TFCC Runabout Renamed to Over-Run, Full Reveal Later Today

Kind of Irked, but whatever. Maybe Reprolabels can make a sticker to replace the name as it appears on the box?

Meh, fine, what else is new with the TF names licensing issues. I think they made the right call in terms of getting him out in a timely fashion, because yeah, Repro will have the stickers for it.

I don't care if they call him "poopface" on the box, I still consider him Runabout... Major props to TFCC for choosing to get the figure to us sooner than later!

I'd have called him Runaboot. Make them Glaswegians. Fits with the characters.

When can I order him. these things go quick and I will NOT be caught with my pants down, like with G2 ramjet

Dr. Heavy B wrote:When can I order him. these things go quick and I will NOT be caught with my pants down, like with G2 ramjet

Next week but no specific day has been anounced. I would bet on Monday or Tuesday.

Flux Convoy wrote:...and the date is?... I don't understand why we can't be given hard dates and times for on-sale items, registration, etc. They've been doing this dance for years now, you would think they'd want to stop looking like amateurs eventually. It certainly makes it hard for me to keep defending them and I love what they do. At this point, it isn't simple frustration.

The red windows are slick. Thumbs up on that. I do look forward to getting the exclusives. Pissed at the inept fashion this stuff is handled still. We're 8 years down the road for crying out loud!

I think they do this intentionally to avoid their site crashing or being largely unusable ala HTS on SDCC exclusive day. It's an inconvenience to be sure, but as long as they're available for better than 24 hours, it's not the end of the world.

Not sure why they could not go with the "Decepticon Runabout" like they've done for other characters, but whatever.

Call him what you like.

I just want one no matter what, and I've long asserted that if Hasbro ever released a 100% show-accurate Ironhide, they could flaunt their rights to GoBots and call him VanGuard for all I care.

But since this messes up the pairity of an iconic duo, I'm feeling just dickish enough about this that I'd like to be the first to posit the theory that, based on the nature of the last Over-Run rename, it was likely not so much a rights issue as a revelation that the British consider "Runabout" an offensive slur against children with hyperactivity disorder.

I know I deserve to have my TF Club account lock me out as soon as preorders open up for saying that, but thank you, won't you?

They could have called it Run-A-Boot and said he was from Canada, eh?

As promised The Official Transformers Collectors' Club has fully revealed their 2012 exclusive Over-Run (aka Ranabout)! Bio and robot mode image below. We expect pre-orders to open for this guy and their other 2012 exclusive Shattered Glass Drift sometime next week.

OVER-RUN tries to pass himself off as a suave connoisseur of fine things. It’s not a façade he can really maintain for long, less because of his generally low intelligence and more because his interest in beautiful objects starts and ends with “blow them up!” His drive to seem sophisticated is in direct conflict with his enthusiastic love of explosions and action. The former is almost always on the losing side of that battle. He’s not interested in the Decepticons’ plans for conquest; he’s just with them because of the greater opportunities for his kind of fun. He’s always on the move, looking to create a bigger fireball, a larger bomb crater, and generally cram every microsecond with action.

He is partnered with the hyperactive RUNAMUCK, and has never had more fun in his life. Marginally smarter than his partner, he also has better self-control, giving the pairing just enough focus to present a real danger to most robots they gang up on.

Over-Run is a Deluxe sized figure featured in the Wings Universe and is Runamuck’s demolition partner. Over-Run utilizes one of the extremely popular “Classics” molds and features an all-new head sculpt by Dan Khanna and Paul Brooks. The toy is packed in a convention style box with a foam insert for easy removal and display.

I've passed on a lot of the club exclusives but I really think I'll have to get this one.

Yay! Rub sign's check!

Pretty excited to get these two figures. Now I just need to find a large enough Statue of Liberty playset for them to deface.....

That's pure aswesomeness. I can't wait to have these two.

*Sigh*
Somebody should make custom stickers for these packages (ala ReproLabel) to "correct" these "injustices" and restore its G1 Glory!

"Over-Run utilizes one of the extremely popular “Classics” molds" This makes me laugh. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind this mold at all, but let's be frank: its only "popular" because its one of 5 molds Hasbro uses.

Still, I can't wait for both and seems I had both as a kid, they're getting a special place on my shelf. I'm already thinking of making some tweaks to the transformation though, specifically how the "Wings" are displayed. I may leave mine down along the body, like the old "arms" that the G1 guys had.

They can call him what they want..I know who it's gonna be on my shelf Gonna be a long morning of f5in

ViperEye82 wrote:Still, I can't wait for both and seems I had both as a kid, they're getting a special place on my shelf. I'm already thinking of making some tweaks to the transformation though, specifically how the "Wings" are displayed. I may leave mine down along the body, like the old "arms" that the G1 guys had.

