8-Bit Theater

[nightmare]

I came across this site while pointlessly clicking through funny pictures and links and immediately became taken by this comic. I finished it, from beginning to end, through the weekend and I just wanted to sign up and say that this was GREAT!

Having grown up playing the old (and in my opinion, the best Final Fantasies), this definitely took me back. If only I could find an old NES and SNES for FFI, FFII, and FFIII.

Great job, Brian. Great job. I wish there was more, but you ended just where it needed to be. I wish these were in comic form and able to purchase, I would definitely buy these. They had me laughing out loud and giggling like a little school girl.

I can't wait to check out your other works in the near future. Keep up the great writing!

[Kyanbu The Legend]

Pretty sure they're Volumes for this. Though you'll have to hunt around for them a bit. But chances are they are out of print now.

Maybe... might be mistaken 8-bit for another web comic.

[Melfice]

There's volumes for 8-bit, alright.
Except they're in .PDF form.

If you wanted to, you could always print them yourself, if you're willing to waste the paper. ;)

[Meister]

Yeah that's gotta be another comic, 8BT never had print volumes and never will have (there are massive licensing and tech-related issues). And I think one or most of the pdfs are offline by now, too.

Comic owns, though. Been a while since I read it actually, I think I have to remedy that.

[Michael Morris]

I still say Brian is being overly cautious. Copyright law only goes so far. The images are part of parody and clearly protected under fair use. If square did bother to sue they'd be laughed out of the courtroom.

[Pip Boy]

Yes, and as long as Brian is producing them for no profit he is free to do so for as long as he likes. Thats how fair use works. He posts them online in order to entertain his fanbase and hopefully maybe draw attention to one of his more original projects like Atomic Robo. If he tried to sell print copies of 8-Bit T, Squeenix would probably sue him into oblivion.

[Michael Morris]

No, that is not how fair use works. The motive and profit of the parody has nothing to do with fair use in the eyes of the law. Do you think SNL or Mad Magazine get permission to rip popular movies in skits? No.

If Square-Enix had a right to shut this site down they would have done it a long time ago. The fact it's free again has nothing to do with their right to protect their copyright and trademarks.

If it was printed the likelihood of a lawsuit would increase, but it's not a lawsuit they can win. They could try to sue in the hopes that no lawyer would take the case pro-bono, but this is a very clear case of fair use and they probably know that if that happens they'll end up paying all court costs and the attorney fees of whoever represents Brian.

[rpgdemon]

No, that is not how fair use works. The motive and profit of the parody has nothing to do with fair use in the eyes of the law. Do you think SNL or Mad Magazine get permission to rip popular movies in skits? No.

Do you think SNL or Mad Magazine directly steal works that are the IP of popular movies for their skits? No.

The sprites used are, legally, the property of Square Enix. He cannot sell them.

[Viridis]

It's not the fact that it's spoofing Final Fantasy, Micheal, it's the fact that it's using Square-Enix's work to do so, the sprites. The comparison to SNL doesn't work here.

Edit: Ninja'd!

[Kurosen]

If it was printed the likelihood of a lawsuit would increase, but it's not a lawsuit they can win.
The only clear cut black and white element of copyright law in the United States is that there's no such thing as an obvious, clear cut, black and white decision when things go to a jury.

Mind you, I concur. There is nothing like a solid case against an 8BT print edition. But the reality is it's, at best, a 50/50 shot. Maybe you can put your livelihood on the line for those odds, but I'm not doin' it.

[GrandMasterPlanetEater]

What's it matter if they can win or not if they can bankrupt you during the legal process?