Randy Queen Keeps Digging: Issues DMCA Takedown On Blog Post About Him Issuing DMCA Takedowns
from the really-dude? dept
Oh, Randy Queen. If you don't recall, on Monday morning we wrote about him sending some questionable DMCA takedown requests to Tumblr, concerning the Escher Girls Tumblr account, which had posted some of his comic illustrations. Queen, the author of the Darkchylde comic, apparently did not take too kindly to Escher Girls highlighting his work. That is, perhaps, because the Escher Girls Tumblr is all about highlighting ridiculous portrayals of women in pop culture. As we noted, the original works appeared to be a perfect example of fair use -- a concept Queen apparently is unfamiliar with. Escher Girls wrote about his takedowns in a surprisingly even-handed fashion, just informing readers what was going on, but also noting it had no desire to "feud" with him.In response, Queen sent a ridiculous email threatening a bogus defamation claim based on his bizarre (and, well, very very wrong) belief that copyright gives him the right to "protect the perception" of his work.
Believe it or not, that wasn't enough for Queen. Escher Girls creator Ami Angelwings informs us that he's now also sent a DMCA takedown on the original Escher Girls story about his DMCA takedowns. Tumblr hasn't taken the original down, but did (for unknown reasons) remove all of the reblogged versions of the Escher Girls post. The last URL in the image below was that Escher Girls post:
Meanwhile, Popehat has the details of yet another email that Queen sent to Escher Girls, in which he tries out yet another insane legal theory: that this is all "harassment":
So, at this point it becomes harassment.Right. So the filing of false DMCA takedown notices and bogus legal threats is not the harassment? Telling the world (in pretty damn even-handed tones) what Queen did is harassment? Queen really ought to speak to a lawyer (and maybe someone with more than two minute's experience on the internet). Also, once again, Queen seems to have no idea what fair use means.
Instead of simply removing the content you do not have the right to electronically distribute, you wish to persist in character assassination, and alleged abuse of copyright claims via armchair lawyers.
Let’s say I take someone’s old copyrighted photography and ‘corrected’ it for them, as well as posted disparaging comments to circulate along with what may be someone’s first exposure to the work. Guess what? I don’t have the right to do that, it’s not my content. And based on the comments in this thread, it’s an easy argument to make that it is damaging.
There are people and animals suffering and dying in the world, and real human rights issues in certain countries, and this is what you take issue with? Art nearly two decades old? I think there are greater causes to champion with the limited time and energy we are given on this Earth.
For anyone this may apply to – instead of taking shots at art someone did many years ago while they were still learning – which are no longer representative of their current art style or direction for their character – I encourage you to spend your time, energy, and courage on creating your own comics, and then make the necessary personal sacrifices to bring them to the world.
If you think you can do better work, or have more success with it – I encourage you to do so. I promise I will never attack anything you create, and would only wish you only love and happiness.
Since you enjoy posting private emails, and needlessly escalating matters, I'm sure this will be next, and would again ask you to please stop.
I am sure there are more positive uses of both of our time.
Sincerely,
~ R
Randy Queen's version of copyright is as imaginary and as improbable as the female characters he draws.
And to then jump to, as Popehat calls it, "there-are-children-starving-in-Fuckistan arguments" just adds to the layers of ridiculousness. Just a few days ago, I mentioned that one of the most ridiculous and trollish arguments is to say because you're not doing something about "totally unrelated problem" you have no right to do something about the thing you're actually addressing.
At this point, Randy Queen appears to be approaching Charles Carreon-levels of absurdity, and we can only offer the same advice we suggested to him (and which an appeals court recently offered to Team Prenda): stop digging.
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Filed Under: 512f, copyright, criticism, darkchylde, dmca, escher girls, fair use, randy queen
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No, keep digging
Lets see more caselaw on fair use. Lets see caselaw on punishment for lawyers using the law to harrass.
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I'm pretty sure you meant character suicide you dolt.
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No wonder he's angry.
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Re:
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Though it would be fair to say that he's gone from the Streisand scale to the Carreon scale.
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On the path
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How long, how long...
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Re: How long, how long...
Going after TechDirt (or better yet PopeHat) would bring directly into the fight some of the people on the internet most guaranteed to fight back, and fight back hard. About the only internet personality/entity worse to go after would be Randazza. :)
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Re: Re: How long, how long...
Ami doesn't want a fight, but she has a very respectable army and solid tactical knowledge. She's walking softly and carrying a big stick.
