The Energon Pub

Can transformers use names from the DC universe?

I think Firestorm and Deadshot would make great TF names.

SentinelA wrote:Can transformers use names from the DC universe?

I think Firestorm and Deadshot would make great TF names.

There are so many laws, bi-laws, terms, and clauses, that its ridiculous.

It depends on a bunch of legal factors.

For example; as long as DC (or anyone else)hasn't released a toy named deadshot, there's a chance for a toy being released under that name. However even if they could use the name on a toy, they probably wouldn't be able to use the name in a comic because of legal complications (it could potentially confuse DC's target audience and dupe them into buying a tf "deadshot" book thinking its DCs deadshot).

Now a toy of "decepticon deadshot" could be marketed, (the names legally different enough) but the character probably wouldn't show up in media that dcs deadshot has also appeared in (so the name deadshot may be usable in a cartoon, even if they can't use it in comics, since dc has avoided using the name deadshot on tv) Its part of the reason we have toys of "Autobot Jazz" toys instead of just "Jazz". Its similar to the reason that if you printed a comic about a guy who swings baseball bats at people, and you called it "Batman", DC would sue the pants off you.

Its like how there's a car battery branded "Megatron" (its not a toy or fictional character so there's no brand confusion) but hasbro couldn't use "bumblebee" for a while because a company had a different toy out with that name (hasbro later got the license for bb's name back I think). If the battery company started a comic about their battery, they couldn't name a character megatron due to trademark/copy right issues.

There's a lot more to it than that, but that's the utter basics

Name_Violation wrote:

SentinelA wrote:Can transformers use names from the DC universe?

I think Firestorm and Deadshot would make great TF names.

There are so many laws, bi-laws, terms, and clauses, that its ridiculous.

It depends on a bunch of legal factors.

For example; as long as DC (or anyone else)hasn't released a toy named deadshot, there's a chance for a toy being released under that name. However even if they could use the name on a toy, they probably wouldn't be able to use the name in a comic because of legal complications (it could potentially confuse DC's target audience and dupe them into buying a tf "deadshot" book thinking its DCs deadshot).

Now a toy of "decepticon deadshot" could be marketed, (the names legally different enough) but the character probably wouldn't show up in media that dcs deadshot has also appeared in (so the name deadshot may be usable in a cartoon, even if they can't use it in comics, since dc has avoided using the name deadshot on tv) Its part of the reason we have toys of "Autobot Jazz" toys instead of just "Jazz". Its similar to the reason that if you printed a comic about a guy who swings baseball bats at people, and you called it "Batman", DC would sue the pants off you.

Its like how there's a car battery branded "Megatron" (its not a toy or fictional character so there's no brand confusion) but hasbro couldn't use "bumblebee" for a while because a company had a different toy out with that name (hasbro later got the license for bb's name back I think). If the battery company started a comic about their battery, they couldn't name a character megatron due to trademark/copy right issues.

There's a lot more to it than that, but that's the utter basics

In short: they can't. Have some chocolate