So I picked up The Corps "Rival Face-Off" two-packs today, and I notice the following on the bottom of the package next to the UPC:

WARNING: Lanard products, packaging, and trademarks are fully protected by applicable intellectual property laws worldwide. Lanard vigorously monitors and prosecutes infringers.

Okay, let's consider the mild hypocrisy there -- nothing against The Corps per se. But while the name "The Corps!" has the (R) next to it, and the new team names, such as "Marauders", "Terra Force", "Covert Command", and so forth, all have the "TM" next to them, the individual character names DON'T.

Which only makes since, given that some of these character names, like "Ricochet", "Sparks", "Ravage", "Plague", "Vulture", "Fixer", could, at the very least, get them in trouble with Marvel Comics and Hasbro, especially if Lanard DID try to trademark them.

Then there's the fact that this little comment of theirs doesn't exactly ring forth with, "Here's some toys, kids -- go have fun!"

Sheesh...

Some of this has to do with the fact that some names can't be tm or cr. For example, Marvel can never cr the name Thor or Black Widow. I'm actualy surprised that hasbro is able to get away with some of it's cr and tm. Snake Eyes? Destro? SE is actualy a dice term and Destro is actually a family name.

Wow, there goes corpscustoms.com. I guess I don't have to worry, anytime I get a corps figure in a lot I buy he goes straight to my son.

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yeah, but corpuscustoms.com should still be alright... anyone up for some bodymod?





//badash?

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Didn't Erik Larsen copyright God, The Devil, and Hitler, just to see if he could?




/Sorry to Godwin the thread, everyone.

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No offense, but then why does the issue of Thor I have right here have a (R) next to the character's name, and the indicia read (C) 2007 Marvel Characters Inc?

That representation of the legendary character can be protected.

That's why every other comic book representation of Thor has to be extremely different than Marvels. A big deal was made when Image comics introduced a Thor into their universe and why DC's Thor is nothing at all remotely similar to Marvel's.

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The hypocrisy is all I can think of--this is a company that has happily infringed on the copyrights/trademarks of others and gotten smacked down for it, and they "vigorously monitor and prosecute infringers"? Pot, meet kettle.

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You can't copy right a character from mythology. But Marvel has created a unique character in "The Mighty Thor" and that can be put into a copyright. It is not the name that they have a copyright on but rather the character. There are several names that could be contested in court to see is the copyright laws really apply to them but I think that it is just cheeper to make new names. Could these names really hold up in a court of law if put to a test of weather or not they could be plased under a copyright?

1. Snake Eyes
2. Destro
3. Doc
4. Flint
5. Hawk
6. Cluch
7. Rock&Roll
8. Scarlett
9. Duke
10. Boadblock
11. Heavy Duty
12. Torch
13. Buzzer
14. Firefly
15. Gung Ho
16. Tripwire
17. Dile-Tone
18. Sci-Fi
19.Shipwreck
20. Baroness

I think Push you down hit the nail on the head.

for instance, I can create a Barroness character, but can't put her in black leather with glasses.

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Can I get away with a hot brunette S&M librarian called the Countess?

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Wait, doesn't Marvel have a character named the Countess?

The one that used to hang out with Nick Fury?

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You are referring to Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, the beautiful and deadly SHIELD agent and longtime lover of Nick Fury.

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But is she a hot brunette S&M librarian?

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all she needs is the glasses,

http://en.marveldatabase.com/Contessa_V ... (Earth-616)/Gallery

she was in alot of the old Nick Fury Strange tales and old school shield books, so she predates the Baroness.

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