Anyone who reads Blessed Days knows I like referencing and spoofing this and that from pop-culture. But I was wondering if there should be a more open invitation for the general community to engage in such habits by a sign-up thread. I feel like I could easily reference a comic or two by title or a character image, maybe even the Duck or its logo itself as a poster in the backdrop or a shirt design a character wears and maybe others would gladly engage in such as well, just never really felt like contacting people in advance to ask for persmissions so they can avoid later pouting and outrage in case the creator is not comfortable with it. I know fanfictions are popular and parody means “fair game” but this is sort of a third category and the overall nice community spirit shall not be broken by it.

So if you feel like giving general permission for others to include a slight reference or two to your works (obviously not full pages republished or such) in their own comics published on the Duck, this is a sign-up thread for it + for conversations about the subject. Rules are to make it positive or neutral, overall respectful or if not, discuss the details first in pq, agree on them and notify the referenced comic's artist so they can check out the end product once published. + If it's an actual character cameo also discuss it first. If you're a representative of the site itself, it'd be useful to know where you stand on this. I give permission for my comics to be referenced under the above conditions in publications that are present on The Duck Webcomics website.

I've referenced other comics before, but often times, it really depends on how invested I am in the comic, how long I've been reading it, how well I may know the creator, etc. For example, my friend Kevin Magpoc had a webcomic since 2001 called IDGet, and I've been a devoted reader since I discovered it in 2005, and we did end up becoming friends. At least two different occasions, I paid tribute to IDGet in VAMPIRE GIRL, starting with this particular strip, as Levana reading a webcomic called FURRY LESBIAN GAMERS was something of an in-joke and homage to a particular random/non-regular strip Kevin did on IDGet once, which you can read here.

I even gave IDGet himself a very brief cameo in this strip, and just the same, Kevin had also slipped a cameo of my signature puppet character Steve D'Monster in IDGet once.

Personally, I don't really see paying tribute or making references to other comics is necessarily something that one needs to seek permission for, but at the same time, I can see why some people would want to do that and not risk looking like a plagiarising jerk . . . I mean parodies are legally Fair Use, and therefore, require no permission whatsoever, but Weird Al Yankovic always seeks permission first just to ensure the original songwriters and artists are cool with it (and if they're not, he' s not afraid to play the Michael-Jackson-was-cool-with-it card). VAMPIRE GIRL has already been referenced in a comic on here, specifically DANIELLE DARK, of which Jay the Artdude did ask for permission, which I granted him, and it was so cool to see Talia dressed as Levana for Halloween.

But yeah, just to let it be know, nobody really has to ask for my permission if they would like to reference any of my work or characters in their comics or anything - it's actually quite flattering, I have to say.

First there was the The Godstrain

The creator asked if she could borrow the title character Belle's Best: The Films of Belinda Brandon

Readers said it was one of the best parts of what was already a top comic on The Duck. It was an important turning point in the growth of the protagonist and the creator believed my character was perfect to provide that.

Blew my mind she wanted to use my character for such a pivotal role. I had suggested a cameo or a movie poster!

Her protagonist with all her powers is a perfect stunt performer for Belle's movies. ;)

I provided a bit of a epilog existence for two of Eld Cid's characters from Death POrn and Angie and Carmen are now members of Belle's acting troupe and appeared at the after Awards Party after my comics lost in huge number of categories.

Did it with some of the biggest comics on this site because they were regular readers and fans of my comics.

So there's a standing offer that anyone wishing to put in a Belinda Brandon movie poster or screen shot of one of her movies on a screen someplace in your comic are free to do so.

Anything else please ask.

Did someone actually just register here to go off-topic or did they thought randomly referencing a comic is the reason I created the thread? We might never learn.

I don't mind people referencing my work. I'm thinking, at least for now, sort of sub-rosa in the background kind of mentionings of different product brands sold and consumed in my comics collective setting of Altarctica.

Like you can have a soap branded AMBI - which is a product brand that frequently comes up in Molly Lusc - in a bathroom or in a store somewhere (Be funny to think that AMBI industries have expanded to the world outside Altarctica.

Illustrative example:
https://www.theduckwebcomics.com/Molly_Lusc/5628306/

Another example is having a character smoke a cigarette brand called Crab Atoms - which is Molly's favourite cigarette brand. A illustrative example of that will come up in upcoming updates of Molly Lusc.

Last example is having a bar or liquor store where they sell Plunge - a pink-colored alcoholic bewerage (Although it's grey on the linked page) that has a uinque fruity taste, that is produced in Altarctica, beloved by mutant pirates, illegal to buy and consume in a lot of places over there, and comes up occasionally in Molly Lusc and frequently in Endtide.

Illustrative example: https://www.theduckwebcomics.com/Molly_Lusc/5723460/.

By the way, Bravo! I have a suggestion for a reference to make for Attack of the Robofemoids in Idfestation, that might perhaps be a bit on the nose, that I need to know wether you approve of or not.

There's going to be a scene further down the line, issue 2 I belive, where a Resyl appears. Resyls being these mutant golems that has been assembled from body parts - either from deceased mutants or grown in a laboratory - as well as some mechanical parts in a very frankenstein-esque sort of fashion.

I'm thinking that this female Resyl could be used as a reference to the Robofemoids, bare chest with something reminiscent of a control crystal inbedded in it. It gets destroyed quickly as it speechlessly goes amok very briefly for a page or two.

Then it's owner and assembler, which you never see in the comic, could be adressed as “the grey guy”, or “Mr. Grey”, in another scene. What say you about that?

Andreas_Helixfinger wrote:

By the way, Bravo! I have a suggestion for a reference to make for Attack of the Robofemoids in Idfestation, that might perhaps be a bit on the nose, that I need to know wether you approve of or not.

… What say you about that?

Love it. Top it off with the faded movie poster on the wall?
One suggestion. Have it be plural as “the grey guys” They are a whole species after all. ;)

bravo1102 wrote:

Love it. Top it off with the faded movie poster on the wall?
One suggestion. Have it be plural as “the grey guys” They are a whole species after all. ;)

Awesome😀 Faded movie poster and “the grey guys” will be counted in👍

It’s a lotta fun! I’ve been referencing other creators’ comics in the background for years - just once in awhile, but it’s a fun Easter egg I think, and I generally only reference comics by my regular commenters who would see and hopefully enjoy the Easter egg.

When I included Jerrie’s characters in a story I pitched him the basic idea first. There was another reference to his comic earlier than that, and I remember being nervous that he would be annoyed. Luckily he wasn’t.

Currently I’m (maybe) including members of bravo’s family in a current issue, but not explicitly…the name could be a coincidence…hmm, maybe a PQ to bravo is in order…

In any case, I’d consider it an honour to see a reference to
my comics or characters in another comic, no problem there! (It’s happened once in awhile).

Actually using my characters I’d like to be asked for permission first.

I do references here and there, similar to what banes does. a poster or T-shirt. Sometimes a name (character or creator) or person in the background.

A bit late response, but I would personally love it if my work gets referenced in someone else's comic series. Since my comic is line art compared to the usual full color fully fleshed out comic, it would be interesting to see The Faceless or Eclipse in another style. Anyone on this site can reference my comic/anything in it, as long as it's nothing negative and as long as you tell me about it so I can read it.

Seeing this, I might reference a character or two in some of my planned future content :)
(With permission of course)