This one dude, Genral Tekno, he did this way cool transformation for Wheeljack that'll give you like a more accurate looking Runamuck and Runabout.

cannonfodder4000 wrote:This one dude, Genral Tekno, he did this way cool transformation for Wheeljack that'll give you like a more accurate looking Runamuck and Runabout.

Nice work Tekno. Very nice indeed!

Definately getting this guy.

Still undecided on SG Drift. I'm not into the whole SG thing But I would repurpose him as Turbo or Lightspeed. Unfortunately, the Japanese deco makes that hard to do.

RiddlerJ wrote:Definately getting this guy.

Still undecided on SG Drift. I'm not into the whole SG thing But I would repurpose him as Turbo or Lightspeed. Unfortunately, the Japanese deco makes that hard to do.

There's always W.A.R.S.

Great... now I'm tempted to get two

Mkall wrote:

RiddlerJ wrote:Definately getting this guy.

Still undecided on SG Drift. I'm not into the whole SG thing But I would repurpose him as Turbo or Lightspeed. Unfortunately, the Japanese deco makes that hard to do.

There's always W.A.R.S.

Great... now I'm tempted to get two

Ah, now you're talkin'.

"Reads Bio"
They should have named him "Classics Michael Bay"

What kind of scheduling is there to hinder naming something what it should be named? I just don't get it. I'd still get him and use the name Runabout.

Blackstreak wrote:What kind of scheduling is there to hinder naming something what it should be named? I just don't get it. I'd still get him and use the name Runabout.

Trademarks have to be registered first, then Hasbro needs to file reports on usage. All of that takes time, but reporting usage of a name already in possession is quickly done.
Also, registering new names costs quite a bit of money, so again Hasbro has made it a sport to re-use names they already have. "Breakaway" instead of "Getaway" and "Over-Run" instead of "Spastic" come to mind.

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:Trademarks have to be registered first,

Actually, in America, they don't. Unregistered Trademarks relating to a specific context is protectable in US Courts. Please note the bolded statement in the below quote.

At least according to several lawyers commenting on the Intellectual Property Case Games Workshop has brought against Chapterhouse Studios:

"
You can get trademark protection for certain words that are in common use (for example, Apple) if there's little relation to the actual product being produced (computers). But if the word is generic or merely descriptive of the good being sold then you can't get protection.

Trademarks can be (in decreasing order of protection):
Fanciful (EXXON for oil company)
Arbitrary (APPLE for computers)
Suggestive (MICROSOFT for microprocessor software)
Descriptive (SHARP for copiers)
Generic (MINIATURE for miniatures games)

Generic marks can never be protected, descriptive marks can only be protected to the extent they've developed secondary meaning. So while "Games Workshop" might be descriptive (for example; although GW would probably argue that the mark is suggestive), it has developed secondary meaning in the market beyond its literal meaning. Therefore, the term is protected.

What GW is (probably) going to argue is that the words described above are "Descriptive" and have developed secondary meaning on their own. CH will say that those terms are merely generic, or have not developed secondary meaning, and therefore not protected.

In terms of legitimacy, there's little difference between registered and unregistered trademarks (registered trademarks just go through this process before the USPTO rather than waiting for a court to make the determination) "

Essentially, just because you haven't registered a trademark, doesn't mean you don't own it.

Midnight_Fox wrote:

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:Trademarks have to be registered first,

Actually, in America, they don't. Unregistered Trademarks relating to a specific context is protectable in US Courts.

At least according to several lawyers commenting on the Intellectual Property Case Games Workshop has brought against Chapterhouse Studios.

Well, registered as in that the Trademark Office knows such and such company has the rights to such and such name in such and such area.

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:

Midnight_Fox wrote:

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:Trademarks have to be registered first,

Actually, in America, they don't. Unregistered Trademarks relating to a specific context is protectable in US Courts.

At least according to several lawyers commenting on the Intellectual Property Case Games Workshop has brought against Chapterhouse Studios.

Well, registered as in that the Trademark Office knows such and such company has the rights to such and such name in such and such area.

Interestingly, according to the TFCC Magazine covers, Transformers itself is an unregistered Trademark(notified by the TM, a registered Trademark has the R in a circle marking).

In fact, if you go through your products, you'd be surprised how often these AREN'T registered trademarks with the USPTO.

The name Hasbro itself, however, DOES have a registered Trademark symbol.

metalformer wrote:*Sigh*
Somebody should make custom stickers for these packages (ala ReproLabel) to "correct" these "injustices" and restore its G1 Glory!

Reprolabels for a box ??? Are you serious ??? (no offense)

I already got a nice place in my closet picked out for Runabout’s box. And yes I said “Runabout”.

