Editing Harlan Ellison (section)

==Controversies and disputes==

===Temperament===
Ellison had a reputation for being abrasive and argumentative.{{efn|In his Introduction to "I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream", [[Theodore Sturgeon]] describes Ellison as: "...a man on the move, and he is moving fast. He is, on these pages and everywhere else he goes, colorful, intrusive, ABRASIVE ... and one hell of a writer."<ref>{{cite book | last1=Ellison | first1=Harlan | last2=Sturgeon | first2=Theodore | title=I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream | publisher=Pyramid Books | publication-place=New York | year=1972 | oclc=317877184}}</ref>}} He generally agreed with this assessment, and a [[dust jacket]] from one of his books described him as "possibly the most contentious person on Earth." Ellison filed numerous grievances and attempted lawsuits; during a contract dispute with Signet/NAL Books binding cigarette ads into one of his paperbacks, he sent them dozens of bricks [[postage due]], followed by a dead [[gopher]].<ref name="Rogers">{{cite news |last1=Rogers |first1=John |title=Harlan Ellison, science fiction master, dies at age 84 |url=https://www.times-standard.com/2018/06/28/harlan-ellison-science-fiction-master-dies-at-age-84/ |work=Times-Standard |agency=The Associated Press |date=June 28, 2018}}</ref><ref name="Criss">{{cite web |last1=Criss |first1=Robert |title=Neil Gaiman Confirms Harlan Ellison's 'Dead Gopher' Story Really Happened |url=https://www.cbr.com/neil-gaiman-confirms-harlan-ellisons-dead-gopher-story/ |website=CBR |access-date=March 7, 2023 |language=en |date=November 30, 2020}}</ref> In an October 2017 piece in [[Wired (magazine)|''Wired'']], Ellison was dubbed "Sci-Fi's Most Controversial Figure."<ref>{{Cite magazine |last1=Adams |first1=John Joseph |last2=Kirtley |first2=David Barr |date=October 21, 2017 |title=Harlan Ellison Is Sci-Fi's Most Controversial Figure |url=https://www.wired.com/2017/10/geeks-guide-harlan-ellison/ |magazine=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]] |access-date=September 18, 2019 |archive-date=June 14, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200614081307/https://www.wired.com/2017/10/geeks-guide-harlan-ellison/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

At [[Stephen King]]'s request, Ellison provided a description of himself and his writing in ''[[Danse Macabre (King book)|Danse Macabre]]'' (1981): "My work is foursquare for chaos. I spend my life personally, and my work professionally, keeping the soup boiling. [[wikt:gadfly|Gadfly]] is what they call you when you are no longer dangerous; I much prefer troublemaker, malcontent, desperado. I see myself as a combination of [[Zorro]] and [[Jiminy Cricket]]. My stories go out from here and raise hell. From time to time some denigrater or critic with umbrage will say of my work, 'He only wrote that to shock.' I smile and nod. Precisely."<ref>{{Cite news |last=King |first=Stephen |title=Chapter 9: Horror Fiction |work=Danse Macabre}}</ref>

====Health issues====

Ellison suffered from health issues regularly through his life, including severe depression toward the end,<ref>[https://www.vulture.com/2013/07/harlan-ellison-isnt-dead-yet.html "Harlan Ellison Isn’t Dead Yet"], Jaime Lowe 2013</ref> some of which he believed was [[Epstein Barr]]/[[Chronic Fatigue Syndrome]].<ref name="cfs">J. Michael Straczynski 2024-09-10, [https://www.facebook.com/groups/4586629500/posts/10161513542804501/ Facebook]</ref> A few years before his death, Straczynski convinced him to seek psychiatric diagnosis for the depression, resulting in a diagnosis & treatment of [[bipolar disorder]]; he commented, “Once you know he was bipolar, a lot of things that don’t make sense suddenly make sense.”<ref>[https://lamag.com/books/harlan-ellison-last-words-dangerous-visions-sci-fi-writer-posthumous-comeback "Harlan Ellison’s Last Words: The Ambitious Plan for Sci-Fi Writer's Posthumous Comeback"], Steve Appleford 2024-03-29</ref> The treatment "had a salutary effect for a while, until the stroke hit".<ref name="cfs"/> Straczynski wrote a more detailed account of Ellison's struggles with mental illness, published in the posthumous ''Last Dangerous Visions''.<ref>"Ellison Exegesis", ''Last Dangerous Visions'' 2024</ref>

