Artist Alex Norris has posted an update on their GoFundMe, requesting help to fund a second lawsuit, filed by Golden Bell against Norris, in a dispute that began after an agreement for Golden Bell to produce a game based on Norris’ Webcomic Name, featuring the catchphrase “Oh No,” resulted in acrimony. Norris revealed the second lawsuit (filed by Golden Bell against Norris and publisher Andrews McMeel last May) in a March 24, 2024 update. Andrews McMeel is involved because it published a collection of the webcomic in 2019 despite a cease and desist order from Golden Bell.
According to court records, the suit by Golden Bell against Norris and Andrews McMeel had five counts: breach of contract, tortious interference, and defamation against Norris, and copyright and trademark infringement against Norris and Andrews McMeel. After months of jockeying, the tortious interference and infringement claims have been withdrawn by Golden Bell, which has just indicated in a March 15 filing that it is likely to go forward with the breach and defamation claims against Norris.
With regard to the original case, “The case that began in 2019 is mostly over, and I have basically won,” Norris said in their GoFundMe update. Court records show that the case is now at the point of determining damages for counts on which Norris received favorable rulings in summary judgment. In that case, Norris sued Golden Bell to resolve a dispute over the ownership of the comic, the characters in it, the phrase “Oh No,” and any subsequent works Norris creates based on it (see “Creator of ‘Webcomic Name’ Raises Money for Legal Fees“). “The Judge has clearly stated that I own my comics, and that the other party has infringed on my copyright,” Norris said of the rulings.
Both cases are still active and ongoing. “The previous funds from the lawsuit fundraiser have been spent to get this far,” Norris said. “I was hoping to pay for the remainder of the legal fees out of my own pocket, using income from my comics and online shop, as I did for the first few years of the case. But I’m having to open the fundraiser again to pay for this new load of work.”
As of February of 2023, the GoFundMe had raised over £200,000 (almost $250,000); the total now is at £308,000, or around $390,000, with a goal of £340,000 (around $430,000).
Source: ICV2