It’s s**t like this that proves just how stupid copyrights really are under certain circumstances. Hasbro doesn’t even own the rights to the names of characters they created ??? WTF ??? There should be a law that a copyright has to be renewed every 5 years or it expires and is free for the taking. This would keep the names belonging to legitimate businesses and not copyright hoarders who buy rights when a franchise is about to go bankrupt. Does anyone know where the owner of the name “Runabout” is right now ??? He might be living under a highway sipping a bottle of cheap booze…

Rated X wrote:

metalformer wrote:*Sigh*
Somebody should make custom stickers for these packages (ala ReproLabel) to "correct" these "injustices" and restore its G1 Glory!

Reprolabels for a box ??? Are you serious ??? (no offense)

I already got a nice place in my closet picked out for Runabout’s box. And yes I said “Runabout”.

It’s s**t like this that proves just how stupid copyrights really are under certain circumstances. Hasbro doesn’t even own the rights to the names of characters they created ??? WTF ??? There should be a law that a copyright has to be renewed every 5 years or it expires and is free for the taking. This would keep the names belonging to legitimate businesses and not copyright hoarders who buy rights when a franchise is about to go bankrupt. Does anyone know where the owner of the name “Runabout” is right now ??? He might be living under a highway sipping a bottle of cheap booze…

Yeah, copyright for stuff expires after time. Also, runabout seems a too generic name. Now you cant copyright too generic terms... like Jazz, or Ratchet, and Brawl.

So hasbro has to go with an alternative... although, they should have just done "Decepticon Runabout".

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:Trademarks have to be registered first, then Hasbro needs to file reports on usage. All of that takes time, but reporting usage of a name already in possession is quickly done.
Also, registering new names costs quite a bit of money, so again Hasbro has made it a sport to re-use names they already have. "Breakaway" instead of "Getaway" and "Over-Run" instead of "Spastic" come to mind.

Spastic actually made the copyright. The boxes here still say "Spastic". The change with Over-Run was due to some people finding "spastic" offensive, so hasbro printed new stickers for the packaging to cover up the existing name .

gavinfuzzy wrote:

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:Trademarks have to be registered first, then Hasbro needs to file reports on usage. All of that takes time, but reporting usage of a name already in possession is quickly done.
Also, registering new names costs quite a bit of money, so again Hasbro has made it a sport to re-use names they already have. "Breakaway" instead of "Getaway" and "Over-Run" instead of "Spastic" come to mind.

Spastic actually made the copyright. The boxes here still say "Spastic". The change with Over-Run was due to some people finding "spastic" offensive, so hasbro printed new stickers for the packaging to cover up the existing name .

Damn, I never found Spastic. I wanted him just for the box to put it next to my HA Jazz with tobacco and gambling being advertised in the background.

That whole spastic thread was bluddy funny !!!

Rated X wrote:
It’s s**t like this that proves just how stupid copyrights really are under certain circumstances. Hasbro doesn’t even own the rights to the names of characters they created ??? WTF ??? There should be a law that a copyright has to be renewed every 5 years or it expires and is free for the taking. This would keep the names belonging to legitimate businesses and not copyright hoarders who buy rights when a franchise is about to go bankrupt. Does anyone know where the owner of the name “Runabout” is right now ??? He might be living under a highway sipping a bottle of cheap booze…

Just to be clear: Copyright is NOT the same as Trademarks. A rant on Copyright doesn't apply here.

Trademarks protect signs or indicators(such as a name) that identifies products or services.

Copyright protects THINGS(such as an actual figure by protecting the rights to reproduce it exactly or a book by protecting the exact words and rights to reproduce it).

Runabout as a name falls under trademark, NOT copyright.

Trademarks MUST be lawfully used to be retained. If not actively used, it will be lost(usually after 5 years). If Hasbro doesn't have the trademark, it's their own fault for not using it for x number of years.

Midnight_Fox wrote:

Rated X wrote:
It’s s**t like this that proves just how stupid copyrights really are under certain circumstances. Hasbro doesn’t even own the rights to the names of characters they created ??? WTF ??? There should be a law that a copyright has to be renewed every 5 years or it expires and is free for the taking. This would keep the names belonging to legitimate businesses and not copyright hoarders who buy rights when a franchise is about to go bankrupt. Does anyone know where the owner of the name “Runabout” is right now ??? He might be living under a highway sipping a bottle of cheap booze…

Just to be clear: Copyright is NOT the same as Trademarks. A rant on Copyright doesn't apply here.

Trademarks protect signs or indicators(such as a name) that identifies products or services.

Copyright protects THINGS(such as an actual figure by protecting the rights to reproduce it exactly or a book by protecting the exact words and rights to reproduce it).

Runabout as a name falls under trademark, NOT copyright.

