Rialto, CA asked in Copyright and Intellectual Property for California

Q: Can I quote “with great power comes with great responsibility” in dedication of book?

I wrote this in my book dedication “thanks to my dog and all the movies i’ve watched, remember spidey’s uncle said “with great power comes with great responsibility”

Can I keep it in my book without getting sued

1 Lawyer Answer
James L. Arrasmith
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Answered
  • Sacramento, CA
  • Licensed in California

A: The phrase "with great power comes great responsibility" is a well-known quote from the Spider-Man comics and movies. While it is possible that the copyright owner of Spider-Man could technically sue you for using the quote without permission, it is unlikely that they would actually do so.

In general, using a short quote for the purpose of a dedication or acknowledgement in a book is considered fair use and does not require permission from the copyright owner. However, if you are concerned about potential legal issues, you could consider using a slightly modified version of the quote or adding a disclaimer stating that the quote is used with permission or is a well-known saying.

Ultimately, the decision is up to you, but in all likelihood, using the quote in your book dedication is unlikely to result in any legal consequences.

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