretty sure marvel just used the name for their new character not knowing it was in use
I wouldn't worry either. "Black guy with electric superpowers" is such a trope in the world of comics that some comic book writers even make fun of the cliche.
Personally, I find your idea of a Football player using superpowers to win at Football games a very interesting one, because it explores what the common man would do with super powers. The regular Joe wouldn't fight crime or anything, the regular Joe is usually lazy or greedy, and would use Super Powers for personal gain. I am not saying everyone would become a super villain and steal from a bank or something like that, but they would use it for "cheating at life" in some way. Him using powers to beat his opponents at Football, not by innate sports talent or training, but by simply using a super power, is a very interesting idea, and I seriously can't wait to see your spin on it and what you do.
And as far as if Marvel Trademarks "Blue Blot" I mean, yeah, it would suck. But There are a hundred ways you can avoid any problems, like just renaming him "The Bolt" but with blue letters (I mean, you know who it is, we know who it is...)
Or making him play for a team called "The Bolts" that play in "Blue Coast City" or something similar, and make sure the name BOLT is not on his jersey and just call him "Fred Parrish" ... or a combination of all these, and many other ways. But, I mean, you are a very talented, smart and resourceful person, and I'm sure you already have a very clear idea of what to do if Marvel does a trademark for the name Blue Bolt.
In any case, I am, like many others, looking forward to see what the Atlas and Catman movies will be like, and of course the books too.
They can't trad mark it
@@Pat12379 Why not? I said Trademark, not Copyright, and Austin clearly stated that a Trademark and a Copyright are not the same thing.
@@Potpourri-o7m yeah and I'm pretty sure they can't do that
@@Pat12379 They absolutely CAN trademark the name. I'm not sure why you think Marvel can't, unless you don't understand what a trademark is.
@THE_bchat I feel like it's nit original enough to be trademarked like there's probably so many other characters and things named blue bolt
Am I the only one who noticed the “spider-woman” on this list of Avengers?????
The Spider Queen AND Blue Bolt????? 😏 yeah, ok Marvel…… someone’s an Austin fan
How’s your recovery going? You seem to be doing really well!
It's going okay. Still dealing with issues from my hand, and my balance is still pretty wonky, but I'm getting back to full health slowly but surely. :)
@@austinmcconnell Glad you’re getting better! Praying for a speedy full recovery man best of luck!
@@austinmcconnell Cool! I’m glad you’re beginning to feel better Austin! I love your videos so much and I can’t wait to see your Altas and Catman movies. 😊
@@austinmcconnell Glad to hear that, Austin. We love you!
@@austinmcconnell i dinged up my brain a bit some years back - long story, but end result is wonky balance, some involuntary movements, memory issues - nothing super-severe, but enough to know i’m not who i was, my high achieving days are behind me, and the trajectory of my life has been irrevocably down-shifted.
anyway, i been a bitter boy about it - past a point of self-indulgent wallowing, if i’m honest - but seeing your progress lightens my heart a bit somehow. keep going!
It is odd that they'd ring back Blue Bolt and reimagine him with a personality that is so similar to your reimagining, especially considering that 1) no reboot of him had that take on him until yours, 2) even some ofthe wording used, and 3) Marvel tends to bring back Golden Age Timely. It is a very odd set of coincidences.
I’ve been working on creating my own comic universe by scratch. Your original video about making your cinematic universe helped give me some inspiration/motivation.
I’ve been mostly building out the world and a bunch of characters. I’ve only written a couple scenes so far, but I’m proud of the background/lore I’m setting up.
One of my superheroes is a woman who goes by “Dreamer” and I was worried because DC has a Dreamer, but mine is completely different. Hopefully I won’t have to change her name…
Anyway, thanks for the inspiration! It’s amazing what you’ve been able to put out and I can’t wait to see more!
It is worth looking for an original name, just to have more USPs for you character, more distinctive, less ordinary. Oneira (Greek), Soña Dora (Spanish), Musquq (Qechua), Reverist, Musard, Fantast, Fancier, Phantasist, Dreamsmith, Swevener (English).
@@pattheplanter thanks, I’ll definitely think about it!
That's awesome.Wishing you all the best on your universe and world building.
@@marktheshark7588 thank you! ☺️
I wouldn't worry about the name of your characters unless you're using them for the title of your work. If you are going to do that, you can search the US Trademark Office's website for active (aka "Live") trademarks to see if a name is being used.