===''Star Trek''===
Ellison repeatedly criticized how ''Star Trek'' creator and producer [[Gene Roddenberry]] (and others) rewrote his original script for the 1967 episode "[[The City on the Edge of Forever]]". Despite his objections, Ellison kept his own name on the shooting script instead of using "Cordwainer Bird" to indicate displeasure ([[#Pseudonyms|see above]]).<ref>{{cite book|title = These Are the Voyages: TOS, Season One|page=514|first1= Marc |last1= Cushman|first2= Susan|last2= Osborn|date = 2013|isbn = 9780989238120|publisher = Jacobs/Brown Press}}</ref>

Ellison's original script was first published in the 1976 anthology ''Six Science Fiction Plays'', edited by [[Roger Elwood]].<ref name=isfdb-city1976 /> The aired version was adapted for the ''Star Trek'' [[Photo comics|Fotonovel]] series in 1977.<ref>{{cite book|first = Harlan|last = Ellison|title = The City on the Edge of Forever|publisher = [[Bantam Books]]|date = 1977|isbn = 0-553-11345-3}}.</ref><ref name=worldcat-city /> In 1995, Borderlands Press published ''The City on the Edge of Forever'',<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ellison |first=Harlan |title= The City on the Edge of Forever |year=1996 |isbn=1-880325-02-0|publisher = Borderlands Press}}</ref> with nearly 300 pages, comprising an essay by Ellison, four versions of the teleplay, and eight "Afterwords" contributed by other parties. He greatly expanded the introduction for the paperback edition,<ref name=isfdb-city1996 /><ref name=LCC1996 /><ref>''Harlan Ellison's The City on the Edge of Forever'', [[White Wolf Publishing]], 1996; {{ISBN|1-56504-964-0}}.</ref> in which he explained what he called a "fatally inept" treatment.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Flood |first=Alison |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2018/jun/29/harlan-ellison-where-to-start-reading |title=Harlan Ellison: where to start reading |date=June 29, 2018 |work=The Guardian |access-date=June 29, 2018 |quote=Ellison felt his story, which was aired in cut form, received a 'fatally inept' treatment. |archive-date=June 29, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180629131049/https://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2018/jun/29/harlan-ellison-where-to-start-reading |url-status=live }}</ref>

Both versions of the script won awards: Ellison's original script won the 1968 [[Writers Guild Award]] for best episodic drama in television,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://librarycatalog.wgfoundation.org/title/titleAwards.ashx?id=2484 |title=Writers Guild Foundation Library Catalog |publisher=wgfoundation.org |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131003135818/http://librarycatalog.wgfoundation.org/title/titleAwards.ashx?id=2484 |archive-date=October 3, 2013 |access-date=June 1, 2013}}</ref> while the shooting script won the 1968 [[Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.thehugoawards.org/hugo-history/1968-hugo-awards/ |title=1968 Hugo Awards |website=thehugoawards.org |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110507164606/http://www.thehugoawards.org/hugo-history/1968-hugo-awards/ |archive-date=May 7, 2011 |access-date=June 1, 2013}}</ref>

