Don't Eff With Potter!
Filed under: Anglophilia > Harry Potter
Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling is set to testify in court today against a publisher who's trying to put out an encyclopedia based on the Potter universe.
Up until now, Rowling has allowed and welcomed the numerous fan-based outlets that her books have inspired. She's even done interviews with some of the sites.
However, a small publisher in Muskegon, Michigan, RDR Books, has announced it planned last fall to publish a printed version of the fan sites, primarily information from the popular fan site called “The Harry Potter Lexicon."
Rowling and even Warner Brothers have stepped in to object. Stating that unlike the online fan sites, the new book is basically seeking to make money from Rowling's work.
The book is being written by the fan website's founder, Steven Vander Ark and three other writers.
Last October, Rowling and WB sued RDR Books for copyright infringement and caused the company to temporarily suspend any publication.
The case will determine if anyone aside from Rowling has the right to publish books that rely mainly on her work as the main source material. It will also determine if the online fan site used in the book adds enough material to transform the content of her books.
Rowling argues that the proposed book has thrown off her plans to write her own style of encyclopedia, in which she planned to donate the proceeds to charity. She's now arguing that the new book could prevent fans from buying hers.
The publisher for RDR Books, Roger Rapoport, said “We don’t think we’re a threat to J. K. Rowling.” He believes both books could exist at the same time.
He also argues that the book “provides a significant amount of original analysis and commentary concerning everything from insights into the personality of key characters, relationships among them, the meaning of various historical and literary allusions, as well as internal inconsistencies and mistakes in the novels.”
Let's see what happens.
Whose side are U on here?????
[Image via WENN.]
maybe this time i'll be first!!
Go JK. Its your world. Potter rulez.
Jo Rowling should be the one to write it even if we don't get it for a couple of years. She's been really good to the fansites they should show the same courtesy.
J.K. Rowling of course
shut up.
I'm on Rowling's side!! Those with no talent should stop trying to capitalize on her work & do their own!!
Obviously JKs side! who would buy a rip off book anyways?? oh yeah people have cough cough series of unfortunate events!
let him do his little book, he obviously has no life if he has studied it that much
The more Harry Potter the merrier! I'd buy Rowling's book but not the other one. I never buy the stupid books that 3rd parties publish about HP. They're almost always a waste of time.
1st bitches!
2nd
Definitely on hers! What a scam…steal her creative work to make money.
poop
so if i want to write a book about harry potters trip to the supermarket i get sued? seems kinda dicey.
Solidly on her side. Authors should retain the rights to their own material. There should be nothing published based on an author's work without the author's permission.
Rowling, obviously — she already announced the encyclopedia that she wanted to create in order to fund children's charities. The webguy just wants the cash!
first!!!
j.k. needs to get over it!
JKKKK. those are my intials hahaha
.swimchick.net
first
LOVE harry potter!!!!!!!!!!!!
rowlings, no doubt
she has trillions. everyone knows potter is hers. i should be able to "sample" a little of her work like rap musicians can
She better win that lawsuit!!
Lol i wanna c the outcome!
obvi J.K's…. she did all the work, she should have the rights
OH I HOPE JK WINS! She rocks some serious ass bitches!
She should get a piece of the action. Harry has made billions for people.
OF course JK Rowling's side… It is total BS what the dude from Lexicon is trying to do.
Lol i wanna c the outcome! Hey she desreves her money!
first!
ROWLING
J.K. Rowling has every right to be angry about others profiting off of her work. She allows fan sites to use her material, b/c they don't make any money. This publishing firm / author is trying to make a profit from her creativity. She is correct to go take them to court.
Rowling all the way!! first?
I think she should just be grateful these people worship her books so much that they want to put together something like that.
shes LAME and her books are GAY! no offense perez
THAT GUY WHO OWNS MUGGLENET.COM MAKES A SIX FIGURE SALARY OFF OF JK ROWLING. SHE DOESN'T KNOW. HOPE SHE FINDS OUT NOW.
yeah definitely rowling!
JK all the way
Rowling & WB are right. The book should be stopped.
I haven't read a single Harry Potter book or gone to seen any of the movies.
But I agree with J.K. Rowling
Im on ROWLINGS side !
Let's rip off someone elses idea to make some money!
Lame. I hope your book fails.
Go JK!
It's JK's world and we're all just living in it. JK all the way!!
Nobody should be permitted to make money off her work.. even if they do write their own analysis.. it's still based off her original ideas.
She'll win though.. there's no way she won't.
Go JK!
GO ROWLING!!!
copyrights! he shouldnt make a profit off her work.
Surprised she hasn't sued Mugglenet yet! They made tons off their book!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wonder why she hasn't sued them yet. Kind of stupid she's suing the Lexicon and not mugglenet. lexicon has helped her more than mugglenet ever has.
Hope she goes after mugglenet.com for their profits!!!!
