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SFReader Forums > SFReader > Ask The Expert > Fritz Leiber - Who holds copyright on his stories and are any in public domain?

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crystalwizard
Forum Moderator

Date Joined Nov 2006
Total Posts : 5194

Posted 2/4/2008 12:28 AM (GMT -5)

got curious tonight because of something posted on a mailing list I'm on. Does anyone know the status of his stories and characters?

Never meddle in the affairs of a wizard unless you are soggy and hard to light!

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James Enge
Maker

Date Joined Jan 2006
Total Posts : 209

Posted 2/4/2008 1:32 AM (GMT -5)

I don't think anything by Fritz Leiber would be in the public domain. As I understand it, anything under copyright as of Jan. 1, 1964 would automatically be copyrighted (under US law) for a minimum of 95 years after its original publication. (Some gory details of US Copyright law here.) So Leiber's earliest story would come out of copyright around 2034 (unless copyrights are further extended, for the sake of certain cartoon mice).

As to who owns the rights: I read somewhere that Ace had sewn up the rights to the F&G stories pretty thoroughly, but they must have sold them or lost them as other companies have published editions since Leiber's death. I guess my first step would be to contact Justin Leiber; if he's not his father's literary executor he could probably let you know who is.

James Enge
http://jamesenge.com/

"A Covenant with Death" in Flashing Swords
"The Lawless Hours" in Black Gate 11
"The Gordian Stone" in Every Day Fiction
"The Red Worm's Way" forthcoming in Return of the Sword
"Payment in Full" forthcoming in Black Gate

Seth Skorkowsky
Stablehand

Date Joined Jan 2008
Total Posts : 14

Posted 3/12/2008 12:00 PM (GMT -5)

A few years ago White Wolf Press re-released the Lankmar series. At the time they had rights to a new author who was granted permission by the Fritz Leiber Estate to continue the series. They had partial story teaser that read great, but I never heard anything else about it. Last time I was perusing a bookstore I noticed a new publisher has re-released Leiber's stories.

Since he didn't die until 1992, it'll be a long while before his stories are public domain.

crystalwizard
Forum Moderator

Date Joined Nov 2006
Total Posts : 5194

Posted 3/12/2008 2:09 PM (GMT -5)

Do you know who holds the rights? Who I would go to, to get permission to reprint something?

Never meddle in the affairs of a wizard unless you are soggy and hard to light!

Managing Editor of Flashing Swords

Visit my art gallery on art wanted
All my books in print

Bill Ward
Biblioholic

Date Joined Jul 2006
Total Posts : 1738

Posted 3/12/2008 2:35 PM (GMT -5)

I'd imagine his estate, his son, holds all rights. As James said above, that'd be the first place to check.

billwardwriter.com

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