On March 13, 2009, Ellison sued [[CBS Paramount Television]], seeking payment of 25% of net receipts from merchandising, publishing, and other income from the episode since 1967; the suit also names the [[Writers Guild of America]] for allegedly failing to act on Ellison's behalf.<ref>{{Cite press release|title=Ellison Sues Star Trek|date=March 13, 2009|url=http://harlanellison.com/heboard/visitors/startrekpressrelease.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090320113001/http://harlanellison.com/heboard/visitors/startrekpressrelease.html|access-date=March 15, 2009|archive-date=March 20, 2009}} (Wayback Machine)</ref> On October 23, 2009, ''Variety'' magazine reported that a settlement had been reached.<ref>{{Cite news |last=McNary |first=Dave |url=https://variety.com/2009/film/news/ellison-paramount-settle-lawsuit-1118010298/ |title=Ellison, Paramount settle lawsuit |date=October 23, 2009 |work=Variety |access-date=July 1, 2018 |language=en-US |archive-date=July 1, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180701111618/https://variety.com/2009/film/news/ellison-paramount-settle-lawsuit-1118010298/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Vietnam War opposition and AggieCon I===
Ellison was among those who in 1968 signed an anti-[[Vietnam War]] advertisement in ''Galaxy Science Fiction''.<ref name="Galaxy1968">{{Cite magazine |date=June 1968 |title=Paid Advertisement |magazine=Galaxy Science Fiction |pages=4–11}}</ref> In 1969, Ellison was Guest of Honor at [[Texas A&M University]]'s first science fiction convention, [[AggieCon]], where he reportedly<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://efanzines.com/SFSF/SFSF30.pdf |title=Science Fiction/San Francisco |date=September 30, 2006 |page=5 |access-date=August 16, 2008 |archive-date=August 30, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080830033428/http://efanzines.com/SFSF/SFSF30.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> referred to the university's [[Texas A&M University Corps of Cadets|Corps of Cadets]] as "America's next generation of Nazis", inspired in part by the Vietnam War. Although the university was no longer solely a military school (from 1965), the student body was predominantly made up of cadet members. Between Ellison's anti-military remarks and a food fight that broke out in the ballroom of the hotel where the gathering was held (although, according to Ellison in 2000, the food fight actually started in a [[Denny's]] because the staff disappeared and they could not get their check), the school's administration almost refused to approve the science fiction convention the next year and no guest of honor was invited for the next two AggieCons. Ellison was subsequently invited back as Guest of Honor for AggieCon V (Jack Bosa)(1974).<ref name="cepharch">{{cite web |url=https://findingaids.library.tamu.edu/index.php/cepheid-variable-aggiecon-collection |title=Cepheid Variable - AggieCon Collection |website=Texas A&M University Library |access-date=August 13, 2024 |quote="His visit was culminated by a meal function at the Ramada Inn, recalled by many for a 'food fight' among other things. Cepheid was dissolved as a club, in part due to issues with the hotel."}}</ref>

===''The Last Dangerous Visions''===
''[[The Last Dangerous Visions]]'' (TLDV), the third volume of Ellison's anthology series, was originally announced for publication in 1973,<ref name="deadloss" /> but not published until October 2024, six years after Ellison died.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=The Last Dangerous Visions Edited by Harlan Ellison (review) |magazine=[[Publishers Weekly]] |date=July 25, 2024 |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/9798212183796 |access-date=October 5, 2024}}</ref> Nearly 150 writers, many now also dead, had submitted works for the volume. In 1993, Ellison threatened to sue the [[New England Science Fiction Association]] (NESFA) for publishing "Himself in Anachron", a short story written by [[Cordwainer Smith]] and originally sold by his widow to Ellison for the anthology.<ref>{{Cite journal |date=November 1993 |title=ConFrancisco Continued |url=http://news.ansible.co.uk/a76.html#worldcon |journal=Ansible |volume=76 |issn=0265-9816 |access-date=March 11, 2006 |archive-date=February 13, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060213023028/http://news.ansible.co.uk/a76.html#worldcon |url-status=live }}</ref> The NESFA later reached an amicable settlement after it was revealed that the story contract had expired, allowing them to legally acquire it for publication.<ref>{{Cite journal |date=December 1993 |title=Infinitely Improbable |url=http://news.ansible.co.uk/a77.html#he |journal=Ansible |volume=77 |issn=0265-9816 |access-date=March 11, 2006 |archive-date=February 13, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060213023034/http://news.ansible.co.uk/a77.html#he |url-status=live }}</ref>

