Here’s an idea I’ve had for a while: fan licenses.
I mean, I wouldn’t have a problem with people making free fan art and not for profit fan stuff. That shows appreciation of my work and is free advertising.
BUT, if they want to sell things, I’d want them to get a fan license and send me, like, 10-20 percent of the profits. My copyright would be protected, I’d have approval of what for profit things are out there, and fan artists could make some of their fan work for profit while sending me some money too. If they really like my work, they shouldn’t have a problem with that.
I don’t think I’d even charge for a fan license, it’d just be an agreement that they are using my copyright to make products and they’ll send me money if they actually make profits. I’d charge for commercial licenses, it’s a different thing when it is a big company vs a fan project.
I’d send out c&d to people who didn’t get the fan license for their for profit work.
I’d need to protect my copyright and trademark after all. If they are true fans, they’d want to support me and my work.
I see it as a way for fan artists to have an official umbrella and support the thing they’re a fan of, while exploring their own creative expression.
I’d have certain rules, like no explicit sex and nudity, or too much gore. I don’t want to see my characters ripped to bits or raped or whatever, I’d never endorse fan art like that. Browsing fan art websites has exposed me to some horrible things I’d never want to see happening to my characters, and I’d certainly want to keep anyone from profiting from that kind of content involving my characters.
It’d be on a case by case basis, I’d ask for examples of what they’ve got in mind. Then there’d be a contract for the fan license. It’s for small creators, not big companies, that’d be a commercial license.
I just see it as a way for fan artists to support me and also be under a semi official umbrella for their content. I also would want to have some control over what for profit projects get made.
I don’t want to be like Disney or Nintendo and send lawyers after everyone. But, because of how copyright and trademark laws work, they think they have to. So, fan licenses would be my attempt at a solution.