Continuity #1: A Creative Commons Comics Script

Continuity1_Script.html
Continuity1_Script.pdf
Continuity1_Script.doc

Above, in a few different formats, are links to a script I've written for a 24-page comic book -- Continuity #1. It's intended as a one-shot, i.e. a single issue without follow-up. I am releasing the script under a creative commons license (Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5), as described here (human-readable summary) and here (legal text).

This is (to the best of my knowledge) the first time a comics script has been released under a creative commons license. (Lots of complete comics, but no scripts that I've seen.)

The license I've released it under allows anyone (without getting any special permission from me) to read and distribute the strip, so long as they don't release it commercially or attempt to make any money from it. It also allows anyone (again, without getting any special permission from me) to make derivative artworks, so long as 1) I am give adequate credit; 2) those artworks are non-commercial and are 3) released under the same creative commons license that I am releasing this script under. I don't know of any way of writing this into the legal license, but I am in addition asking people who make a derivative work to send me a copy (link to your web site, a scan or jpeg of the artwork, etc.) unless it is wholly for your private practice and not distributed at all. Basically, if anyone draws any of this (or paints or whatever), I'd really like to see it. My email address is sfrug [symbol for at] post.harvard.edu.

The point of the "derivative works" is not to allow people to go write endless stories about these characters (although of course that is allowed, presuming they follow the given restrictions) but to allow any artists who want to to illustrate it. This could be for anything. It could simply be good practice for someone, a way to test out skills and stretch artistic muscles. Perhaps someone who wants to draw a 24 hour comic but doesn't want to write it at the same time could use this script (it might not, therefore, be strictly according to the rules, but what the hey). Or whatever.

I should note, incidentally, that it is possible to release this work commercially and not under a creative commons license if you get my permission. The point of mentioning this is that if anyone wants to illustrate it and try to publish it as an independent, for-sale comic (whether self-published or through some established comic publisher), then I'm certainly open to the idea. We just need to talk terms (which I would imagine as share-and-share-alike). Anyway, if you're interested, do contact me.

For anyone else who is interested, I hope you enjoy reading my script. And please forward it (or a link to it) to anyone else who might be interested!

(A hopefully-permanent version of this post will be found on its own page here.)