British science fiction author [[Christopher Priest (novelist)|Christopher Priest]] criticized Ellison's editorial practices in an article entitled "The Book on the Edge of Forever",<ref name="deadloss">{{Cite book |last=Priest |first=Christopher |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XlAFAAAACAAJ |title=The book on the edge of forever: an enquiry into the non-appearance of Harlan Ellison's The last dangerous visions |publisher=Fantagraphics Books |year=1994 |isbn=978-1-56097-159-7 |location=Seattle, WA |oclc=34231805 |author-link=Christopher Priest (novelist) |access-date=November 11, 2020 |archive-date=June 5, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210605010613/https://books.google.com/books?id=XlAFAAAACAAJ |url-status=live }}</ref> later expanded into a book. Priest documented a half-dozen unfulfilled promises by Ellison to publish ''TLDV'' within a year of the statement. Priest claims that he submitted a story at Ellison's request, which Ellison retained for several months until Priest withdrew the story and demanded that Ellison return the manuscript. Ellison was incensed by "The Book on the Edge of Forever" and, personally or by proxy, threatened Priest on numerous occasions after its publication.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.ansible.co.uk/writing/cpriest.html |title=Christopher Priest interview (1995) |publisher=Ansible.co.uk |access-date=June 12, 2012 |archive-date=July 16, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120716065215/http://www.ansible.co.uk/writing/cpriest.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

In November 2020, the executor of the Harlan Ellison estate, J. Michael Straczynski, announced on Patreon that he was proceeding with the final preparations for the publication of TLDV with the proceeds to go to the Harlan and Susan Ellison Trust. The book was expected to be published in April 2021, as significant publisher interest was expressed.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Straczynski|first=J. Michael|date=November 15, 2020|title=On Finishing The Last Dangerous Visions|url=https://www.patreon.com/posts/43848905|access-date=November 15, 2020|website=Patreon|archive-date=December 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201216121638/https://www.patreon.com/posts/43848905|url-status=live}}</ref>

Christopher Priest was unimpressed, saying that Straczynski was "in the same sort of unenviable position as [[Donald Trump|Trump]]'s caddie", but as an experienced professional would possibly work something out. He added, "I kind of lost interest in all that years ago. Ellison clearly did too, along with everyone else. (Although I gather he went on with his magical thinking if anyone asked when he was going to deliver.) Many of the stories were withdrawn, because Ellison acted like a dick. Of the ones that remain, most of them are by writers who are now deceased, so the rights have expired and the estates would have to be traced. A lot of the writers have disowned their stories as juvenilia, or outdated, or simply because Ellison was acting like a dick."<ref>{{Cite news |title=Harlan Ellison's The Last Dangerous Visions may finally be published, after five-decade wait |last=Flood |first=Alison |newspaper=The Guardian |date=November 16, 2020 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2020/nov/16/harlan-ellison-the-last-dangerous-visions-anthology-may-be-published |access-date=November 16, 2020 |archive-date=November 16, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116165436/https://www.theguardian.com/books/2020/nov/16/harlan-ellison-the-last-dangerous-visions-anthology-may-be-published |url-status=live }}</ref>

Despite early hopes of a 2021 release for TLDV, 2021 came and went with no book.  An October 2021 'progress report' from Straczynski revealed that the book was still in preparation.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://file770.com/last-dangerous-visions-progress-report/|title = Last Dangerous Visions Progress Report|date = October 20, 2021}}</ref> On May 2, 2022, Straczynski announced that the book would be published in 2023.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/straczynski/status/1521237044294414337|title=NEWS: A deal to publish Harlan Ellison's THE LAST DANGEROUS VISIONS, as well as its predecessors, DANGEROUS VISIONS and AGAIN, DANGEROUS VISIONS has been struck with Blackstone Publishers via the Janklow & Nesbit Agency, and announced at the London Book Fair, slated for '23.|website=Twitter.com|access-date=July 10, 2022}}</ref> On July 10, 2022, Straczynski announced on Twitter that ''The Last Dangerous Visions'' will be published on September 1, 2024, by Blackstone Publishers.<ref>{{Cite tweet |user=straczynski |last=Straczynski |first=J. Michael |date=July 10, 2022 | number= 1546273000307101699 |title=More news about Harlan Ellison's THE LAST DANGEROUS VISIONS. To build excitement for TLDV, Blackstone will be republishing the original DV on September 1 '23; AGAIN, DANGEROUS VISIONS will come out about six months later, culminating in the publication of TLDV on September 1 '24. |url=https://twitter.com/straczynski/status/1546273000307101699 |access-date=July 10, 2022}}</ref> The book was finally published on October 1, 2024, after half a century.