I feel like they realized the potential of their 'forgotten' heroes and villains by people doing stuff like Austin so now they are going to try to scare anyone they can from using these characters. One people are scared I bet they will toss them aside like they did long ago.
I won't be among them. If anything that's gonna motivate me more to push back to let them know they're not the only ones in town that can play the game anymore.
Blue bolt wasn't made by marvel
It's telling that Marvel's announcement of Blue Bolt wasn't a hyperlink.
Considering what happened with Lev Gleason’s Daredevil… Oh I’m sorry, I mean ____devil, I’m honestly hoping that Marvel doesn’t try to trademark another public domain character’s name.
I’m hoping Blue Bolt, our Bargain Bin Cinematic Universe Hero, gets the chance to show his stuff in the future.
We should get a spiderverse-esque film on the different blue bolts
Oh man that would actually be awesome wouldnt it? I can see it now, you have classic cape and tights pulp sci-fi Fred, his "retired" war veteran self inspired by his later appearances in the comics, the star publications version with the yellow suit, and austin's bolt in the mix all uniting to defeat some super powerful version of the Green Sorceress!
That reminds me I'd love to send Austin a Kirby-inspired redesign I did for Blue Bolt's costume awhile back. I think he'd get a kick out of it.
Their blue bolt looks like Ted Danson.
small correction: you could still use the blue bolt name in the story itself, just not in the marketing like the title. same thing happened to captain marvel/shazam
This reminds me of how ms marvel was really similar to a character i made,
So about a month before she was revealed i made a character
Who was a teenage superhero with powers, had a identity crisis due to her religious and racisl background while being an immigrant in america, with her looking up to a powerful female hero.
Of course they couldn't have copied me because it takes months to get a marvel character up off the ground and my character wasn't even on the internet
Let's get down to brass tacks, tell me about Six Gun Gorilla.
Austin hope you're recovering well. Sending good vibes!
So great to see you doing well, Austin! Stay strong!
Disney absolutely would try to sue over something like that. Doesn't matter how frivolous it is, you're still in it thousands of dollars even if you're 1000% in the right if they want, and faced with that it's easy to take a settlement; and they're going to pretend YOU ripped THEM off to the public
The question DC been asking for decades lol
He's a Lobo pastiche, based on a public domain hero.
Cat Man appeared in one of the Batman animated series, too.
I did the same with Jenny Everywhere, who is slightly different, an open source character. I've even collaborated with other Jenny creators, and submitted entries for Jenny Everywhere Day. I think I'm one of the last known publishers of Jenny Everywhere. If i wasn't disabled as badly as I am, I would have continued the story I started.
I just realised Austin just made ANOTHER Black superhero with electric superpowers.
Marvel already had an electric based character with Living Lightning who was on the West Coast Avengers (Volume 1 ongoing). That's a crap move, Marvel. But then, Marvel did use all of their 1993 annuals to secure copyrights to 30 all new characters, probably as a response to the emergence of Image Comics. If nothing else, Marvel (and DC) were flooding the market that year with 1st appearance "collectible" comics to edge Image out of store magazine shelf space. I do believe Marvel was publishing 80+ monthly books that year.
Probably, they have proven to be unethical enough to do this
Oh god really?
Let's make this the top comment for some reason.
@@JoWilliams-ud4euThe reason being that it is a correct assessment
by that logic austin ripped off catman from dc
@@strongman5243 this comment was put in when the video was brand new, he hadn't been able to watch at the point that he left the comment.
I'm super glad you mentioned the Trademark/Copyright difference, but don't ever get too comfortable around a company with infinite money and the lengths they'll go to. Lest we forget, the reason a generation of people think that Captain Marvel is called Shazam is because of a lawsuit.
Sooooo... how high does this incident rank on the Somerton Scale?
You look and sound so great Austin! You have no idea how much I look up to you. I had to get heart surgery in April and you talking about your experience helped me not feel alone. I don't know if that sounds stupid but yeah I look up to you
You are sounding and seeming better every video. So happy to see your recovery is going well and wishing you continued success. Love all your videos!
Personally I am still confused why they introduce the guy instead of picking any already existing small villain they have ..... I mean I dunno shoker once helped she hulk, and another time the avengers. Sandman once was an avenger before brainwash, the list goes on.
