Here is a nice article about copyright, fair use, and all the other aspects of that grid locked mess:
http://www.law.duke.edu/cspd/comics/digital.html
Cheers
Lemo
Informative and funny at the same time 
Cheers for that link Lemo. Well worth grabbing by everyone here, it applies to just about anything you create, even if it’s just for fun people can still rip you off!
There is nothing messy or grid locked as pertains to IP rights and law.
What IS messy and grid locked are the fools on both sides of the dollar on a creative project who refuse to abide by these laws.
There are far to many creative fools who cannot seem to grasp that they are NOT slaves to industry and their own creative drives. They CAN negotiate contracts and they should NOT be producing creative works without protecting their financial interests. The creative field is awash with abuses in this regard due to these unfortunate business practices.
There are also far too many corporate fools who cannot seem to grasp that artists are in this business to be compensated above and beyond a subsistence level and this includes respecting the reproduction rights of the artist by creating negotiable contracts that can serve the interests of BOTH parties and not just the corporation.
Also, work-for-hire is a MYTH if you are a freelancing contractor. Don’t fall for this nonsensical trap and tripe when an interested party tries to con you into this scenario.