Copyright advice please.

[tealmoonxiv.livejournal.com]

I've never made a post on LJ before so please forgive me if my post is messy.

A little background; I have a project I've been working on for a very long time, and I care for deeply.
But I have not posted any of it online because I wanted to get it copyrighted first. Actual registered copyright with the paperwork and everything. I want more legal standing if someone tried to profit off of it.

The problem is I'm not sure how to do so since I want to basically copyright the fictional setting I've created.
I do plan to eventually do some comics (or graphic novels) based on it but they will have nothing in common with each other.
The setting, culture, worlds and most importantly the 1000+ monsters and characters are what I want to protect.

How does one copyright something like this? Since it's not something like an image or a novel.
Something that will continuously grow and take different forms?
Does it need a particular type of copyright or documentation?

Sorry if my post is confusing at all it's hard putting this into words :/

Comments

[breakspire.livejournal.com]

if you find a lawyer specializing in IP (intellectual property) and explain the situation, they'll be able to let you know what you need/can get. you can approach them as a legal noob, it's their job to guide you through it

http://www.isfanficlegal.com/ is run by some lawyers and they answer questions about this sort of thing, if you're looking to get your head around legal stuff it may be worth poking through for similar questions or even asking them about your situation

also, take a look at the government websites (I'm assuming you're in the US? other countries have their own systems)

http://www.copyright.gov/

http://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/

edit: oops meant to reply to your comment.

[tealmoonxiv.livejournal.com]

Yup US. I've been checking those sites, the jargon is confusing to me though. :P

I'll get a lawyer for sure though. Eventually.