===''I, Robot''===
Shortly after the release of ''Star Wars'' (1977), [[Ben Roberts (screenwriter)|Ben Roberts]] contacted Ellison to develop a script based on [[Isaac Asimov]]'s ''[[I, Robot]]'' short story collection for [[Warner Bros.]]; Ellison and Asimov had been long-time friends<!-- Asimov didn't die until 1992, so what the heck is this about? -->, so Ellison may be presumed to have attached particular significance to the project. In a meeting with the Head of Production at Warners, [[Robert Shapiro (filmmaker)|Robert Shapiro]], Ellison concluded that Shapiro was commenting on the script without having read it and accused him of having the "intellectual and cranial capacity of an artichoke". Shortly afterwards, Ellison was dropped from the project. Without Ellison, the film came to a dead end, because subsequent scripts were unsatisfactory to potential directors. After a change in studio heads, Warner allowed Ellison's script to be serialized in ''[[Asimov's Science Fiction]]'' magazine and published in book form.<ref>
From Harlan Ellison's introduction to ''I Robot: The Illustrated Screenplay'', {{ISBN|0-446-67062-6}}</ref> The 2004 film [[I, Robot (film)|''I, Robot'']], starring Will Smith, has no connection to Ellison's script.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.scifi-review.net/i-robot-the-illustrated-screenplay-by-harlan-ellison.html |title=I, Robot – The Illustrated Screenplay by Harlan Ellison |last=Stettin |website=The Science Fiction Review |date=August 3, 2012 |access-date=December 15, 2016 |archive-date=December 20, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220172306/http://www.scifi-review.net/i-robot-the-illustrated-screenplay-by-harlan-ellison.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Allegations of assault on Charles Platt===
In 1985, Ellison allegedly publicly assaulted author, journalist and computer programmer [[Charles Platt (author)|Charles Platt]] at the Nebula Awards banquet.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://harlanellison.com/foe/bugfuck.txt |title=BUGFUCK! |last=Cusick |first=Richard |format=TXT |access-date=July 30, 2006 |archive-date=July 19, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060719005834/http://harlanellison.com/foe/bugfuck.txt |url-status=live }}</ref> Platt did not pursue legal action against Ellison and the two men later signed a "non-aggression pact", promising never to discuss the incident again nor to have any contact with one another. Platt claims that Ellison often publicly boasted about the incident.<ref>{{Cite journal |date=December 1993 |title=The Ellison Appreciation Society |url=http://news.ansible.co.uk/a77.html#platt |journal=Ansible |volume=77 |issn=0265-9816 |access-date=March 11, 2006 |archive-date=February 13, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060213023034/http://news.ansible.co.uk/a77.html#platt |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Support of Ed Kramer===
Ellison voiced strong support for [[Edward E. Kramer|Ed Kramer]], founder of [[Dragon Con]], after Kramer was accused of sexual abuse of children in 2000.<ref>"[https://www.atlantamagazine.com/great-reads/dragoncon-ed-kramer-child-molestation/ In the Shadows]" by Scott Henry, Atlanta Magazine, September 1, 2012.</ref> Ellison and others disputed the evidence against Kramer, and also alleged Kramer was being held in jail in violation of his right to a [[speedy trial]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.serversystems.net/free-ed/|title=Free Ed - Just let Ed Kramer go|publisher=[[National Center for Reason and Justice]]|year=2007|accessdate=August 28, 2013}}</ref>

When writer [[Nancy A. Collins]] spoke up against Kramer, Ellison led a long-standing feud against her before Kramer entered an [[Alford plea]] in 2013.<ref>"[https://bleedingcool.com/comics/edward-kramer-dragon-con-and-the-apologies-due-to-nancy-a-collins/ Edward Kramer, Dragon Con And The Apologies Due To Nancy A Collins]" by Rich Johnston, Bleeding Cool, Posted on December 3, 2013.</ref>

