Rich Burlew's art style

[Dire Reverend]

The way Rich Burlew draws his characters for the Order of the Stick, is it copyrighted/trademarked in any way? If I were to make my own comic, would there be a risk of lawsuit? Mind you, It would have absolutely no similarity other than the style of the art, no references to the characters, or even the dungeons and dragons setting.

[Lemonus]

I don't think so, because there are about a zillion other comics drawn like it in the Fan Comics section of the forums.

[Sarco_Phage]

Fan works generally don't fall under copyright law.

However I'm fairly certain that the Giant hasn't copyrighted the style.

[AtlanteanTroll]

You couldn't copyright a style even if you wanted to. Or no-one's ever tried to anyway. People have plenty of fan-comics in Rich's style already, as Lemonus mentioned.

[Szilard]

Considering stuff like Anti-Heroes and Remember already on their own sites, I don't think so. And Lemonus said, a zillion in the fancomics forum. :smalltongue:

[Roland St. Jude]

Sheriff of Moddingham: Copyright and other legal questions should really be directed to one's lawyer rather than asked on the forum. (Particularly given that even in this short thread there are already misleading or incorrect statements on the matter.)

But, briefly, you're welcome to draw your own stick figures. Just don't take, use, or alter The Giant's art (whether for cropping, tracing, mash-ups, or anything else) and don't use his characters, setting, etc. (all of which you've said you wouldn't be doing), and you'll be fine. There is a set of rules/guidelines in FanComics regarding those specifically and you can visit the Arts & Crafts section to see the kinds of things people are doing there in stick figure style. Also, check out the Iron Avatar contests to see people competing regularly to draw things in the stick figure style.

Enjoy!