As this retard brought up, however incorrect he may be, its an interesting point.
While it wont happen SOON, for a lot of Sup Forums related characters (ESPECIALLY DC properties), who's creators are long since deceased (Bill Finger & Bob Kane, Siegel & Shuster, etc.) will, at some point in our some of our lifetimes (hopefully, anyway), fall into the public domain per US copyright law.
Lets use Batman and Superman as two examples:
Bob Kane died: Nov 3rd, 1998
Bill Finger died: Jan 18th, 1974
Jerry Siegel died: Jan. 28th, 1996
Joe Shuster died: July 30th, 1992
Now, im a little fuzzy on how it works with multiple creators for a single property that are credited as such, but lets remove Finger and Shuster from the equation and go for the later deaths that matter, Siegel and Kane.
Current copyright laws mean that after a 75 year period post-creator death, the creation will fall into the public domain and be free to use by anyone, meaning that the dates in which Batman and Superman, under the current laws, will become public domain would be as follows:
Bob Kane died: Nov 3rd, 1998
- Batman PD Date: Nov 3rd, 2073
Jerry Siegel died: Jan. 28th, 1996
- Superman PD Date: Jan 28th, 2071
So while its still quite a ways away, that still means in 55 years, Superman will become free for any Joe to draw, and 57 for any Bill to Bat.
Obviously, since Stan Lee is still kicking, all of his co-creations will fall into the public domain sometime in the 2090's or so. The ones where the other party is dead by now, anyway. So Marvels a little more safe in that regard.
What are they going to do Sup Forums? What CAN they do?
Also related: List the Sup Forums characters you most look forward to falling into the public domain at some point within the next 30 years.