Tag: copyright

Upon The Dull Earth, a wonderful novelet by Philip K. Dick, is public domain!

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The story was first published in 1954, in a magazine called Beyond Fiction, in its 9th issue (Volume 2, Number 3).

The public domain status was not previously known as the story appeared to have been copyright renewed.

But, it was not.

Observe the highlighted details in the image above. Note that the story the applicant has claimed that the story was published in “March 1955”, in a magazine called “Beyond Science Fiction” in issue “10” (Volume “2” Number “4”).

No such magazine exists!

Beyond Fiction, aka Beyond Fantasy Fiction, was a sister publication to Galaxy Science Fiction, a long running SF pulp magazine. Beyond Fantasy Fiction (also titled Beyond Fiction) lasted only 10 issues. It was not created to compete with Galaxy, thus it was never titled “Beyond Science Fiction.” Its tenth issue was published in 1955, but it did not contain Upon The Dull Earth, or any other story by Philip K. Dick.

The story was actually published in the preceding issue, #9, in 1954. As such it would not have been eligible for renewal at the time of application.

Beyond Fiction Volume 2, Number 3, Issue #9 (1954) – Table Of Contents (includes Upon The Dull Earth by Philip K. Dick):

Beyond Fiction Volume 2, Number 4, Issue #10 (1955) – Table Of Contents:

Copyright renewal application RE190631 (aka RE 190-631 aka RE0000190631):

The complete RE190631 (aka RE 190-631 aka RE0000190631) can be looked at on the official US copyright catalog website by using RE0000190631 as the search string HERE.

Posted by Jesse Willis

This post is a follow up to my “Philip K. Dick’s PUBLIC DOMAIN short stories, novelettes and novellas” post from August 25th, 2011. Since then I have received a number of scanned photocopies from the U.S. Copyright Office. These scans should be of great interest in the hunt for all of Philip K. Dick’s PUBLIC DOMAIN short stories. They show a number of anomalies and errors that bear upon the copyright status of many of Dick’s short stories, novellas and novelettes published between 1952 and 1963.

Stories that are referenced in the scans are noted above each image. I take the “RE” prefix to mean RENEWAL, and the “B” prefix is for an original copyright claim. These scans have also been added to the original post stories with the link labelled “COS” for copyright office scan.

RE220675 Page 1 (front):

RE220675 Page 1 (back) Pay For The Printer, A Glass Of Darkness, Vulcan’s Hammer, The Unreconstructed M, Misadjustment:

RE190631 Page 1 (front):

RE190631 Page 1 (back) War Veteran, Captive Market, The Mold Of Yancy, A Surface Raid, The Hood Maker, The Chromium Fence, Psi-Man Heal My Child:

RE190631 Page 2 (front) Nanny, Service Call, Autofac, Minority Report, To Serve The Master, The Father Thing, Foster, You’re Dead, The Golden Man:

RE190631 Page 2 (back) Prominent Author, Progeny, Exhibit Piece, Shell Game, A World Of Talent, James P. Crow, Small Town, Survey Team, Sales Pitch, Time Pawn, Breakfast At Twilight, The Crawlers, Of Withered Apples, Adjustment Team, Meddler:

RE190631 Page 3 (front) Souvenir, The Last Of The Masters, Upon The Dull Earth, Strange Eden, Jon’s World, The Turning Wheel, Human Is:

RE190631 Page 3 (back):

RE115661 Page 1 (front):

RE115661 Page 1 (back) The Defenders, Mr. Spaceship, Piper In The Woods, Roog, The Infinites, Second Variety, The World She Wanted:

RE115661 Page 2 (front) Colony, The Cookie Lady, Impostor, Martians Come In Clouds, Paycheck, The Preserving Machine, The Cosmic Poachers, Expendable:

RE115661 Page 2 (back) The Indefatigable Frog, The Commuter, Out In The Garden, The Great C, The King Of The Elves, The Trouble With Bubbles, The Variable Man, The Impossible Planet, Planet For Transients, Some Kinds Of Life, The Builder, The Hanging Stranger, Project Earth, The Eyes Have It, Tony And The Beetles:

B381157 Copyright registration for the November 1952 issue of Fantasy & Science Fiction (includes The Little Movement):

B395238 Copyright registration for the February 1953 issue of Fantasy & Science Fiction (includes Roog):

RE68555 Page 1 (front) – Copyright renewal for the November 1952 issue of Fantasy & Science Fiction (includes The Little Movement):

RE68555 Page 1 (back):

RE68558 Page 1 (front) Copyright renewal for the February 1953 issue of Fantasy & Science Fiction (includes Roog):

RE68558 Page 1 (back):

Posted by Jesse Willis