SUE MUGGLENET
SUE MUGGLENET
SUE MUGGLENET
SUE MUGGLENET
SUE MUGGLENET
SUE MUGGLENET
SUE MUGGLENET
SUE MUGGLENET
As much as I love the Harry Potter series, I have to agree with RDR books. Rowling does not have complete rights over supplementary readings connected to the Harry Potter series. If the court was 2 rule in her favor, then this scenario can be applied to other popular works. There would be no supplementary reading on Dickens, shakespeare, etc.
wow!! doesn't she have enough fucking money - give me a break!!
JK all the WAY
it should be j.k. because its her series. i will only buy her encyclopedia because she knows more about it than anyone else!!
Of course Rowling is right. Some of you guys are stupid. Why should he get paid off of her genius? He's a dumb asshole.
Does she honestly need any more money? I hate greedy rich people.
JK's right on the money (hahahha) it's her creativeness that made HP. Also, she is donationg the proceeds to charity, which she has done frequently in the past. She has made her $$$ (I don't have the lb. sign!) ….but has not forgotten her days of being poor and writing HP on napkins in a little coffee house.
JK all the way, you cant tell me that its fair for someone to take ideas that are ALL hers, and make money off of it. Thats just wrong.
It is a reference work. I don't see how she can possible prevent someone from writing a reference work just because she also wants to write one. Any library is filled with similar books of literary analysis and reference from Shakespeare on–probably very few, if any, are "authorized" by the author. The analysis portion is original and something she can't offer in her own book (she can offer her own analysis but not someone else's). I'm really surprised this is headed to court because she is certain to loose.
Re: Mimi – why do some people fault her for wanting to maintain ownership over her creation? She can make as much money as possible; cheers to her, I say. I don't understand jealous people who will only allow you to make so much money, then after a point, you don't deserve any more no matter how hard YOU have worked for it? Maybe you should think up a story as good as hers and we can tell you that you can only earn so much on that idea.
Last, read the article again…the procees are going to charity.
Leave Harry Potter to JK Rowling!!!
UM,EXCUES MS. ROWLAND…HAVENT U MADE ENOUGH MONEY OFF OF THIS HARRY POTTER SHIT? GIVE SOMEONE ELSE A CHANCE.ITS JUST A WHOS WHO/WHATS WHAT GUIDE FOR PEOPLE…JEEZE..GET OFF YR HIGH HORSE GREEDY CUNT.
DEAR MS. ROWLING,
YOU HAVE ADMITTED TO COLLECTING WELFARE FOR SOME TIME BEFORE YOU BECAME RICH,HAVE YOU PAID BACK THE WELFARE MONEY YOU RECEIVED?YOU KNOW YOU HAVE ENOUGH TO RE-PAY SOCIETY BACK…UM OK.
I am no Harry Potter fan but I support JK Rowling in this. It is her work and they have no right to profit from it. At least not while she's alive, lol.
JKR is a witch, who always want more money, money, money, money, money.
team rowling
JK has every right to maintain control over her characters and creations, but if I'm reading this correctly, the book by Vander Ark & co. sounds like more of an analysis of her work - that's certainly protected by copyright law. Maybe the problem is their calling it an encyclopedia? In truth, a new voice that could add detailed and fresh perspective to her work might be good — JK can't provide that as the characters are her "babies." I hope they find a way to compromise on this!
I'd do her
HOW ABOUT SHE GIVES SOME OF HER GAGILLION DOLLARS SHE ALREADY HAS TO CHARITY?! greedy bitch. she cant spend all her money in her lifetime…shes just trying to play the charity card to keep her greed feed in motion.
did people even READ what was said?!
shes not suing so SHE can profit from it, she was going to publish for CHARITY.
basically if this internet fan guy makes money off of the book…he's basically leeching from JK's talents and taking money that would have gone to charity.
there is no way in hell he will win.
JK Rocks & can do whatever the x she wants! ( :
potter rules!
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.WHO'S SIDE? J.K.'S….IT'S HERS…
AND SHE WANTS TO DONATE CHARITY..
DUH.
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..
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TEAM ROWLING!!!!
Re: WHAT A GREEDY CUNT – SHE's donating the money for CHARITY you moron!!!! You call that greed?
I'm on JKRowling's side.
It's hers to decide.
Go for it! Even though some people tell otherwise.
To the knob who called her a greedy cunt, she wants to donate the proceeds of her book to charity, and ofcourse she pays tax, she has certainly contributed more to the UK's budget then you have, or ever will
the thing is that jk rowling basically has no choice. copyright law boils down to that if you do not actively work to protect your copyrights, meaning suing at the drop of a hat, you can lose the rights to your own work. thats beside the point however, she does seem to be in the right.
I'd do her.
Re: Pay It Back –
I suspect the £200 million paid in taxes - not forgetting the millions donated to charity every year - are more than pay back for society.
