So, I am interested in doing Speed Racer fancomic on drunkduck. ( realise this is probably the wrong forum--sorry)
I'm wondering if I'm allowed to do that here. ( obviously making sure everyone knows that I DID NOT make Speed Racer)

What are the rules on fancomics? I know pokemon and whatever sprite comics are okay...so how about a Speed Racer (drawn) comic?

Fancomics are Ok to a certain extent. If the copyright holder notices you're doing a comic based on their license, and are able to provide evidence supporting their claim, they can ask the admins to pull the comic from the site. This hasn't really ever happened besides for one comic called Cats Can't Talk (ripped Garfield strips with Garfield's lines removed).

Okay thanks. That's what I thought, I just didn't want to do anything until I knew for sure. :)

I suppose it's okay as long as you don't make a certain amount of money out of it without the author's permission.

Oh, and a doujin isn't just a fancomic, the term refers to any non-professional self-published manga. Most doujinshi happen to be fancomics (much like how much of the fiction you read online is fanfiction), but original doujinshi also exist. CLAMP used to make original doujin before they got famous and had deals signed by publishers.

Er, my comic is going to have a LOT of other people's stuff in it. But, if I just put up a disclaimer saying "this belongs to such-and-such" then I should be OK, right?

ZeroVX
Er, my comic is going to have a LOT of other people's stuff in it. But, if I just put up a disclaimer saying "this belongs to such-and-such" then I should be OK, right?

Or call it a parody. Then again, a disclaimer wouldn't hurt.

I have a laundry list of fan comics I want to do. So much so that I was thinking at one point of starting a seperate comic up for them, just 3 to 10 page fan comics based on things I love (the sonny chiba streetfigher series, the marx brothers, the hope/crosby "road to..." movies, galaxy quest, hackers, the shadow, etc.) I haven't had the gumption to do it yet, they way i'd want to do it would be alot of work and all my other projects would come to a halt.

I miss cats cant talk

ZeroVX
Er, my comic is going to have a LOT of other people's stuff in it. But, if I just put up a disclaimer saying "this belongs to such-and-such" then I should be OK, right?

Nah, you don't even have to do that. Just screw it. When you're creating a new story using a character you don't have permission for, disclaimers won't help you. If they want to pull you comic off, they will do it no matter what.

My comic is a complete fan comic. Not a single character in my comic is original, and each character is from a different copyright. So theoretically I can have 10-12 copyrights breathing down my neck to remove my comic. Yet my comic remained on DD until it was removed automatically due to lack of updates.

The key is common sense. If you copy something like Megatokyo or another prominent webcomic, expect to get pulled in short order. But if you're like me, who used stuff so obscure and/or ancient that nobody would even notice much less care, you're safe. You're most likely safe with Speed Racer. That one is so old, it's more like a cultural imprint rather than a copyright. Being from another country is a big bonus.

As long as you're not making a profit.