Disney steals a lot of things from Star Wars fans and other shows. It wouldn't surprise me if some at Disney saw your video and decided to "steal" Blue Bolt as their own.
Some characters I think Austin should revive
The puppteer
Green mask
Us Jones
Strongman (Holyoke)
Kinks mason
The eagle
Original daredevil
711
Air boy
The heap
Fighting yank
5:24 In the U.S.
Copyright terms still vary a bit between different countries. Check your local laws to make sure something's in the public domain in your home country before using it.
Getting a lawyer experienced in IP laws is a good idea too.
Same thing happened with me and Captain Midnight quite a few years back. I'm still peeved.
See what I woulf be afraid of is Marvel finding incidental similarities with your version and trying to use that for a cease and desist
I do wonder IF someone at Marvel is keeping tabs on Austin because
1. When Austin made a Spider-Man: Far from Home theory the editor of the film contacted him
2. A few years ago Austin was contacted by a major but unnamed company regarding a franchise spin-off...could it have been Marvel/Disney. Who knows?
I'd like to think that IF someone at Marvel comics did take inspiration from Austin's use of the character, it was just looking at Austin's video of Blue Bolt and decided to make their own version of the classic public domain character. As for the "all new" thing, marketing departments should not be taken as the final word on things. The Strangers: Chapter 1 falsely marketed its trailer as a prequel to the 2008 The Strangers film and it is obviously NOT
The west cost avengers are an 70s to 80s team where wanda maximoff and vision got most of their most iconic stories together
The "West Coast Avengers" debuted in 1984.
I get where you're coming from, but you're claim to be the first to bring these characters back isn't really true. Spider Queen was used by Marvel (along with other pd characters) in an Invaders mini by Roy Thomas. Six Gun Gorilla has been in a few comics I've seen before you did.
Not to mention that Antarctic Press has had two versions of Catman in comics; the original, and a new take on him. So that's actually 3 who were used before you did.
You need to per-emptively file a trademark complaint on them or else they will one up you. It's whoever gets there first.
Considering they are using a similar angles as yours and Marvel is, like many entertainment companies, very litigious, they could possibly sue you on your finished work.
Just finished the Spider Queen last night on Audible. I can't wait for the next book!
Austin vs Marvel beef. We want it
The problem with Marvel attempting to file a trademark claim is that you have published proof that you began using the name years before they even considered the concept. In the realm of trademark law, it's first come, first served. So let Marvel try. If they do, you can not only counter their fraudulent clam but then you can countersue. In that instance, Marvel absolutely will settle out of court rather than facing the risk of the Disney name being attached to a judgment against them. You could rake in tens or maybe even hundreds of millions in the settlement, depending on the level of potential embarrassment that Disney will likely endure which, if we're being completely honest, is extremely high right now with the recent drop in Marvel profits and their failed Star Wars series, The Acolyte.
could you please do a video explaining how to find out what's on the public domain so its easier to find out?
Dick move, Marvel. 🙄
Also... what's with that character design?
That's just Native American Namor.
And they kinda already have one of those, in the MCU. 😅
Austin's Blue Bolt is already a thousand times better. 😁
As long as he dont get sued by the chargers
I wouldn't worry about Marvel trademarking the name any time soon. They're just introducing the character, so they won't waste money when they have no idea how consumers are going to respond to their "Blue Bolt". If their character was getting his own series, cartoon, or line of action figures, then they would get a trademark (or at least claim it).
While Marvel could own the trademark for all time, they usually don't bother to do so unless a character is a real money-maker.
I can't help but recall how paramount pictures "coincidentally" came out with "Star Trek: Discovery" while trying to shut down Axanar, or how the "Power Rangers" movie came out not long after the "Power-Rangers" dark fanfic was forced off of RUclips. The media giants often seem to "reverse engineer" successful, fan-based reinterpretations of old ideas, especially their own, in conjunction with legal action. The only difference here seems to be that they didn't sue you FIRST.
Not targeting Austin here since it seems that he's made this video in slight jest at the coincidence, but also mild concern about the naming and copyright situation.
But, I mean, Blue Bolt is such a generic name, with relatively generic powers (Comics Blue Bolt has an electricity gun so debatably Marvel's Blue Bolt is even more generic with powerset). I doubt they even saw the original comic in the first place, just accidentally came across the name.