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Re: jenny –
CAN YOU READ,
DUM-DUM?
SHE WANTS TO GIVE THE PROCEEDS FROM HER VERSION OF THE ENCYCLOPEDIA TO…….
………………………. CHARITY……..
GOOD IDEA, HUH?
.
.
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IF THE INTERNET GUY WINS…BYE-BYE DONATIONS.
GET IT?
.
.
..
Re: WHAT A GREEDY CUNT –
I will make sure to tell Kelly ROWLAND what you had to say. No opinions if you can't even get the people right.
P.S. Reference books are okay, but this guy is really trying to rip off the encyclopedia. I say throw him in the psych ward. A fan that got too crazy!!!
No one has any right to touch her stuff. NO ONE!!! It will ruin the world of HP and that world needs to be left alone. And what's with the horns on the picture. Not cool.
JK Rowling OWNS that shiz, literally
she would write a better encyclopedia than some random anyways
Rowling of course. If the ones writing the "HP Lexicon" are really doing it to provide their insight and not for the money, they wouldn't sell it, they'd make it free.
although i normally would agree with rowling, isn't it kind of weird that she allows the websites to sell their harry potter-related merch? i mean, mugglenet released a book of predictions of what would happen in the final book, and they made profit off of it. obviously she wouldn't be able to release a book of predictions, but it seems a little wrong to sue a website for wanting to release something just because you were going to do it yourself.
Rowlings - there is a differnece between putting free info out there (like the encyclopedia was online), and CHARGING for something liek that. The website is basically a cheat sheet for anyone who doesnt want to read the book. They just want to cash in now because everything "Potter" sells big. I hope she wins. Otherwise, fansites will go extinct.
JKR gave the Lexicon a fansite award, admitting that she herself used the site to to fact check and reference things when writing the latter books of the series. It's reference material, and he should be able to publish it.
Let's make one thing clear. This person is NOT re-writing Harry Potter or making a spin-off of Harry Potter. This person is simply taking all the Harry Potter books and compiling a "Cliff's Notes" reference book that will be in the form of an encyclopedia. It will be like The Harry Potter Lexicon web-site, except in a book format. I think JRK is doing this because she did not come up with the idea in the first place, and it was only when she found out about this plan for a Harry Potter encyclopedia she is like "hey, sue them!" If Shakespeare or Jane Austen were alive today would they go around suing people for writing reference books about their wirtings? I mean, come on people, this is a book that is repeating what is already on the The Harry Potter Lexicon web-site.
Prince doesn't even allow fan sites—he will send you a DMCA if he finds his picture on your site. I think Rowling is being generous in that she allows the non-profit fan sites to exist in the first place, unlike many other artists.
Team JKR
Law says if the author and publishing company can prove in court that his Lexicon has original analysis, review, or commentary, it's within his right to publish the book, even if it's her original ideas. Why else do you think she hasn't sued one of the hundreds of other authors who have profited off of writing books about her series?
Jo Rowling, obviously.
There's a reason why Jo is suing the Lexicon rather than Mugglenet. The book that Mugglenet wrote was one based on theories for the seventh book, basically fan-written and had nothing exclusive. The Lexicon has information from the series that many other sites do not have. Had Steve said that the profits would go to charity, like Jo plans to do with her encyclopedia, it might have been a different story. Jo has spent SEVENTEEN years making Harry Potter what it is today, Steve has no right to take any credit from her work.
Jo isn't going to make any personal profit off of her encyclopedia, she's donating everything to charity.
GO JO…..SHE RULES.
Steve Vander Ark is NOT creating anything original — he is basically ripping out the plot, reorganizing it a bit & making a profit.
And it's not "even" Warner Bros that has stepped in, they initiated it bc they own the rights to HP (not publishing) & have to be seen as protecting them in order to maintain the rights. And of course, JKR is added on bc she is the author. But she has every right to do so. She has made no secret of it. And Steve & RDR Books are acting very arrogant & entitled about the whole thing.
JO ALL THE WAY!
Go JK!!!! Potter is her world and what she says goes!!
WTF???,,this bitch copied her story concepts from a book published in 1978 called "A school for witches". also she copied some ideas from "the hobit."
Team JK, obviously! It's her world, it's her money. And she decides to donate it to charity. Period.
JK Rowling.
What exactly is this guy's argument? "I'm entitled to make money off of her ideas" ?
JK is right here. She was being very gracious before; visiting the website and endorsing it on her own site. But that is a free site with discussion from mulitple sources. A book would be one guy rehashing her work and making a profit. No go.
fuck that guy! hes just trying to get money out of her success!!!! GO JK!!!!!!!!!!!
How dare you put horns on the lovely J/K.
I'm all for RDR making the book. She only said she was going to make one of her own after this book was announced. Then she said "oh yea, I'm giving the money to charity". Uh, huh. Sure. Right.
J.k.'s side. no one else should talk about harry.