Anyways...not sure what you can really get out of that anecdote but I figured it was at least relative to the subject at hand.
That is a great story. I'm glad we all got to hear it. The fact this article is getting people to discuss the topic more is exactly why Hawk and I contribute to these.
But, what do you think about other figs like the one made by The Black Major? He use the same mold of vintage Hasbro figs, but Hasbro never planned to make these. And last year at the con, Habro rep saw those Red, Black and Brown troopers without even trying to stop those guys. Really, I don't understand Hasbro on these.
I didn't bring up Black Major's and other people's vintage o-ring figures because we know those are bootlegs. There is absolutely no gray area with those. The Chinese workers behind this are using either Hasbro's molds or they created their own based on Hasbro's figures.
From my limited understanding of the law, Hasbro can trademark and copyright the characters. However they have a limited design patent for the actual workings of the figure which would have run out long ago. That is if they could prosecute anyone in the US. They know they'd eventually be dealing with Chinese workers under Chinese law all while doing business for their current products in China. If I had to pick my battles it would be over the stuff I'm currently paying to produce and market and not some old mold I (incorrectly) think has run its course.
Essentially those guys selling vintage stuff are doing what customizers have been doing since 1982, only on a factory level. Brian Savage was asked to do a set of army builders with minimal paint and sold without pretty boxes for the Club and Master Collector wasn't interested. I'm glad somebody took the ball and is running with it. I just wish it didn't feel like you had to buy these out of some guys trunk in a dark alley at midnight in the sketchy part of town. They are very low profile.
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