How to Copyright an Orignal Character/Story?

I'm looking to create comics/videos/animations, but I fear that what I produce can simply be taken by others and used without my permission, all legally on their part.

I've been reading about copyright from my best source of knowledge, Google. And all I can really conclude is that if your work that you produce is "well known enough", then it's copyrighted, but others can still legally use it unless you register your copyright, which really sounds like a risky way for your work to be taken/manipulated. Still, I don't even know if this is thoroughly true.

Also, how can someone even apply/register for a copyright, as I really don't know any of the steps that are taken into securing a copyright.

Please input as much of your knowledge about this as possible. :frightened:

Everything about copyright laws in the US.
http://copyright.gov/title17/

Any original work you make you're automatically the copyright holder of. If you want to publish it online you may be interested in obtaining a CC license which allows you to specify how others can use your work.

Anyone can take your work and use it as long as it's within the bounds of fair use. This doesn't include things like others being able to charge money to view your comics or films, for instance.

Alright, those two links helped a lot. :)

One more question...can I just place the © logo thingy on any original work of mine and it's legal?

You have to put one of those copyright lines on your site or youtube channel.
Like the one at the bottom of lbpc where it says "Copyright © 2012 vBulletin Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved."

Basically you need copyright, year, name, and how much rights you want to reserve.
I dont know if you have to order it a certain way..

Also, you have to register your creation to be able to, say, go to court for it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bremnen

You have to put one of those copyright lines on your site or youtube channel.
Like the one at the bottom of lbpc where it says "Copyright © 2012 vBulletin Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved."

Basically you need copyright, year, name, and how much rights you want to reserve.
I dont know if you have to order it a certain way..

Also, you have to register your creation to be able to, say, go to court for it.

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How do you know the way to protect private properties? :boo:
You have disguised yourself as a Communist for yeaaaars! :p
*Headaxplodes*

Quote:

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Originally Posted by OmegaSlayer

How do you know the way to protect private properties? :boo:
You have disguised yourself as a Communist for yeaaaars! :p
*Headaxplodes*

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I need to know it so I can put "No rights reserved." ;)

I been wondering about this myself for my own characters and stories. So as long as i am the one to created it in the first place, i own all rights to it and no one else can say they made/own it yes? *mew

It goes something like this.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...OTSTEAL122.jpg