I'll add that all of this hit me, when I checked out the spoiler blog, after having watched a few episodes of Spartacus: Blood and Sands



I understand that some people do not like the unoriginality and LCD attractiveness of pop culture subs, and will make their thoughts known on such subs. In my eyes, those designs are hardly anything compared to ripping copyrighted images and merging them with non-copyrighted images resulting in a print.

Using copyrighted images without stating so in the design sub is shameful. One gives the false impression, that everything was created by that artists and the voters will comment and give the $ as so. "Amazing Illustration!" - I think not, it is not your amazing illustration.

What is even worse is using copyrighted designs with your submission. Most of these are called out, as they are recognized by the community. But if one is clever enough to mask it correctly, then I guess anything goes.

I notified threadless of this issue, after I had spotted it, sadly after the design had already been printed. I also responded to their response (over this weekend), with more thorough knowledge on the subject, which was also probably too late.

"In case this has not yet been done, and to help gather additional information for your lawyer, I did a little additional research on this issue. The character depicted is Crixus and his Copyrighted picture can be found (as a large image) on this site: http://www.withelwyn.com/2010/03/18/spartacus/ or simply by searching "Crixus" on google...the artist unintentionally admits to violating the terms of service found here: http://www.starz.com/terms-of-service."

I have been here for just over a year and have ordered nearly 20 shirts. This is a huge letdown.

Edit:

Here the artist is offering his POV on creating these pieces http://lamaisonbrule.blogspot.com/2010/06/big-debate-le-grand-debat.html

Some highlights:

"I'm having fun creating images and use any technique I feel necessary to achieve the image that pops in my head"

"The point, for me, is not about the "howyoudunnit...but about the result and the idea that it conveys"

Edit 2: Starz Ownership and Copyright

Unless expressly permitted by Starz, you will not capture, reproduce, perform, transfer, sell, license, modify, create derivative works from or based upon, republish, upload, edit, post, transmit, publicly display, frame, link, distribute or exploit in whole or in part any Content, Site Content or Site Code. Any violation of copyright or other intellectual property laws may result in severe civil and criminal penalties.

Edit 3:

http://efuse.com/Plan/copyright2.html

Great copyright information on this subject.

Edit 4: Letdowns

Having a design receive awesome comments, high votes, and $, because the creator is less than honest about the creation of it is a letdown.

Allowing threadless to print the design, not being informed of the copyrighted image, is a letdown.

Being rewarded for getting away with plagiarism is a let down. If this happened in university or a business, and the paper/report was brought up to be 1/5 copyrighted afterwords, the less than honest individual would be expelled/fired.

If Threadless is having to cover this piece's back, by purchasing the right to use the image, then that is also a letdown.

"A parodist must ridicule the original composition or author in order for fair use to apply. Therefore, one hoping to use the parodist’s fair use defense must realize that the legal definition of a parody in copyright and trademark law is narrower than the general understanding of the term."

http://www.virtualrecordings.com/seuss.html

Is it only me, or is this not in its proper position in the full catalog, it is dead last (placed at the end of the animal section too), and it is second to the last on the stock chart.

Anyone else want to verify this? Is it supposed to be hidden away like this, I'm confused...