(Toronto) Local "zine" publisher Scott Simpson has been sent a demand for cash from big-time American book publishers IDG Books, makers of the "...For Dummies®" series of reference books and other goodies.
A zine, according to national magazine Factsheet 5, is "a small handmade amateur publication done purely out of passion, rarely making a profit or breaking even. Sounds like 'zeen.'"
The final
issue of the zine Cygnals was published last
fall as a "best of" compilation, with the title "Cygnals
For Dummies." The 24-year-old author's web site
showed a small image of the cover (left) -- and that's what drew
the attention of the south-of-the-border legal eagles.
Swooping through the mail, IDGB's lawyers Brown Rudnick Freed & Gesmer sent a first-class certified letter to Simpson, outlining their demands.
"Your web site is an obvious attempt to ride the coattails of IDBG's remarkable success," writes Brenda Cotter, Esquire. "[IDGB] demands that you destroy all inventory and advertising containing its trademarks, pay IDGB all proceeds derived since the advertisement was posted, and reimburse attorneys' fees in the present amount of $140.00."
As mentioned above, zines aren't supposed to make money. Cygnals certainly didn't. Cygnals For Dummies was sold traditionally by mail-order. Each photocopied issue costs about $1 to make. Postage is 90˘ + tax. Only a handful of copies were actually sold for $2 each. Most were given away or traded with others in the hobby.
IDG Books is wasting its time and money chasing a hobbyist with no cash to pursue. It's a laughable case of Big Corporation vs. Little Hobbyist.
Still, a little hobbyist can't afford
litigation, even frivolous, wasteful litigation from south of the
49th. So the "offending" cover has been
removed from the Web site and replaced with the revised title for
Cygnals #10 -- "Cygnals For Uptight American Book
Lawyers." The remaining few copies of the zine's
100-copy print run have been taken off record store shelves in
downtown Toronto, and will be on sale Saturday June 20th
at the Cut & Paste Zine Show, noon to six at the 360 Club on
Queen St. W. -- with the new cover.
For more information, interviews, etc:
Scott Simpson, Cygnals creator -- 416-632-0272 (pager)
Cygnals web site -- http://www.cygnals.com or http://www.interlog.com/~cygnals
Stacey Case, promoter of Saturday's Cut & Paste Zine Show -- 416-531-4133