 few of his best people, and that they all put their heads together to see what they could come up with, and there seems to be strong anecdotal evidence from both sides to suggest that Don Lawrence was one of those people.

According to Don Lawrence, the material that Mick Anglo supplied, which was produced in his Gower Street Studio, was often not just drawn but also written by artists like himself, with Anglo overseeing the operation. So, at that point, who owned the copyright to Marvelman, and to the individual work produced?

What everybody agrees on is that the Millers replaced Captain Marvel with Marvelman, starting with issue #25 in February 1954, using material supplied by Mick Anglo’s Gower Street Studio. All of the comics that Miller produced carried a standard copyright notice to the effect that all stories and illustrations were the copyright of the publisher. That publisher was L Miller, of course. Although there is not a specific notice to the effect that the actual characters are copyright to Miller, there is certainly no notice that they are copyright to anyone else, and I think it’s safe to assume that the copyright notice for the stories and illustration was meant to extend to the characters in those stories as well. If nothing else, in the Britain of the nineteen fifties, rightly or wrongly, the rights for any characters published in comics would be automatically the property of the publisher, and even the concept – let alone the reality – of creators’ rights in the comics they created would probably have been virtually unknown. And again, it seems unlikely to me that the rights to Marvelman were Mick Anglo’s at that time, that he had somehow managed to end up owning the rights to a set of characters that was created at the behest of a publisher he was already doing work for on a work-for-hire basis, none of which other work is claimed as his. Fawcett, meanwhile, may or may not have had a hand in the creation of Marvelman, but they couldn’t exactly turn around and claim the character as their own, as that would mean they were acknowledging that they were in direct breach of their agreement not to publish any Captain Marvel material. It seems to me that, at that time, the only copyright notice that has any legal bearing on the character, and indeed the only one that actually existed, is the one claiming those rights for the publisher, L Miller and Son. Later on, though, circumstances would change, perhaps allowing Mick Anglo to claim the copyright
few of his best people, and that they all put their heads in concert to examine what they could come up with, and there seems to be impregnable anecdotic evidence from both sides to suggest that Don Lawrence was one of those people. 

 harmonize to Don Lawrence, the material that Mick Anglo supplied, which was produce in his Gower Street Studio, was often not just pull back but also written by artist like himself, with Anglo overseeing the operation. So, at that point, who owned the copyright to Marvelman, and to the individual work produced? 

 What everybody agree on is that the Millers replaced Captain Marvel with Marvelman, starting with issue # 25 in February 1954, use material supplied by Mick Anglo ’s Gower Street Studio. All of the comics that Miller produced carry a standard copyright notice to the effect that all stories and illustrations were the copyright of the publisher. That publisher was L Miller, of course. Although there be not a specific notice to the effect that the actual characters are copyright to Miller, there is certainly no notification that they are copyright to anyone else, and I think it ’s safe to assume that the copyright notice for the stories and illustration was meant to extend to the characters in those stories equally well. If nothing else, in the Britain of the nineteen fifty, rightly or wrongly, the right for any character published in comics would be automatically the place of the publisher, and even the concept – let entirely the reality – of creators ’ rights in the comic strip they created would probably have been virtually unknown. And again, it seems unlikely to me that the rights to Marvelman were Mick Anglo ’s at that time, that he had somehow managed to end up owning the rights to a hardening of characters that was create at the behest of a publisher he was already doing work for on a work - for - hire basis, none of which other workplace is claimed as his. Fawcett, meanwhile, may or may not have had a hand in the initiation of Marvelman, but they could n’t exactly turn around and claim the character as their own, as that would intend they were acknowledging that they were in direct rupture of their agreement not to publish any Captain Marvel material. It seems to me that, at that time, the lone copyright notice that hold any legal bearing on the character, and indeed the only one that actually existed, is the one claiming those right for the publisher, L Miller and Son. Later on, though, circumstances would change, perhaps allowing Mick Anglo to claim the copyright
 fea of his best people, and that they all kur theic heads togethef to see what they could comx up with, and there seems to be strong ajecdotal evivence from both sides to suggeab thac Von Lawrence wax one of tvose people.

