Maybe I just don't understand, but what is the issue with having the rights to a name? I understand copyrights and protecting a given idea, but how does anyone confuse a character that has appeared in print with the name of a restaurant chain?

Even taking the word 'Roadblock', people are gonna think two things. Most people would associate it with the procedure the police use to barricade a driving lane.

Those that know GIJOE would think of the big machine gunner.

Created characters with names attributed to specific designs should be understood as being different.

What's next, the John Wayne people sue for use of the name 'Duke'?

I guess I just don't get how if a character has been developed and has appeared in print or has appeared as a specific can lose the rights to be called that name ever.

It just seems stupid that a specific name can cause trouble, even if the character behind it is completely different.

For example I know I can't name a character 'Disney' and state he's a cartoonist or is into animation because it's a blatant rip-off.

I also know I can't create a character that comes from another planet and call him Superman. That's an iconic character. Same for a kid that sees his parents killed and grows up to dress in a funny bat suit and avenge them.

Are the lawyers and creators that worried that they think their idea would be confused for a character that has already been established from a toyline?

What then of the same names in use by the Transformers or GIJOE (shockwave, etc)? To me they are completely different ideas that share the same name. First it is not a made up name like Optimus Prime. Second the word 'Shockwave' is in a dictionary. It is a real word. It seems if the word is used as a name for a specific character, then one can only intercede if someone creates a character that has a very similar idea (costume, background, specialty, etc). I wouldn't have a problem if there was a Marvel or DC character named Shockwave that was either a villain or henchman that could generate waves of shock as his/her schtik. It's defiitely not a former SWAT Team member from Detroit that dresses in mostly a blue uniform and has a decent singing voice.

It's two different characters and it is certainly not a transforming sentient robot.

It's like the whole 'WWF' thing. How could anyone get confused and think the entire organization was about getting pandas and other animals to wrestle?

C'mon people!!!

_________________

My other devils advocate answer is it probably has to do with Demographics testing. people might like Heavy Duty more than Roadblock as a name only (no character associations).

Lastly and least likely to be true is that some Hasbro nerd has a chip on his shoulder against RB.

Just for teh record - I want him named Roadblock too, but I want allot of things like a MISB USS FLAGG or carded versions of every Barbecue ever released.

Steve

_________________

First thing you need to understand is the difference between a copyright and a trademark. Artistic copyrights are for the life of the creator plus 50 years. What is involved with Joe/Hasbro are Trademarks.

Trademarks aren't perpetual. They have to be renewed, are terribly expensive, and worse, are media specific which means to slap "Roadblock" on everything from an action figure, to clothing, to a thermos, costs astronomically.

Given the amount of names in the GIJOE property, it is understandable that names were not renewed or were lost in the original takeover/Kenner-Hasbro/reengineering fiasco. The mad scramble to use alternate names and such must have been daunting.

There was an excellent point brought up about using great other names such as rank/name, class/name, etc. But then I would imagine that there would have been naysayers and nitpicking about not using a codename at all.

These are the things that happen when you own a property, and have to license the names for trademark. If you have more names that you can remember, you have to have someone who makes sure when these names come up again for renewal, they make sure they are renewed.

If they were copyrighted, and to date, you cannot copyright "words" (even Coca-Cola is a trademark remember, and you have to respect the billions it takes to slap their name on everything they can...)they still can only copyright Roadblock's image for good. Whatever image they settle upon that is.

_________________

Not to undermine your point, which is very appreciated Cap, but this sentence amused me:




It amused me because it was posted in a thread where I (Scramble) am mad about the use of an alternate name.

_________________

Thanks, that made my day.

Has anyone gotten the time to compile a list of all the Joes who have been "renamed" as opposed to "recreated"? Any ratios of what trademark was clearly favored ("the original 13+").?

_________________

Um what Cap said....

Thanks for that bit of business information I am indeed not in the field and butchered the sentiment of the argument.

Steve

_________________

This might make an interesting Point/Counterpoint in a future Canuck Newsletter.

- R

_________________

I had the same feeling a few weeks back when everybody was talking about 'dark jedi' in one of the threads. Maybe it was the Force Unleashed one...

I was like, "Are they talking about me or what? Hello?'

Of course, this topic is somewhat ironic considering some of us have specific usernames and avatars.

<--------

_________________

Yeah I never got that Hd Rb thing either, I think Roadblock got to popular for Hasbro liking. Roadblock at one point was the coolest joe if not still. Road has to be on everyone top 5 joes list.

_________________

Isn't there a transformer named Roadblock though?

For me, I just hate all this stereotyping done by Hasbro. Just b/c they're two figures who came with larger weapons than others, doesn't mean they should just be lumped in together. That's completely uncalled for.

And no, people aren't going to confuse the movie with IDW's current comic series. Even if Paramount REALLY thinks that, it's still a load of crap, plain & simple. Plus people would probably rather see Roadblock in the movie than Heavy Duty.

For whatever stat there may be about the character's perceived popularity, there is still something obvious to be pointed out. Thankfully there isn't a heavy duty figure out in the 25th line yet. That's how unpopular he is. We got matt trakker and made up figures like the para viper before we get him.

_________________

I'm trying to figure out how Hasbro doesn't have the rights to the name Roadblock, when the 25th line has had three of him, so far.

_________________

The Combat Heroes line also has Roadblock. If they don't have the name and he's not popular with people outside the fandom than why package Roadblock with Cobra Commander for that new line?

Ha ha, maybe one of the questions for the Hasbro Q&A could be "why do you guys hate Roadblock?"

See, that doesn't make sense. Maybe the people in charge of the preschool kids lines didn't get the Heavy Duty Memo... If H wants to wipe Roadbloack from the books, they should have started with the kids

_________________

Or why do they like Heavy Duty?

_________________

I blame Sigma 6 and Devil's Due.

First, Sigma 6 had Heavy Duty and made him a clone of Roadblock.

Then Devil's Due used Heavy Duty, had Roadblock meet him, and say, "What are you supposed to be, my replacement?" They thought they were being funny, I guess, but the scene made no sense whatsoever, since Roadblock and Heavy Duty had BOTH been in the Marvel run on the Joe team at the same time. To act like they had never met was just stupid.

Now Heavy Duty's in the movie and the new comics, with no Roadblock anywhere but in the toy line... and...

Resolute.

One more reason to like the new cartoon.

_________________