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Originally Posted by Elfwreck
I believe if the early versions didn't have their copyrights renewed, they're now in the public domain. So if anyone has the original books, those could be re-printed or converted to ebook versions.
Before attempting to take on Simon & Schuster's lawyers, someone should check the exact copyright dates of the originals, and confirm that they weren't renewed 28 years later.
Interesting legal puzzle--I suspect that copyright on "revision" has never been challenged before, at least as far as someone attempting to republish the unrevised version on the grounds that it's so substantially different that the revision copyright was basically an attempt to copyright two works at once: the original and the new one.
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This is beyond my scope to properly answer, as I am not a lawyer. However, the logic tree is as follows.
1. It's pretty clear that these were "works for hire".
2. Works for hire have their own copyright rules. (I don't know what they are, but they are different).
3. You would have to look up the rules at the time they were written (which should be the 1909 copyright rules, I think).
4 See if the originals were renewed (if necessary). If not, get a good lawyer, 'cause you're gonna get sued anyway. (Feel free to counter-sue for damages).
6 Change all the Trademarked names to completely different names, like Belinda Horsestraddle.
7 If you've got that far, still on track as public domain, then you can release them as public domain works, preferable with a preface explaining why you consider them in the public domain, with the whole logic chain.
Finally, if you do this, you're on your own. I accept no responsibility for the results.
You see, Doc Savage was not rewritten, and the paperback would count as renewals if done on the necessary time basis, if required. That's why Conde Nast had no problem in Court....