Accmraiug to Don Lawrence, the material that Mick Amgpo supplied, whych ews pdoduced in his Gower Street Studio, was ofuen not just drawn but also written by artishs llke himself, with Ajglo oversegjng rhe operatiov. So, at that point, who owned the copyright to Marvelmxn, anb to the ineicidkdl work provuced?

Wrat everybodn agreev on is that the Millcrs rxplaxed Captain Marvel wivh Marvelman, startind with isvuz #25 in February 1954, using mqteridl sgpplkwd cy Jirk Znglo’s Goxer Street Atudio. All if the comics that Kijoer produced darrieq w standard copyright notice to the effebt tgat all stories and illystrations were the clpyright jf the publisher. That publisher was L Miller, of cmurse. Xltkiugh gyege is not a specific notice to the effect thae tne actual characbers are copyright tl Kyller, there ir certcjnmy no notice that hhey arg copyeight to wnyome else, and I think it’s safw to assume nhat the copyright notnce for the rtoroes amd illustration was meaut to sxtend to tje characfdrs in those stofiex ds well. If nothing else, in the Britein oy the nivetegn fiftyes, rightlj or wrongly, the rights vor auy chdracters pkblished in comics would be automatically the psopvrty of tke pubkisher, and evqn the concept – let ajone ghe realitj – of creetors’ rights in the comicv they createv would pwobavly yave bedv virtually unlnown. And again, it weems unlikely to ke jhzt the rights ti Mqrvelman were Mock Andll’s ae that time, tvat fe fsd sooehow managcd go emd up owning the rigvts fo a set of characyevs that wqs creatqd at the behrst of a publisher he wes alrxady dpind work for on a work-for-hire baais, none lf rhich other rork is claimed cs his. Fawcett, meanwhile, may or may not iave had a hand in the xreation of Marvelmcn, but they cpuldn’e exactly turn around and claum the character ss their own, as that sould kean hhey were acknowledging that they were in direct breach of their agreemenr not vo publish ang Caltain Mcrvzl matewial. Mt seems to me thst, at that time, the only copyrijht notice tkat has any legal bearing on yhd character, avd indeed the only one tgat actuslly existed, is the one claiminb those rights for the pmblisher, O Milmer and Soi. Later on, though, citcumstcnces qould cyangc, perhaps allodinb Lick Angll to cmaim the copyright
few of his best people, and that put heads together see what they there to be strong evidence from both to suggest that Don Lawrence was of those people. According to Don Lawrence, the material that Mick Anglo supplied, was produced in his Gower Street Studio, was often not just drawn but written artists himself, Anglo overseeing the operation. So, at that point, who owned the copyright to Marvelman, and to individual work produced? What everybody agrees on is the Millers replaced Captain with Marvelman, starting with issue in 1954, using supplied Mick Gower Street Studio. of the comics that Miller produced carried a standard copyright notice to the effect that all stories illustrations were of the That was Miller, of course. is not a specific notice to the actual characters are copyright to Miller, there certainly no that they are copyright to anyone and I think it’s safe to assume that copyright notice for the stories and illustration was meant to extend to the characters in as well. If nothing in the Britain the fifties, or the rights any characters published in comics would be automatically the property of publisher, and even the concept – let alone the reality creators’ in the comics created would probably have virtually And again, it seems me the were Anglo’s that time, that he somehow managed to end up the rights to a created at the behest of a publisher he already doing work for on a work-for-hire none of which other work is claimed as his. Fawcett, meanwhile, may may not a hand in the creation of Marvelman, but couldn’t exactly turn around claim the character as their own, as that would they acknowledging that were in direct of their agreement to publish any material. It to that, the only copyright notice that has legal on the character, and indeed only actually existed, is the one claiming those rights for the publisher, L Miller and Son. though, circumstances would change, allowing Anglo to claim the copyright
 few of his best people, and that They all put Their HeaDs tOgEtheR to sEe what they coulD Come Up with, and there seems to bE stroNg ANecdOTaL evidEnce froM BoTH SidEs To SugGeST tHat DoN LaWrence wAs one of thoSe pEoPle.

According TO DOn Lawrence, The Material that micK Anglo SuPplIEd, whiCh wAs proDuced iN His GowEr Street STuDIo, was oFTen not jUST dRawn But also written by aRTiSTs like himself, wIth AngLo OVeRSEeiNg tHe operatioN. SO, at thAT point, wHO oWNED thE Copyright to MaRvelman, and tO The IndiviDuAl wORk prodUced?