===2006 Hugo Awards ceremony===
Ellison was presented with a special committee award at the 2006 Hugo Awards ceremony. When Ellison got to the podium, presenter [[Connie Willis]] asked him "Are you going to be good?" When she asked the question a second time, Ellison put the microphone in his mouth, to the crowd's laughter. He then placed his hand on her breast during an embrace.<ref name="AdWeek">{{Cite news |url=http://www.adweek.com/galleycat/sci-fi-awards-show-marred-by-boorish-groping/3759 |title=Sci-Fi Awards Show Marred By Boorish Groping |date=August 30, 2006 |access-date=June 14, 2017 |archive-date=August 20, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170820081211/http://www.adweek.com/galleycat/sci-fi-awards-show-marred-by-boorish-groping/3759 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zxd1jFDXzsU |title=Hugo Awards&nbsp;– Harlan and Connie&nbsp;– 2006 |last=Larry Sanderson |date=July 9, 2011 |publisher=YouTube |access-date=June 14, 2017 |archive-date=May 23, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180523194307/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zxd1jFDXzsU |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://thesmartset.com/article01271401/ |title=Don't Let Harlan Ellison Hear This |access-date=June 14, 2017 |archive-date=May 22, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170522031441/http://thesmartset.com/article01271401 |url-status=live }}</ref> Ellison subsequently complained that Willis refused to acknowledge his apology.<ref name="AdWeek" />

===Lawsuit against Fantagraphics===
On September 20, 2006, Ellison sued comic book and magazine publisher [[Fantagraphics]], stating they had [[defamation|defamed]] him in their book ''Comics As Art (We Told You So)''.<ref>[[Tom Spurgeon|Spurgeon, Tom]], and Jacob Covey. ''Comics As Art: We Told You So''. Seattle, WA: [[Fantagraphics]], 2006. {{ISBN|978-1-56097-738-4}}</ref> The book recounts the history of Fantagraphics and discussed a lawsuit that resulted from a 1980 Ellison interview with Fantagraphics' industry news magazine, ''[[The Comics Journal]]''. In this interview Ellison referred to comic book writer [[Michael Fleisher]], calling him "bugfuck" and "derange-o". Fleisher lost his libel suit against Ellison and Fantagraphics on December 9, 1986.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://news.ansible.co.uk/c_platt.html |title=The Insanity Offense |access-date=March 1, 2007 |archive-date=April 30, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110430052838/http://news.ansible.co.uk/c_platt.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Ellison, after reading unpublished drafts of the book on Fantagraphics's website, believed that he had been defamed by several anecdotes related to this incident. He sued in the Superior Court for the State of California, in Santa Monica. Fantagraphics attempted to have the lawsuit dismissed. In their [[Motion (legal)|motion to dismiss]], Fantagraphics argued that the statements were both their personal opinions and generally believed to be true anecdotes. On February 12, 2007, the presiding judge ruled against Fantagraphics' anti-[[Strategic lawsuit against public participation|SLAPP]] motion for dismissal.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.tcj.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=413&Itemid=70 |title=Harlan Ellison sues Fantagraphics |access-date=March 1, 2007 |archive-date=January 19, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070119113846/http://www.tcj.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=413&Itemid=70 |url-status=live }}</ref> On June 29, 2007, Ellison claimed that the litigation had been resolved<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/06/29/it-is-finished/ |title=IT IS FINISHED |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120714062343/http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/06/29/it-is-finished/ |archive-date=July 14, 2012 |access-date=August 1, 2007 }}</ref> pending Fantagraphics' removal of all references to the case from their website.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://comicsbeat.com/feud-shoe-waiting-to-drop/ |title=Feud shoe waiting to drop |date=July 18, 2007 |access-date=January 13, 2014 |archive-date=January 14, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140114010616/http://comicsbeat.com/feud-shoe-waiting-to-drop/ |url-status=live }}</ref> No money or apologies changed hands in the settlement as posted on August 17, 2007.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/08/16/you-boys-play-nice-now/ |title=You Boys Play Nice Now |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120715222130/http://pwbeat.publishersweekly.com/blog/2007/08/16/you-boys-play-nice-now/ |archive-date=July 15, 2012 |access-date=August 20, 2007 }}</ref>

