# The San Diego Comic Con has a small problem **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 15, 2023, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-san-diego-comic-con-has-a-small-problem/987061 "2023-07-15T08:06:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-san-diego-comic-con-has-a-small-problem/987061/81 "2023-07-18T05:51:18Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > What film character right now is in public domain? Virtually none that would be recognizable, which is why Pavelb1’s question is kind of silly. [This Wikipedia entry](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_films_in_the_public_domain_in_the_United_States#Films) lists notable U.S. films that are now in public domain; there are exactly 2 which are less than 50 years old, and one is a porno (_Debbie Does Dallas_). I don’t imagine that many cosplayers are going to conventions dressed up as John Wayne from _McLintock!_, or a character from a B-level horror movie from the 1960s. Edit: as @MrDibble and @Czarcasm noted after I first posted this, Pavel’s second post, with the article, lists _characters_ that are in public domain, but not necessarily specific iterations. Few people going to dress up as a generic Little Mermaid or Rapunzel; they’re going to dress up as the Disney versions. Few cosplayers are going to dress up as a generic Sherlock Holmes; they’re going to do a costume like Benedict Cumberbatch or Robert Downey Jr. as Holmes. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-san-diego-comic-con-has-a-small-problem/987061/82 "2023-07-18T05:54:21Z")
You have no idea how cosplay actually works, do you? Nobody cosplays as “Aladdin” or “Alice in Wonderland”, they cosplay as “_Disney’s_ Aladdin” or “_Disney’s_ Alice”. If I cosplayed as American McGee’s _Alice_, that would be fine. Disney’s? Not so much. @kenobi_65 In the case of Sherlocks - Cumberbatch would be OK, not sure about Downey’s as it was a Brit director + production but an American producer. I’d err on the side of caution ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-san-diego-comic-con-has-a-small-problem/987061/83 "2023-07-18T05:54:44Z")
P.B., While the character of Sherlock Holmes may be in public domain, the version played by Robert Downey Jr., his looks, his words, his mannerisms _certainly_ are not. ---
**Author:** ![Pavelb1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/439d5e/32.png) [@Pavelb1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pavelb1)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-san-diego-comic-con-has-a-small-problem/987061/84 "2023-07-18T06:00:33Z")
Thank you for the clarification. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-san-diego-comic-con-has-a-small-problem/987061/85 "2023-07-18T06:04:02Z")
Happy to help. I’ve cosplayed for years, although generally not Hollywood characters. LOTR Hobbit is my only real dip in those waters. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-san-diego-comic-con-has-a-small-problem/987061/86 "2023-07-18T07:04:09Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > I am a cosplayer, and the father of cosplayers, and we all disagree. Knowing you, Dibs, that doesn’t surprise me in the least 😉. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-san-diego-comic-con-has-a-small-problem/987061/87 "2023-07-18T11:38:29Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > they’re going to do a costume like Benedict Cumberbatch or Robert Downey Jr. as Holmes. You have just made Basil Rathbone very sad, wherever he is. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-san-diego-comic-con-has-a-small-problem/987061/88 "2023-07-18T11:45:54Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > In the case of Sherlocks - Cumberbatch would be OK, not sure about Downey’s as it was a Brit director + production but an American producer. I’d err on the side of caution Side question: Both SAG-AFTRA and the WGA have non-American members (the union names notwithstanding)? Or no? ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-san-diego-comic-con-has-a-small-problem/987061/89 "2023-07-18T12:08:19Z")
I’m pretty sure they do. Just like Equity has American members. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-san-diego-comic-con-has-a-small-problem/987061/91 "2023-07-18T12:27:37Z")
People claiming that entertainment reporting is crossing the picket line have been on Twitter too long. I support the unions and want to see them win but that is just stupid. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-san-diego-comic-con-has-a-small-problem/987061/92 "2023-07-18T13:27:54Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > I am a cosplayer, and the father of cosplayers, and we all disagree. > Cosplaying as a film character right now _is_ a form of crossing the picket line. I have a Star Trek t-shirt featuring Spock on the front and the words “You Better Trek Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself.” If I wore that to a con, am I crossing the picket line? ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-san-diego-comic-con-has-a-small-problem/987061/93 "2023-07-18T13:53:16Z")
I don’t know, which film character are you cosplaying as? ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-san-diego-comic-con-has-a-small-problem/987061/94 "2023-07-18T13:56:43Z")
I guess I don’t see a meaningful difference between the two when it comes to promoting a show. But I’m not a cosplayer, so not my circus not my monkeys. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-san-diego-comic-con-has-a-small-problem/987061/95 "2023-07-18T14:25:12Z")
> [@DesertDog](#): > > You have just made Basil Rathbone very sad, wherever he is. I did actually consider mentioning Mr. Rathbone, as well as Jeremy Brett – while I think both of their portrayals of Holmes were iconic, I suspect that they aren’t as likely to be as relevant to cosplayers. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-san-diego-comic-con-has-a-small-problem/987061/96 "2023-07-18T14:33:57Z")
1. That is not cosplaying in any way, shape or form. 2. I can’t think of a situation _in real life, not online ridiculous extremism_, where you would be confronted at a con for wearing that t-shirt. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-san-diego-comic-con-has-a-small-problem/987061/97 "2023-07-18T14:38:34Z")
Cosplaying is dressing up as a character from a work of fiction. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-san-diego-comic-con-has-a-small-problem/987061/98 "2023-07-18T14:43:08Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > - That is not cosplaying in any way, shape or form. > - I can’t think of a situation _in real life, not online ridiculous extremism_, where you would be confronted at a con for wearing that t-shirt. 1. I know it’s not cosplaying. It’s still supporting a struck show though. Why it’s okay to support it one way but not another is a bit odd to me. 2. You might be right. But then I think it’s a bit ridiculous that someone dressing up like Captain Kirk might run into hot water. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-san-diego-comic-con-has-a-small-problem/987061/99 "2023-07-18T14:50:12Z")
One is wearing a t-shirt with a “clever” phrase. The other is dressing up as a character owned by a corporation. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-san-diego-comic-con-has-a-small-problem/987061/100 "2023-07-18T14:52:33Z")
Right. And if I wear a hat that says Coca-Cola on it that’s not a form of advertising it’s just a hat. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-san-diego-comic-con-has-a-small-problem/987061/101 "2023-07-18T14:57:34Z")
The WGA and SAG-AFTRA aren’t against the shows they have created or intend to return to. Trek actors and writers want fans to keep being excited about Trek shows. Star Wars actors and writers want fans to remain excited about those shows and movies. Etc The cosplay requests are trying to find that line between passive fan support and actively working with/for the companies involved. Yes, there are clearly going to be some gray areas where a strict rule may not work in all instances, but it’s not as nebulous or ill-defined as this debate seems to make it. A lack of understanding of the nuance or any potential distinctions does not mean those distinctions don’t exist, especially for the very people who are passionate enough about their interests as to make elaborate costumes and wear them publicly. > [@bordelond](#): > > Both SAG-AFTRA and the WGA have non-American members (the union names notwithstanding)? Yes in both cases. That’s not too unusual. You can work a factory job as a non-American citizen and still be a member of the local union. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-san-diego-comic-con-has-a-small-problem/987061.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-san-diego-comic-con-has-a-small-problem/987061.md?page=6)