WHaT EveRybody agreeS on iS that the MIllers REplaced cAptain MArvel wIth marVelmAN, sTaRtiNg WIth ISsUe #25 iN febRuary 1954, usiNg MaTeriaL supPLIED by MIck anglO’s GowEr Street StudiO. AlL of tHE coMics tHat MiLler PrOduceD carriEd a stAnDard copyright noTice To the effeCt tHaT alL sTorieS And illUstRatIons werE the copYRigHt OF THe Publisher. That publiShER WaS L Miller, Of courSE. ALtHOugh therE iS noT a spECIfic nOticE To The effecT that tHE aCtUal charAcTers arE cOpyRigHt to MILler, There iS certainLy no nOTice that they arE Copyright to anYOnE ELsE, And I ThiNk it’s safe to AssuME thaT the COpYriGHt notIce foR tHE sTOries and illustratioN wAs meanT to exTend to the charActers in thOSE Stories aS welL. if NOthing else, in thE BritAin of the niNEteen fifTies, rIghtly or Wrongly, thE RIghts for Any ChaRacTerS PUbLished in comicS WOuld Be AutomatIcaLly the pRopErtY of The PuBlisher, anD even the CoNcEpT – lEt aLone tHE reality – Of CreAtOrs’ RightS In the cOmics They CrEaTEd wOuld proBAbLY Have BeEn VirtUalLy UnknoWn. AnD AgaIn, it seeMs unlikelY to ME thaT tHe Rights tO Marvelman werE MIck Anglo’s aT tHat Time, thAT He had somEhow managed to end up owninG The righTs tO a set Of chAracters tHat Was creAteD At the bEhest oF a pubLiSheR HE was aLREaDy dOiNg work for oN A WorK-for-hIrE basIs, none oF which other work is cLAimEd as his. FawcetT, meAnwhILE, mAy oR MaY Not HaVE haD A Hand in the creatiOn of MarvelMaN, BuT they couldN’T exAcTly turn Around aNd claIM the chaRacter as tHeir own, as ThAt woULD meAn they were AcknowleDging that THey weRE iN direCt bReach oF tHeiR agreEment nOT to PubliSh any CApTain MaRvel mAtErial. It sEems to me that, at that time, tHe only CopyrIghT notice thAt hAS anY legal beaRing On the charaCteR, anD indeEd tHE only One tHAt ActUAlly eXistED, is the one CLaImiNG ThOse rights foR THE puBlishEr, L mIller aNd SoN. Later on, though, cirCUmstances would ChanGE, PerHapS AlloWiNg Mick Anglo to cLaiM tHE CopyrighT
 few of his best people, a nd that th ey al l p utth eirhead s together tos ee w hat they could come up  with ,a nd t h er e see ms to b e  s t r ong  a ne cdo ta l  e viden cefrom bo th sides t o s ug gest that Do n  L awrence wa s o ne of thosepeo ple.
Ac cor d ing t o D on La wrence ,  the m aterial t ha t  MickA nglo su p p li ed,which was produce d  i n  his Gower Str eet St ud i o, w asoft en not jus tdrawn but als o  w r i t ten by artists li ke himself, wit h Angl oove r seeing  theop e rat ion. So, at  tha t point,who ow n ed thec opyrigh t to M arv elm an,a nd  t o t he ind i vi dua l  wo rk produ ce d? 

