In a crowded comics marketplace, many creators find public domain characters a way to appeal to preexisting fan bases and bring new fans to their work. What separates a fresh take from a blatant cash grab? How can new life be breathed into old stories, and how loyal should creators be to established lore? Clay Adams (Blazing Blade of Frankenstein, Camilla Unbound), Kat Calamia (Lifeline Comics, The EverAfter Verse), Phil Falco (Lifeline Comics, The EverAfter Verse), Jessica Maison Judd (Mary Shelley's School for Monsters), and Fabrice Sapolsky (Shakespeare's Vampires; 2026 Eisner nominee, Noir Is the New Black) discuss what to do (and not to do) when using works from the public domain. Moderated by Andy Nordvall (Bad Future Comics, Nightmare Theater 3-D).