Really think about it. They already have a character named Black Bolt. Does that mean that he was based on Blue Bolt then had the color changed and his power changed from electricity to a thunderous booming noise that he is known for? No. Just Bolt is popular in a cool sounding name. Also this was a character from like the 40's, Hero names weren't exactly the most clever so they were generic enough that anyone can come across it. Doubling down on the coincidence in terms of name argument, The Superfriends show has a character named Blue Bolt as well, just the second most common power a character with *Bolt* in their name could have, and is a villain. (Now realizing 2 characters with Bolt in their name has shout based abilities, Black Bolt of course and Bolt the Dog from Bolt the movie. so that's like a close 3rd I guess).
All in all, Marvel's Blue Bolt is probably just based on Wrestling Heels with a "shocking" personality, (Because wrestling seems to have had a spike in popularity, plus i mean... look at how he's dressed), thought of Lightning was a cool power to give him, then boom, Blue Bolt.
I'd say this is more of a accidentally coming across the same name rather than a coming from the same start.
Not saying its impossible, and I do think that its shitty that they will be able to take copyright of the name, but I really doubt this was an attempt to take a character from someplace else.
When can we expect updates on the Six-Gun Gorilla and Little Red? After all you've treated us to between Catman, Atlas, and Spider Queen I really cant wait to see what comes of those previously mentioned. I'd love to hear more updates on Landor too (and ofcourse this video gives us a much needed sneak peak into Blue Bolt's development) but Im especially eager to see you unveil Gorilla and Red!
"As long as the stories are good" - my god man layer the sarcasm on a little thinner we got it ! HAH
The lighting setup is sick!
Marvel is trying to get ahead of a another possible captain marvel situation.
I always like hearing more news about Austin’s public domain superheroes
I wouldn't be worried, this is West Coast Avengers **insert sick guitar riff here**, I give WCA (sick guitar riff) about 12 issues before it's cancelled.
I’m not willing to bet on how this happened, but I would have no problems believing that they ripped you off.
You know how greedy big corpo works... They probably will try to get a Trademark at least if that Comic is doing well for them... Might i reccomend you then Just call your Character the Blue Blitz ?
Imagine if marvel commented on this video
There is a DC version who is already in copyrighted work I think so fine ig but yea.
Plot twist: Austin enters the public domain in early 2085.
you know what, someone like austin should file for a trademark for bluebolt and marvel studios will eventually come after that and they'll have to accept that it's in public domain.
I'd be incredibly surprised if Marvel even knew who the original Blue Bolt was. But I'd be amazed If they attempted to trademark the name considering that this character will probably never be seen again after this series comes out.
I'm not at all disagreeing with your statements about how copyright and trademark works (or is supposed to work, anyway).
You are 100% able to use these PD characters, but it wouldn't shock me if Disney tried to sue you anyway. They commonly use "lawfare" to get their way: they keep pumping money into the lawsuit until their opponent runs out of money and they have to give up. (I'm sure you've heard about them trying to get out of a wrongful death lawsuit because the victim's family had a Disney+ account and the EULA had a mandatory arbitration clause in it. They only abandoned this fight because of the negative PR.)
There are a few works that WERE in the public domain that have been weaseled out of it. (Sorry to the actual animal called a weasel.)
It's a Wonderful Life is one of them. The movie wasn't very successful so the studio didn't bother renewing the copyright. Because of this, it was inexpensive programming, so stations started airing it regularly around Christmas. It was only THEN that it became a popular classic. After that, lawyers managed to get the movie out of the public domain. (Something to do with the movie's source material still being copyrighted.)
Then there's the original Star Trek. When it originally aired, it did NOT have a copyright notice, and under the copyright law at the time, should've put it into the public domain. (This is the same way that Night of the Living Dead became public domain.) However, a judged ruled that somehow, the show airing didn't count as being "published". Paramount slapped a copyright notice on future reruns and that DID count as being published. The case was Paramount Pictures Corp. vs Leslie Rubinowitz, et al USDC E.D.NY (6-26-1981) ¤ 217 USPQ 48. (I'm not a lawyer, so maybe a lawyer could explain how this makes any sense.)
And the recent Star Trek Discovery was clearly ripped off from Adas Abdin's Tartigrades video game. They took his story and just changed some of his characters' names and added in some Star Trek stuff. This is why, all of a sudden in this prequel to the original series, Starfleet is using giant space Tardigrades as their method of propulsion when no such concept was ever mentioned in any Star Trek show or movie prior to this. Yet, the judge ruled in the giant corporation's favor, and Abdin got screwed over. The judge said that space travel via tartigrade is a common sci-fi trope or some B.S. like that. (No idea about the other stuff they ripped off, such as the characters.)