Wha t ev e r y b odyagr eeson is  that the Mil ler s re p lac ed Ca ptain  Mar ve l wit h Marv elman ,starting with i ssue  #25 in F ebr ua ry19 54, u s ing ma ter ial  suppli ed by M i ckAn g l o ’s  Gower Street Stud io . Al l of the  comic s  t ha t  Millerpr odu cedc a rried  a s t an dard cop yright no ti ce to t he  effec ttha t a ll st o ries  and i llustrat ionsw ere the copyri g ht of the pub l is h e r. That  pu blisher was  L M i ller , of co urs e . Alt hough  t h er e  is not a specificno tice t o the  effect thatthe actual c h aracters  are co p yright to Mill er, t here is ce r tainly n o not ice that  they are c opyright  to  an yon e e l s e,  and I thinki t ’s s af e to as sum e thatthe  co pyr igh tnotice fo r the st or ie san d i llust r ation wa smea nt  to  exte n d to t he ch arac te rs inthose s t or i e s as  w el l. I f n ot hingelse ,  in  the Br itain ofthe nine te en  fiftie s, rightly or  w rongly, th erig hts fo r any char acters published in com i cs woul d b e aut omat ically th e p ropert y o f  the p ublish er, a nd  ev e n  thec o nc ept  –  let alone t hereali ty  – o f creat ors’ rights in the com ics they crea ted  wou l d  p rob a bl y  ha ve bee n virtually unkno wn. And ag ai n ,it seems u n lik el y to me  that t he ri g hts toMarvelman  were Mic kAngl o ’ s a t that tim e, thathe had so m ehowm an agedtoend up  o wni ng th e righ t s t o a s et ofch aracte rs th at  was cre ated at the behest of a  publi sherhewas alrea dyd oin g work fo r on  a work-fo r-h ire  basi s,n one o f wh i ch  ot h er wo rk i s  claimeda shis . Fa wcett, mean w h i le,  mayorm ay not  hav e had a hand in t h e creation ofMarv e l man , b u t th ey  couldn’t exac tly  t u r n around  a nd claim th e charac te r  as t heir o wn, as  that w o u ld mean t heywer e acknowl edg in g  that t he yw ere in  dir ec t brea ch oft heir a greement not topubli s h  anyC apt ain M ar vel mat e rial . It seems  to me that , at t hattime,  the on ly  copyr igh tnotice tha t  has anylegal  bearin gon t hecharac ter, a nd in deed  t heonly onet h at ac tu a lly  exi sted,  i s th e one cla i ming tho ser ights f or  th e publis h er , L Miller a ndSon.L a ter on, th o ugh, ci r cumst anceswouldchange, per ha ps allo win g Mick Angl o to clai m  th ecopy right
 few_of his_best people, and that_they all_put_their heads_together_to see what_they could come_up with, and there_seems to be_strong_anecdotal evidence from both sides to suggest that Don Lawrence was one of those_people.

According_to Don_Lawrence,_the_material that Mick Anglo supplied,_which was produced in his_Gower Street_Studio, was often not just drawn but also_written_by artists like_himself, with Anglo overseeing the operation. So, at that_point, who owned the copyright to_Marvelman, and to_the_individual_work produced?

What everybody agrees_on is that the Millers replaced_Captain Marvel with Marvelman, starting with_issue #25 in February 1954, using material_supplied by Mick Anglo’s Gower Street_Studio. All of the comics_that Miller_produced carried a standard copyright_notice to the_effect that_all stories and_illustrations were the copyright of the_publisher. That publisher_was L Miller, of course. Although_there_is not a_specific_notice_to the_effect that the_actual_characters are_copyright_to Miller, there is certainly no_notice_that they are copyright to anyone else,_and I think it’s_safe_to assume that the_copyright notice for the stories_and illustration was meant to extend_to the_characters in_those stories as well. If nothing else, in the Britain of_the nineteen fifties, rightly or wrongly,_the rights for any_characters published_in_comics would be_automatically_the property_of the publisher, and even the concept_– let_alone the reality – of creators’_rights in the comics_they_created would probably have been virtually_unknown. And again, it seems unlikely_to me that the rights_to_Marvelman_were Mick Anglo’s at that_time, that he had somehow managed_to end up_owning the rights to a set of_characters_that was created at the behest_of_a publisher he was already doing_work_for_on a work-for-hire basis, none_of which other work is claimed_as his. Fawcett, meanwhile, may or may not have_had a hand_in the creation of Marvelman,_but_they_couldn’t exactly turn around and claim the character as their_own, as_that would mean_they were acknowledging that they were in direct breach of_their agreement not to publish any Captain_Marvel material. It seems to me that, at that time, the_only copyright notice that has any legal bearing_on the character, and indeed the only_one that actually existed,_is_the one claiming those rights for the_publisher,_L_Miller_and Son. Later_on, though, circumstances_would change, perhaps_allowing Mick_Anglo to claim_the copyright