Timmy the Timid Ghost?

Wondering if Timmy the Timid Ghost (casper knock-off) is in pd? It was Charlton which went out of business but DC who bought their characters never used him. So...fair game?

If not, how about Spencer Spook or another coat-tailer of casper?

Whether a character is used or not after its first appearance has no real bearing on whether it is public domain. A character could be dormant for 100 years and still be legally under copyright. What matters is if the publication in which they made their first appearance is currently public domain.

Can you tell us what issues these characters first appeared in? A lot of the Charlton comics are legally public domain, so there's a good chance their first appearance was PD and they are in the clear. I think Casper himself will remain in copyright for a few more decades, but maybe someone can correct me on that.

Okay Spencer Spook first debuted in 1945 http://www.toonopedia.com/spencer.htm and timmy the timid ghost first appeared in 1956 within the pages of Timmy the Timid Ghost #3 (go figure right?) http://www.toonopedia.com/timmy.htm

It looks like Timmy #3 and Giggle #21 are probably public domain, making the characters PD. You'd have to check the files in D.C. or ask someone who has to make absolutely certain. But really, I doubt anyone but comic historians even remembers these characters, so I imagine it's pretty safe.