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Re: Big Stick
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Re: How long, how long...
So, in 3, 2, 1....
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Re: How long, how long...
What is everyone else's bet?
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Well there is that thing you recently did to the creativity on her blog(tumbler) in which you hit her with a DMCA take down notice , where's the love dude? where's this creative compassion you speak of?
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Re:
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This one particularly infuriates me to no end because I see it pop up ALL the time.
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Maybe instead of attacking her with bogus DMCA notices , and simply going to her and asking that she let you offer the same incite on her blog maybe through a Q&A this pulic shaming could have been avoided.
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Re:
There are people and animals suffering and dying in the world, and real human rights issues in certain countries, and this is what you take issue with? Someone showing and commenting on pictures that are nearly two decades old? I think there are greater causes to champion with the limited time and energy we are given on this Earth.
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Small wonder Whatever's supporting him!
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I have no idea where you're going with this but it certainly sounds like it needs an 18+ rating.
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Re: Re:
:)
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Re: Wrong Steele
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http://www.darkchylde.com/
I use the term "current" rather loosely. The "news" page hasn't been updated since 2012, with most of the 'recent' news being about some figurine of the character. The "shop" link goes to a non-existent ebay store. The downloads link does appear to link to a means of purchasing digital copies of the series, which is short to say the least.
In short, he's hardly particularly active as an artist as best I can tell. It's not even clear to me that he's still actively working as an artist. Webcomics that ended a year ago have released more material, more recently than he has.
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Does it also a skimpy outfit and questionable anatomy?
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Re:
I never have an edit button when I need it the most.
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Paging Charles Carreon. Mister Carreon you have a client waiting on line 1.
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He probably is getting harassed
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Re: He probably is getting harassed
The Internet is here.
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Re: He probably is getting harassed
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Re: Re: He probably is getting harassed
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The Popehat Signal has been seen
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I sincerely hope Randy Queen keeps going because I want to see him both dig his own grave and pull the dirt back on top of himself.
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Re: "I sincerely hope Randy Queen keeps going..."
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Streisand Effect past tipping point
Today Queen's personal site is down to number four, after three negative links including Techdirt's and Popehat's coverage, and the number five result is the Escher Girls post about his actions (despite his efforts to suppress it).
The Streisand Effect exponential growth curve is on the second half of the chessboard now, and Queen has dug himself so far into the Earth's mantle only dogs can hear him.
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The BS is getting deep
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I seriously doubt he's gonna go after Techdirt nor Popehat as that is way out of his league.
In the process of doing this he is showing his character or rather his character faults. No one has to point them out as he is displaying them for all to see.
I would suggest Mr. Queen roll in his horns while he still has them. The next step is gonna hurt.
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Randy, Randy, Randy.
For anyone this may apply to – instead of taking shots at art someone did many years ago while they were still learning – which are no longer representative of their current art style or direction for their character – I encourage you to spend your time, energy, and courage on creating your own comics, and then make the necessary personal sacrifices to bring them to the world.
I don't know how he wanted to come off sounding, but I read this in Chris Crocker voice.
Although, it would be just as good in Seth Green voice.
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Randy the Queen
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Or is it the problems mentioned in passing are just a red herring?
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To borrow a quote...
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deepestblue432@aol.com
I don't know why he is complaining about the images being decades old, that seems to be his happy place.
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Re:
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The Function of Art in Society
Every artist ought to know that once their work is out there, people are going to comment on it. That's Pro Art 101. Pro Art 201 is that not everyone is going to like it.
This has gone from Copyright/ DMCA abuse to a SLAPP Suit pretty quickly.
If he keeps going, I think he'll have traded a shovel for acids to eat away the ground he thinks he's standing on faster.
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He sounds depressed
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Re: He sounds depressed
In short, for a guy supposedly famous for being an artist/comic creator, he has paltry output, and even that was basically more than a decade ago. In the grand scheme of the global comics industry, he's a complete nobody that doesn't even warrant a page on wikipedia for himself.
Given all that, it's little surprise he might be depressed.
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Well he clearly has no idea about Fair Use, as the above could be described both as a critique of the work, and as transformative.
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Re:
Logged out again, cocksucker?
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Re:
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https://twitter.com/ami_angelwings/status/497042606270857216
Later is better than never.
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Re: "...he's now apologized."
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"Ami's a VERY Smart 'Girl'"
'nuff said.
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