J.K. Rowling sues to block unauthorized Harry Potter book

[The Lizard]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071101/ap_en_ot/harry_potter_lawsuit

By DAVID B. CARUSO, Associated Press Writer Thu Nov 1, 8:19 AM ET

NEW YORK - J.K. Rowling and the maker of the "Harry Potter" films are suing a small publisher in Michigan over its plans to release a book version of a popular Web site dedicated to the boy wizard.

The suit, filed Wednesday by the author and Warner Bros. in federal court in Manhattan, claims that RDR Books will infringe on Rowling's intellectual property rights if it goes ahead with its plan to publish the 400-page "Harry Potter Lexicon" on Nov. 28.

According to the publisher, the book contains much of the same material already found on http://www.hp-lexicon.org, a fan-created collection of essays and encyclopedic material on the Harry Potter universe, including lists of spells and potions found in the books, a catalog of magical creatures, and even a "who's who in the wizarding world."

In the past, Rowling has expressed support for such fan-driven efforts and has singled out the Harry Potter Lexicon Web site and its editor, Steve Vander Ark, for high praise.

But in the lawsuit — filed on Halloween — Rowling claimed that the print version of the Lexicon would improperly interfere with her plans to write her own definitive Harry Potter encyclopedia, one that would include new material not in the novels.

"I cannot, therefore, approve of 'companion books' or 'encyclopedias' that seek to preempt my definitive Potter reference book for their authors' own personal gain," Rowling said in a news release issued by Warner Bros. The film giant owns all the intellectual property related to the Potters books and movies.

RDR Books Publisher Roger Rapoport said the suit dismayed him but vowed that he wouldn't allow it to block plans to release the Lexicon next month. He described the book as a "critical reference work" and dismissed any notion that it could compete with any official encyclopedia written by Rowling.

Rapoport said Vander Ark was a middle school librarian who started the Web site in his spare time in 2000, then watched its popularity grow to the point where Rowling herself gave it a Fan Site Award in 2004.

"He cannot understand why she wouldn't be supportive now," Rapoport said.

Warner Bros. has involved Vander Ark in its Potter marketing campaigns in the past. An interview with Vander Ark is even slated to be included in the special features section of the next Harry Potter DVD, "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix."

An e-mail seeking comment that was sent to Vander Ark at an address on the Web site was not immediately returned.

The lawsuit doesn't seek action against the Web version of the Lexicon, but criticizes it for numerous sections that it said "regurgitate Ms. Rowling's original creative expression with minimal additional commentary."

I like where the guy publishing this book says that he "can't understand why [Rowling] wouldn't be supportive" of his book. Gee, maybe because you're rushing to release an unauthorized HP encyclopedia that will compete directly with Rowling's own planned encyclopedia? $$$ - duh.

 

[Immortalfire]

Oh noez.

 

[jaguarr]

Man...some people are parasites. He wants to take all the work a bunch of fans did on what amounts to a wiki devoted to someone else's characters, basically, and publish it to make money. Get your own original thought and quit leeching off of everyone else, ya jerk.

jag

 

[The Lizard]

This gives me an idea.

We should publish a book using material from the SHH forums!

Superhero character histories and debate from the hero boards and political commentary, religious debate and general witticisms from Community. I smell NY Times bestseller list!

 

[Immortalfire]

This gives me an idea.

We should publish a book using material from the SHH forums!

Superhero character histories and debate from the hero boards and political commentary, religious debate and general witticisms from Community. I smell NY Times bestseller list!

 

[The Lizard]

Muscles would have to get his own chapter.

 

[jaguarr]

Superhero Hype Chronicles: The Ghostrider87 Edition

jag

 

[Addendum]

Also included in the Hype book would be every single linked news article

 

[The Lizard]

^ See, the book would practically write itself! I'm calling Random House right now...

 

[jaguarr]

Also included in the Hype book would be every single linked news article

But none of the links would work, so as to keep the joke running.

jag

 

[Addendum]

But none of the links would work, so as to keep the joke running.

jag

So like in a 1,200 book, 400 pages would be "404 error: File not found" t:

That'd be funny to see in a book.

 

[Dew k. Mosi]

If you write a Hype book, I will sue you. I am days away from releasing my own encyclopedic guide:

"You Guys are NAAAAZIS and Other Memories from the Empress
An Encylopedia of Hype
Forward by PALADIN"

 

[Purple Prancer]

If you write a Hype book, I will sue you. I am days away from releasing my own encyclopedic guide:

"You Guys are NAAAAZIS and Other Memories from the Empress
An Encylopedia of Hype
Forward by PALADIN"

art by BakerBoy?

 

[Immortalfire]

If you write a Hype book, I will sue you. I am days away from releasing my own encyclopedic guide:

"You Guys are NAAAAZIS and Other Memories from the Empress
An Encylopedia of Hype
Forward by PALADIN"

Straight to #1.

 

[The Geek Vault]

Wow that guy is dumb. Although I do have to say, I have never liked JK Rowling. So it's good for him to stick it to her! Am I the only one sick of her releasing info that was "not in the books"

 

[BlackLantern]

Wow that guy is dumb. Although I do have to say, I have never liked JK Rowling. So it's good for him to stick it to her! Am I the only one sick of her releasing info that was "not in the books"

I, myself, am not a fan of the books, but I do believe in the creators right to her creations and works. That post seems kind of ignorant just because you don't like Rowling.

 

[The Amazing Spider-Man]

art by BakerBoy?

It would just be pictures of Michelle Pfeiffer. Every single image in the book.

 

[Dew k. Mosi]

art by BakerBoy?

He does the cover

 

[amazingfantasy15]

Wow that guy is dumb. Although I do have to say, I have never liked JK Rowling. So it's good for him to stick it to her! Am I the only one sick of her releasing info that was "not in the books"

People want to know more about the characters, the books mostly follow a plot, some details don't pertain to that plot, so Rowling is filling in the blanks for people when they want to know, what's wrong with that? She's said many times that she has a large amount of notebooks with backstory for characters and traits that might not work in the plot of the books.

 

[BlackLantern]

^^^exactly Think of it as deleted scenes or commentary on a DVD of a film....

 

[Wilhelm-Scream]

She needs to clear character details and plot points with marvelman418 before she gets all uppity and makes them official herself.

 

[jaguarr]

If you write a Hype book, I will sue you. I am days away from releasing my own encyclopedic guide:

"You Guys are NAAAAZIS and Other Memories from the Empress
An Encylopedia of Hype
Forward by PALADIN"

DOG LIPS and I are going to release a coffee table book of erotica featuring hawt stories from the fan fiction forums, illustrated with porn pictures that various now banned posters have posted over the years. We'll be titling it "Geekrotica: Heroes and Ho's".

jag

 

[Superman4ever]

If you write a Hype book, I will sue you. I am days away from releasing my own encyclopedic guide:

"You Guys are NAAAAZIS and Other Memories from the Empress
An Encylopedia of Hype
Forward by PALADIN"

LMAO!

 

[BlackLantern]

I would like to see posts/rants of people who have been banned/warned....it would make fantastic reading, I would think

 

[Dew k. Mosi]

DOG LIPS and I are going to release a coffee table book of erotica featuring hawt stories from the fan fiction forums, illustrated with porn pictures that various now banned posters have posted over the years. We'll be titling it "Geekrotica: Heroes and Ho's".

jag

I'd buy it There needs to be a section with the mod's heads badly photoshopped on the teh sexy pichurs