I just noticed something that makes me scared that Squad is going to get into trouble.

[Draconiator]

and it directly corresponds to how our favorite little goofy Kerbals look. Why am I so concerned about this?

Look at this guy:

Whoever owns Frankenstein might get all up in arms about it...and then what do we do?

Or is it safe for them to look like they look like now?

Edit: it could be argued that Bart Simpson could fall under this too, but he's yellow, not green.

[Pecan]

Moving clocks run slow. Jeb always jumps onto every flight because he doesn't want to look like that.

It's what happens to Kerbals that stay at home.

[Brotoro]

Kerbals have no ears, no eyelids, and no strut connectors on their necks. And they all think, "Fire GOOD!."

We're safe.

[Norpo]

Something tells me that because they don't have dead eyes, or a metal spike driven through their neck, and there's been numerous parodies of Frankenstien's monster over the ages, that it should be okay. Also, the original book was written nearly 200 years ago

EDIT: Also, the character that looked the most like the monster was the original Mortimer Kerman, and they changed him.

Edited January 26, 2015 by Norpo

[r4pt0r]

green with tall cylindrical heads is vague enough not to be a problem.

Plus there is the height difference, the fact that kerbals are made of 1 kerbal each(whereas frank is made of a dozen or so people), the existence of ears and a nose on frank, and also his distrust of flames, and presumed distrust of boosters.

[Nemrav]

Frankenstein is old, way out of copyright expiry date.

I hope I'm not making a serious responce to a non-serious thread...

congrats on reading the white text, this is the non-serious part of the post, just in-case you thought I was actually serious, does this sound a little serious ?, I seriously hope not, because I seriously thought I was serious about the seriousness of this post

[klgraham1013]

Frankenstein is old, way out of copyright expiry date.

I hope I'm not making a serious responce to a non-serious thread...

congrats on reading the white text, this is the non-serious part of the post, just in-case you thought I was actually serious, does this sound a little serious ?, I seriously hope not, because I seriously thought I was serious about the seriousness of this post

Extra seriousness: ...but Universal owns that particular design of Frankenstein's monster. I believe it is still under copyright, since copyright seemingly never ends in America now.

Also, I don't think it's close enough to be a problem.

[whiterafter]

Kerbals are much more similar to creatures from a popular childrens movie as of late

[SAI Peregrinus]

Kerbals are aspargus frogs.

[problemecium]

I'll just throw in that, as kgraham hinted, the iconic green flat-topped Frankenstein monster isn't what the original author described or imagined at all. In fact the movie "I, Frankenstein" has the closest I've seen to what I've been led to believe is Mary Shelley's original design:

[technicalfool]

I see that image and think, in a slightly halting, creepy voice...

Rise, and shine, Doctor Kerman! It's ..time... to wake up!

(And I doubt Squad are going to get in trouble with Mary Shelley's estate. Little Green Men are a quite well known sci fi trope that KSP happily turns on its head.)

[cpast]

I'll just throw in that, as kgraham hinted, the iconic green flat-topped Frankenstein monster isn't what the original author described or imagined at all. In fact the movie "I, Frankenstein" has the closest I've seen to what I've been led to believe is Mary Shelley's original design:

http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2014/1/27/1390827260895/I-Frankenstein-010.jpg

If that's supposed to be the creature, it really doesn't resemble Shelley's description. The creature is *hideous* - it has watery dead-looking eyes, yellowish translucent skin, black lips, a shriveled face - basically, it looks like a reanimated oversized corpse. Unlike Kerbals, it's slightly oversized (it was too hard for Frankenstein to assemble the smaller bits at human scale), though in proportion with a human. Keep in mind that the creature in the novel is quite intelligent; its initial problem when interacting with humans is that its body, particularly the face, is so hideous that people who see it are instantly repulsed (it gets his *creator* to run screaming from the room).

Kerbals, on the other hand, are kinda cute.

[metl]

Ha! Brilliant! I never made the connection between Kerbal and Frankenstein! Well done chap!

[FleshJeb]

"He vould have an enormous schwanzstucker!"

Is it possible to get KSP to render in black and white? ;-)

[Raven.]

I think Frankenstein might be so old that it may be public domain now (I could be wrong on that). Either way, with this post, it's only a matter of time till we have a Frankenstein mod.

[pxi]

Reminds me of something else I was shown years ago...

Seriously, I don't see it being a problem.

[lordlundar]

(And I doubt Squad are going to get in trouble with Mary Shelley's estate. Little Green Men are a quite well known sci fi trope that KSP happily turns on its head.)

You mean Universal Studios. Though the holder of Mary Shelly's estate holds the rights to the story, Universal holds the rights to that presentation of the monster.

[cpast]

You mean Universal Studios. Though the holder of Mary Shelly's estate holds the rights to the story, Universal holds the rights to that presentation of the monster.

No one holds the rights to the story. It entered the public domain well over a hundred years ago.

[metl]

"He vould have an enormous schwanzstucker!"

https://andrewsidea.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/youngfrankenstein13.png

Is it possible to get KSP to render in black and white? ;-)

It is possible! use the MovieTime mod!

[basic.syntax]

Anyone can make a new Frankenstein-based movie without paying to use the story, but like folks are saying, copying the look of the monster, that is copyrighted by Universal, is a no-no. By the same token, the works of Shakespeare are endlessly adapted for various movies and TV, because they are public domain. And awesome

I see that image and think, in a slightly halting, creepy voice...

Rise, and shine, Doctor Kerman! It's ..time... to wake up!

I think Mortimer is the reason... that that other, competing space program on Kerbin... that none of the other Kerbals talk about - is no longer a thing

[OhioBob]

green with tall cylindrical heads is vague enough not to be a problem.

Also not all depictions of the Frankenstein monster show him with green skin. I believe Mary Shelley's novel described him as having yellowish skin.

(ETA) It looks like somebody already beat me to that.

[Brainlord Mesomorph]

Nobody owns Frankenstein ( the book the story, the concept). Its in the public domain.

They could make Frankenstein Space Program, and no can sue you.

Universal owns a copyright on its version of The Monster that specifies:

."..any monster that has all of the following elements:

1. Green Skin
   
2. Flat Top Head
   
3. Scar on Forehead
   
4. Bolts on the Neck
   
5. Protruding Forehead"
   

I think we're fine there.

I've noticed this:

My (90 year old) mother actually thought it was a Simpsons game.

Edited January 26, 2015 by Brainlord Mesomorph

[FleshJeb]

It is possible! use the MovieTime mod!

Holy krap! I'm going to give that a shot. Thanks!

[Baenki]

green with tall cylindrical heads is vague enough not to be a problem.

I'd like to remind you that Apple got patent rights for rectangular shaped devices with rounded edges.

Ergo: WE SHOULD BE SCARED!!!

Whoo spooky!

Edited January 27, 2015 by Baenki