File:Heroes Unlimited 2nd ed RPG 1998.jpg

This is the front cover art for the role-playing game core rulebook Heroes Unlimited, Revised Second Edition written by Kevin Siembieda, Wayne Breaux, Jr., Erick Wujcik, Kevin Long, Aaron Oliver, and Steve Trustrum. The role-playing game core rulebook cover art copyright is believed to belong to Kevin Siembieda and Palladium Books (March 1998).

The artist credited for this image is Jim Steranko (an identifying signature, "STERANKO", appears in the lower left corner of the illustration).

The image is derived from a digital capture (photo/scan) of the book cover. The creator of this digital version is irrelevant as the copyright in all equivalent images, whether appearing here – in the manner and for the purpose described below – or elsewhere, is still held by the same party, that being the original owner, artist, or publisher. Claimed as fair use regardless.

Heroes Unlimited

The entire front cover, measuring 8.48 in (21.54 cm) width by 10.92 in (27.74 cm) length (corresponding digital capture measures 1272 px by 1637 px scanned at 150 dpi), comprising a relatively small portion of the commercial product as a whole. Because the image is a book cover, a form of product packaging, the entire image is needed to identify the product, properly convey the meaning and branding intended, and avoid tarnishing or misrepresenting the image.

The copy is of sufficient resolution for commentary and identification but lower resolution than the original role-playing game core rulebook cover. Copies made from it will be of inferior quality, unsuitable as artwork on pirate versions or other uses that would compete with the commercial purpose of the original artwork.

Main infobox. The image is used for identification in the context of critical commentary of the work for which it serves as cover art. It makes a significant contribution to the user's understanding of the article, which could not practically be conveyed by words alone. The image is placed in the infobox at the top of the article discussing the work, to show the primary visual image associated with the work, and to help the user quickly identify the work and know they have found what they are looking for.

As a role-playing game core rulebook cover, the image is not replaceable by free content; any other image that shows the packaging of the role-playing game core rulebook would also be copyrighted, and any version that is not true to the original would be inadequate for identification or commentary.

Use of the book cover in the article complies with Wikipedia non-free content policy and qualifies as fair use under applicable United States copyright law. Use of the book cover in the manner and for the purpose described above will not affect the value of the original work or the body of work to which it belongs, neither will it compete with the purposes of the original work, namely the artist's ability to provide and be compensated for book cover illustration and design services and the publisher's ability to market books and other media featuring these works to the public. In particular, copies of this image could not be used to produce or distribute illegal copies of the book's primary content in part or whole, whether for personal use or purposes of commercial advantage or private financial gain, to the detriment of the original copyright holder.