===Copyright suits===
In a 1980 lawsuit against [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] and [[Paramount Pictures]], Ellison and [[Ben Bova]] claimed that the TV series ''[[Future Cop (TV series)|Future Cop]]'' was based on their short story "Brillo", winning a $337,000 judgement.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=jncRAAAAIBAJ&pg=6726%2C264576 |title=Two sci-fi writers given damages in copyright infringement lawsuit |work=Eugene Register-Guard |access-date=June 17, 2014 |agency=UPI |issue=May 1, 1980 |archive-date=April 1, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200401221529/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=jncRAAAAIBAJ&pg=6726%2C264576 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Ellison alleged that [[James Cameron]]'s film ''[[The Terminator]]'' drew from material from an episode of the original ''[[The Outer Limits (1963 TV series)|Outer Limits]]'' which Ellison had scripted, "[[Soldier (The Outer Limits)|Soldier]]" (1964). [[Hemdale Film Corporation|Hemdale]], the production company and the distributor [[Orion Pictures]], settled out of court for an undisclosed sum and added a credit to the film which acknowledged Ellison's work.<ref name="LATimes">{{Cite news |last=Marx |first=Andy |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-07-07-ca-2720-story.html |title=IT'S MINE: All Very Well and Good, but Don't Hassle the T-1000 |date=July 7, 1991 |work=Los Angeles Times |access-date=June 29, 2018 |archive-date=October 12, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181012075349/http://articles.latimes.com/1991-07-07/entertainment/ca-2720_1_screen-credit |url-status=live }}</ref> Cameron objected to this acknowledgement and has since labeled Ellison's claim a "nuisance suit".<ref name=TheFuturist /> Some accounts of the settlement state that another ''Outer Limits'' episode written by Ellison, "[[Demon with a Glass Hand]]" (1964), was also claimed to have been plagiarized by the film, but Ellison stated that "''Terminator'' was not stolen from 'Demon with a Glass Hand,' it was a ripoff of my OTHER Outer Limits script, 'Soldier.{{' "}}<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://harlanellison.com/heboard/archive/bull0108.htm |title=The Ellison Bulletin Board: Comments Archive&nbsp;— 07/31/01 to 08/27/01 |last=Ellison |first=Harlan |date=August 12, 2001 |website=harlanellison.com |publisher=Harlan Ellison |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20180209160209/http://harlanellison.com/heboard/archive/bull0108.htm |archive-date=February 9, 2018 |access-date=February 9, 2018}}</ref>

In 1983, [[Marvel Comics]] released ''[[The Incredible Hulk (comic book)|The Incredible Hulk]]'' #286, entitled "Hero", written by [[Bill Mantlo]]. Three issues later, Marvel put up a letter claiming that Mantlo adapted "Soldier" for use as a Hulk story, but they forgot to credit Ellison and it was pointed out by readers. In actuality, then-Editor-in-Chief [[Jim Shooter]] signed off on the story, not having seen the ''Outer Limits'' episode it was based on and not realizing Mantlo copied it wholesale. The day the issue went to stands, he was contacted by an angry Ellison, who calmed down after Shooter admitted the error. Although he could have claimed hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages, Ellison only requested the same payment Mantlo got for the story, writer's credit and a lifetime subscription to everything Marvel published.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.cbr.com/hulk-harlan-ellison-soldier-credit/ |title=When Marvel 'Forgot' To Credit Harlan Ellison for a Comic |last=Cronan |first=Brian |date=June 29, 2018 |website=cbr.com |access-date=December 25, 2019 |archive-date=December 25, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191225054117/https://www.cbr.com/hulk-harlan-ellison-soldier-credit/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

On April 24, 2000, Ellison sued Stephen Robertson for posting four stories to the [[usenet newsgroup]] "alt.binaries.e-book" without authorization. The other defendants were [[AOL]] and RemarQ, an [[internet service provider]] who owned servers hosting the newsgroup. Ellison alleged they had failed to halt copyright infringement in accordance with the "Notice and Takedown Procedure" outlined in the 1998 [[Digital Millennium Copyright Act]]. Robertson and RemarQ first settled with Ellison, and then AOL likewise settled with Ellison in June 2004, under conditions that were not made public. Since those settlements Ellison initiated legal action or takedown notices against more than 240 people who have allegedly distributed his writings on the Internet, saying, "If you put your hand in my pocket, you'll drag back six inches of bloody stump".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Rich |first=Motoko |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/12/technology/internet/12digital.html |title=Print Books Are Target of Pirates on the Web |date=May 12, 2009 |work=The New York Times |access-date=May 10, 2009 |archive-date=May 12, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110512184016/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/12/technology/internet/12digital.html |url-status=live }}</ref>