Righting Wrongs!

Well bless my wife for trying to spare my feelings...well for a while at least.  As we were sitting haveing our morning coffee today we were replaying the life changeing events of the last few days.  it was in this moment of recent nostalgia she filled me in on some of the happening that transpired  while I was going back and forth from hospital to home.  One event in particular was a real source of humor for her.  After Miranda finally arrived and we were shuffled from operating room, to recovery and she was settled in.  As she rested I left for home briefly to check on the goings on before returning to bed down with angi on the fold out couch.  I stopped briefly at the nurses station as they were changeing shifts and informed them I would be returning for the night and could they please bring me bedding, then left.  As one of the nurses came into the room later to deliver the bedding, and to take Angi's vital she casually inquired "who was that man leaving earlier?  The babies Grandfather?"
OK...I get IT!  There's gray hair in my beard!
They also were not to shy to inform us that we had been the "oldest" delivering parents they had in the hospitalfor some time.
Oh THANK YOU somuch for THAT little bit of trivia!
It isn't bad enough realizing i will be raising teenage girls when I am in my SIXTIES!!
ANYWAY!!
That's not why we are here!
I have a pet peeve I wish to lament about.
I'm sure you are all aware with few exceptions Hollywood is not best known for it's originallity.  When something is popular they bleed it for all it's worth.  As an example remember the EXPLOSION of Sci-Fi space epics after the premiere of Star Wars?  Or Super-hero genre after the "out -of-left-field" Blade, or more recently the unfortunate glut of sexy teenage "monsters" and their dimwitted, love struck human compatriots after Twilight?
No.  This reality is unfortunate but expected.  What really gets my goat is the BLATANT plagiarizing of an idea, or concept, or caricature and labeling it as ones own, with not even so much as recognition of that creators inspiration.  ESPECIALLY when it is by a medium more wide spread and "excepted" then some of the less respected ones.  In particular animation and comic books.
Yes among many I could list two stick very deep in my craw.  The first lesser violation would be the cinematic vivid and exceptionally beautiful (but woefully unimpressive story) "Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow"  Not only did this film blatantly rip off Marvels Nick Fury, agent of shield ( Angelina Jolie playing the part of the crusty eye-patched officer in charge of the impressive heli-carrier) but they also stole LIBERALLY from the classic Max Fleisher animated masterpieces of Superman cartoons.  Don't believe?  Check out this preview for  the film and it's earlier fore bearer...

And that's not even the worst of it!  In the special DVD release of the film (back when the put bonus features on the things) the director did a whole "videomentary" of thanks and acknowledgements of his inspirations in the film and at NO POINT did he credit either Marvel or Max Fleisher!
Shameful!!
And if that's not inequity enough i turn my gaze at one of the most monolithic mega-movie franchises of this generation...
Harry Potter.
Yes, you heard me right I DARE go there!  The brainchild of R.K Rowling this "original" tale of a youthful Wizard swept the world in it's grandeur of a fanciful blend of multi-cultural myths, creatures and legends being met head on by a group of young novice "wizards in training" and the world lauded it as "unique" and original.
Un unh!
Harry hit the scene on June 30,1997 and we haven't looked back.  Well almost everyone.  But let me take you back a little bit further to 1990 when DC comics in an attempt to reintroduce their audiences to the more mystical side of their universe employed the talents of Neil Gaiman to produce an anthology headlining the various other-worldly,mystical characters .  To bring this all into a cohesive story he employed a new character,one Timothy Hunter,a would be teen age wizard who must decide for himself if he will except his destiny as our wolds mightiest magician.  He is introduced to and is led through the world's ethereal under layer of the magical, encountering all sorts of weird before ultimately choosing to follow his destiny.  Perhaps not a carbon copy of the later more recognized incarnation, but PLEASE check out the similarities below.
First, the iconic Harry Potter.

and now the lesser known predecessor, Timothy Hunter

And yes, Timothy Hunter had a white owl too!  His name was Yo-yo.
Someone tell me at any point has Mrs.Rowling given Mr.Gaiman a tip of the hat? A nod? maybe a royalty kick back?
Look, I don't have a problem with someone recognizing a good idea and going with it, but at least give some kudos to the source!
Night ya'll!