The Wolf Among Us, the popular narrative game by Telltale Games, is not an original intellectual property. In fact, it is set in the world of Fables, a comic series created by Bill Willingham. Interestingly, it seems that Telltale Games will no longer need to worry about acquiring the rights to continue the series, as it has just become public domain.
Recently, Willingham made a post on Substack, where he announced that starting from today, September 15, 2023, Fables and all its spin-offs and characters are now part of the public domain.
"As of today, September 15, 2023, the ownership of the comic called Fables, including all spin-offs and characters related to Fables, is public domain. It's done, and as most experts will tell you, once it's done, it can't be undone," said Willingham.
But why did Willingham decide to relinquish the rights to his franchise? There are several reasons. To begin with, he is frustrated with the way copyright laws are taking steps to keep brands and rights in the hands of large corporations.
That said, the reality is that the creator of Fables is also upset with his relationship with DC Comics. According to him, the company used to be filled with "honest" men and women but was replaced by "strangers without integrity who interpret every facet of our contract in ways that only benefit DC Comics."
Additionally, the creative noted that members of DC Comics interpreted the contract in a way that allowed them to do whatever they wanted with the property, from changing the story or characters to neglecting the integrity of the brand. Furthermore, he believes that the compensation he received for the creation of The Wolf Among Us was unfair.
So, since Willingham cannot afford a lawsuit against DC Comics, he decided to take his franchise and make it public domain. According to him, this won't prevent Fables from falling into the wrong hands, but it will allow it to reach "many good hands."
What does it mean that Fables is now public domain?
Now, does this mean that anyone can use Fables to create books, comics, movies, games, or whatever they like? In theory, yes, although there are some complicated details due to contract and copyright issues.
For example, you should be able to use Fables characters to create new original content without legal problems. However, don't expect to take DC's comics and print them without any issues. Also, don't assume you can use the The Wolf Among Us brand to create your own fan game, but you shouldn't have a problem if you want to create another story in this world and monetize it.
What do you think about this? Do you think Willingham made the right decision? Share your thoughts in the comments.
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