Commons:Deletion requests/Image:Villianc.svg

• Image:Villianc.svg
• Image:Villianc transparent background.svg
• Image:Villianc.jpg

This image looks like it may be unfree as a derivative work. As mentioned by User:CBDunkerson on Image talk:Villianc.svg#Copyright, this image resembles the cartoon character Snidely Whiplash, and thus may be subject to the copyright on that character. Zzyzx11 07:03, 6 October 2007 (UTC)[reply]

• Info: See Image talk:Villianc.svg. Someone else may have used the same source image, as the artist attested that a very similar work to this one was not, in fact, a derivative. grendel|khan 01:09, 8 October 2007 (UTC)[reply]
• Can you point the rest of us to an image of Snidely for comparison? - 131.211.210.13 08:05, 19 October 2007 (UTC)[reply]

• I've been watching some Rocky and Bullwinkle cartoons recently, and Snidely Whiplash actually has green skin! Also, the Dudley Do-right cartoons were heavily based on stock characters from old silent movies and Victorian melodrama, and so no valid exclusive copyright could be claimed on aspects of the cartoons which were directly copied from such pre-existing material (such as a generic mustachioed melodrama villain). AnonMoos 08:31, 22 October 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Here's a DVD screen grab, which shows that as he appears in the first three seasons of the cartoons, at least, he has green skin: en:Image:DoRightCast.JPG -- AnonMoos 13:21, 23 October 2007 (UTC)[reply]

• Info: Has anyone else noticed that when you Google snidely whiplash, this is the image that shows up? Also, here's Snidely. It would be very helpful if someone could find a public domain character or drawing on which both Snidely and this drawing are based. Absent that, it's clearly inspired, but not a simple copy. grendel|khan 15:44, 22 October 2007 (UTC)[reply]

• I do not believe this image specifically represents Snidely Whiplash... The image uses several characteristics common to visual representation of "villains" across the years, common stereotypes that existed long before Snidely Whiplash. Both use the stereotype of the evil villain with the twirling mustache, evil grin, and suave attire complete with top-hat. They are both caricatures illustrating similar things, and the image in question is different enough, both in terms specific facial and physical characteristics, and in the intent of the author, to warrant continued inclusion. --Jeffrey O. Gustafson 03:33, 4 November 2007 (UTC)[reply]

• Note that in Nichols v. Universal Pictures Corporation, the 2nd Circuit Court ruled that "copyright protection cannot be extended to the characteristics of stock characters in a story, whether it be a book, play, or film." howcheng {chat} 08:07, 5 November 2007 (UTC)[reply]
• I think that the picture and Snidely look the same because all stereotypical villians look the same: top hat, handlebar mustache, evil grin, wringing hands... It's not a picture of Snidely, but a picture of the stock character Snidely is modeled after. I think this picture should be kept. Scoutersig 18:58, 14 November 2007 (UTC)[reply]
• Keep - I agree with Scoutersig. Yuval Y § Chat §

• Keep Any thought that this is derivitive of Snidley Whiplash is under the mistaken impression that the Snidely Whiplash originated the shared characteristics seen here. Actually when the "Dudley Dooright" cartoons with the Snidley Whiplash character first aired in the early 1960s, most adults in the audience would recognize the stock melodrama character with top hat and moustache tying helpless maidens to the railroad track (those too young to recall the silent films or earlier stage versions would have known it from the continued revival of the stock character in films like "The Villain Still Persued Her"... and that 1940s film in turn was from a pre-WWI play). The cartoon character Snidely Whiplash no more introduced the concept of a moustacheoed tophatted villain than did Dudley Dooright introduce the concept a Canadian Mountie. -- Infrogmation 22:26, 27 November 2007 (UTC)[reply]

• Keep There's only a similarity between the two because both are based on the same concept; the similarity is a coincidence, not a derivative. EVula // talk // ☯ // 21:21, 28 November 2007 (UTC)[reply]
  • Found some additional images of Snidley around the web.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7] Aside from the green skin, Snidley doesn't have a cleft chin (Snidley's is smooth, and much more prominent). EVula // talk // ☯ // 22:52, 28 November 2007 (UTC)[reply]

• Keep that's one example of copyright paranoia gone too far. Are we also going to delete all images of boys in glasses because they look like Harry Potter? Madness. Grue 22:04, 28 November 2007 (UTC)[reply]

• Keep There's different skin color, ears, nose, and chin. The only thing that's similar is the hair color, handlebar mustache, and mean look. We can't say every dark haired, mean-looking drawing with a handlebar mustache is a copyright violation of this particular character. There are tons of characters the look similar to that. As Jeffrey claimed, this is an "evil character" stereotype, so they're all bound to look similar. Hmwith 23:07, 28 November 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Kept. Lupo 10:51, 3 December 2007 (UTC)[reply]