Id like to think someone just went through the history of hidden characters, saw Blue Bolt and Jack Kirby and got excited.
But...who knows?
If they went ahead and trademarked it, thats pretty unfair. Considering they have such a gigantic catalogue of charscters they do own. Ones that have faded into obscurity
So, if Marvel DOES decide to trademark the name (which I think they probably will, and unfortunately, there isn’t anybody with enough money to take them in court that actually cares about stuff like this), do you have a backup name/character for your universe? If it happens, are you just gonna call him The Human Lightning Streak, or come up with a completely new name? Are you gonna try to use the name, but not in your titles? Or are you just gonna outright replace him with another character?
Lou Volt is right there.
@@pattheplanterlove it
Indigo Bolt or some other variant blue
Or some other reference to the original character entirely
I was thinking Blu Boult
Thus was born “The Bluest Bolt”…
What goes around comes around lmao
DC & Marvel owned the term "super hero"...
I'm sorry, it's genercised to all hell now, and they hella didn't invent the concept.
Austin, your Blue Bolt is a black football player with lightning powers?
Some professional creators who have worked at Marvel & DC, and Image etc and other comics creators participate in the public domain heroes FB group. It’s a tight knit community that loves these characters. Maybe you gave someone the idea, but there is a culture of comics creators that love these PD characters going back to when Roy Thomas introduced them to a bunch of his contemporaries.
Well if you were wanting money to help finish your cinematic universe.. Sue Marvel for blue bolt and youll have plenty of capital!
like and comment for the algorithm.
Once they take a comic hero and make it an industry with movies, sequels, swag and licensing I lose interest in it fast. If they Hasbro the heck out of it I turn away and look for something worthy of investing my attention on.
I like my stories done by a person. You, sir, are a person. Thank you, and I really hope life is treating you well.
I'd wonder if the writer of the new comic drew from the same source, but honestly I agree it's fairly easy to have two ideas be stunningly similar, I had a friend unwisely submit a story to marvel with a "red Hulk" character, month later, what should appear? Did they steal his idea? he thinks so, but when you character id defined by a color like Green, why wouldn't you make a rival in an opposing color, inspired by/stolen from someone's submission or not, (keep in mind: Marvel tells you in their submission guide lines, not to submit original concepts to avoid just such a situation.) Working for a small press comic company, our CEO (at the suggestion of Diamond distribution - the big daddy of comic shipments), started a plan to use several other Public Domain characters to start a connected "cinematic universe" line because most of our books were creator owned and not part of a singular story line, only to find two or more of the characters had recently gone into publication at other small press publishers (one of which may have been the early inspiration for Swamp Thing... or Man-thing, which "thing" came first is kinda murky.) Erik Larson, creator of the Savage Dragon has apparently borrowed several PD characters for his comics in the past. It's like a treasure trove of old toys, hopefully everyone that wants to, gets to play with them equally.
Looks like you're healing up fairly well. Godspeed on your recovery 🙏🏾
I feel like it's worth checking what other of their hero names marvel filed trademarks for. If that's something they do for most if not all of them they most certainly will.
whelp. you have a fanbase network documenting who came first ;') we got your back on fandom, reddit, and discord, Austin!
Im surprised most people dont remember fairy odd parents catman, who was like a batman type to crimsons chin
And played by Adam West
Could you file a trade mark first?
All I know is that Chad Braxton should be played by Stephen Lang
your blue bolt story is definitely good, austin, so it wouldn't surprise me if some ultrawealthy megacorporation would steal your story in full or in part (for legal reasons, "or if at all"), and release it as "their" story now to profit from.
i'm saying this because the odds of both you and they finding and working on this same free hero from the past is very low, almost too low to be suspicion-free.
I mean honestly it sounds like an awesome way to drive traffic to your stuff :)
They can’t steal it if it’s public domain!!!!
Marvel really have to be creatively bankrupt to copy from a small youtuber.Who is creating an awesome superhero universe that will be 10× better than the current MCU.
I call dibs on Master Mystic
Wow, it's already been 2 years
Austin, it's time to lawyer up.
well i mean, one blue bolt has their pecs out so it probably shouldn't be too hard to differentiate 😂