In most cases yes, permission is required to use copyrighted material. There are exceptions however. The "fair use" exception allows for the use of a portion of a copyrighted work, without permission, for news reporting, review, criticism, or scholastic purposes. Additionally the "right of first sale" allows you sell or otherwise distribute works you have legally obtained.
license agreement
Copyright gives the creator of a work control over its use. A license is a way the copyright owner can allow others to use the work.
With a license, yes. Without a license, no.
The copyright holder or an appointed administrator can issue a license.
A license from the rightsholder allows you to use their material, which otherwise would be a violation of federal law.
One must apply to the copyright holder for permisson to use their copyrighted item.
To obtain a license to use an image with copyright protection, you need to contact the copyright holder or their authorized representative. You will need to negotiate the terms of the license, including the scope of use, duration, and any associated fees. Once an agreement is reached, you will typically need to sign a licensing agreement to formalize the arrangement.
With a license from the copyright holders, yes.
That phrase could mean several things. It could refer to a letter that is protected by copyright, or a letter allowing use of someone's copyright (i.e., a license).
It's written permission from the copyright holder letting someone else use the material; it's usually quite specific. On the other hand, a Creative Commons license is a type of license, and it's extraordinarily broad.
For the most part, you would license your specific use rather than attempting to purchase rights for the entire series. To license a work, contact the copyright holder in writing, explaining your proposed use in detail.
In order to use copyright-protected materials that are not your own original work, you need permission from the rightsholder; this is usually in the form of a license, which can be as broad as a Creative Commons license or (more often) specific to your proposed use.