Trademarks MUST be lawfully used to be retained. If not actively used, it will be lost(usually after 5 years). If Hasbro doesn't have the trademark, it's their own fault for not using it for x number of years.

Well if that’s the case, take my last post and remove the word “copyright” and replace it with the word “trademark”. Then re-read it.

I’m not trying to be rude, but the correct terminology is not my focus. I’m focusing on the concept that the name “Runabout” is 25 years old and it doesn’t matter who uses it now unless they are using it for another transformable robot. If the new “trademark” holder is using the name “Runabout” for a vacuum cleaner, there should be no case in any court of law. The reason being that nobody is going to mistake a vacuum cleaner for a transformable robot therefore neither company can claim damages. Case dismissed.

All this other legal drama is a bunch of BS.

Demand for Runabout seems to be high, G2 Ramjet high. They better have way more stock this year, or a 2nd release, like with CPC.

Rated X wrote:
Well if that’s the case, take my last post and remove the word “copyright” and replace it with the word “trademark”. Then re-read it.

I’m not trying to be rude, but the correct terminology is not my focus. I’m focusing on the concept that the name “Runabout” is 25 years old and it doesn’t matter who uses it now unless they are using it for another transformable robot. If the new “trademark” holder is using the name “Runabout” for a vacuum cleaner, there should be no case in any court of law. The reason being that nobody is going to mistake a vacuum cleaner for a transformable robot therefore neither company can claim damages. Case dismissed.

All this other legal drama is a bunch of BS.

Actually, it doesn't need to be about a transformable robot, but could simply be about a toy car named Runabout. Please read my previous post which outlines how Trademarks can be a applied.

Trademarks don't care how something was used in the past, as they have to be used currently to apply. Again, if the name was unavailable, it's Hasbro's fault, NOT the laws regarding Trademark.

If fact, you had this in your post: " There should be a law that a copyright has to be renewed every 5 years or it expires and is free for the taking."

And there IS a law like that regarding Trademarks, as I said in my previous post.

Bumblevivisector wrote:But since this messes up the pairity of an iconic duo, I'm feeling just dickish enough about this that I'd like to be the first to posit the theory that, based on the nature of the last Over-Run rename, it was likely not so much a rights issue as a revelation that the British consider "Runabout" an offensive slur against children with hyperactivity disorder.

I know I deserve to have my TF Club account lock me out as soon as preorders open up for saying that, but thank you, won't you?

*snort*

I think we should come up with some group to use "Megatron" as an offensive slur towards. Maybe people who wrecklessly attempt to circumvent trademark or copyright laws?

As for "Over-run," I think I'll call mine "Banksy."

Man i need to get TCC.

Curious how TFCC's Runamuck and Over-Run (aka Runabout) will look together on your Classics shelf? The Official Transformers Collectors' Club just tweeted a new image of the dastardly duo posed together with a message that pre-orders for the 2012 club exclusives should go up early next week.

Remember, to get the incentive figure Runamuck for free you must have an active TFCC membership by March 16th. As previously stated pre-orders for his partner in crime Over-Run and their other 2012 exclusive Shattered Glass Drift will open early next week. Speaking of Shattered Glass Drift they also tweeted we can expect his full reveal on Monday.

Very excited about these two! Looking forward to preorders opening.

Great !!! Now lets hope they do the right thing and only allow one per member for the first week. Screw the scalpers.

I think just 1 per member at first is ok but I hope to be able to get at least 2 of each. I like to have 1 open and 1 MISB.. Im thinking the limit will be 4 though..Seems like that was the number during last years exclusive run..

Can't wait to get these. I do wish the rubsigns weren't there though. Just s painted on symbol would've sufficed.

DMSL wrote:Can't wait to get these. I do wish the rubsigns weren't there though. Just s painted on symbol would've sufficed.

Actually both the symbols and the rubsigns are there cause that's what the G1 toys did, you can probably remove the rubsigns if you don't like'em.

Looks good!

I want now, please and thank you.

The pair looks quite nice; best thing from the club in a while.

Do we know what the production run on these are? More significantly, do we know if it's equal for both?

LiKwid wrote:I think just 1 per member at first is ok but I hope to be able to get at least 2 of each. I like to have 1 open and 1 MISB.. Im thinking the limit will be 4 though..Seems like that was the number during last years exclusive run..

So how do we go about getting a second Runamuck if it's the freebee? Can we order a second at the same time? And how does it work for ordering Runabout and SF Drift? Do I need to watch the computer and wait for the club to announce the open sale, and lounge at placing the order?

They look so cool!!

Reminds me to renew my membership on time. Want all three of this years figures!

Hope they do a better QC than on last years Sideburn.

(don´t know when or were exactly but i think i´ve read something about that even the figures you have to buy will also come just bagged and not boxed anymore, is there something to it or not??)