Marty Owns Mego Again

[johnmiic]

So does that mean if someone copyrighted a name using MEGO in it, perhaps if someone copyrighted the word/name MEGOCON, thay copyright is null and void now?

[megojim]

Great news for Marty, and for everyone who enjoys buying modern toys,
but ultimately meaningless to me.

For me, it's only a Mego if it was a toy I had as a kid.
The memory connection is what I relate to, rather than style of construction.

There are numerous 8" style figures, including the EMCE & CTTV clones,
but I contend those are all targeted at mostly adult collectors, rather than kids. That makes then Toy Collectibles rather than Collectible Toys.

That said, I love watching the excitement build as EMCE releases new waves of toys - in fact, one of my co-workers just asked me where to find them -
and their success is a wonderful testament to the foundations laid by Mego.

r
o
b

Couldn't have said it better Rob . . . . I do think it's great that the toy maker's of today see that this (8" clothed figures) is now a viable entity and not just a passing fad of fan boys or collectors.
-jim

[David Lee]

So does that mean if someone copyrighted a name using MEGO in it, perhaps if someone copyrighted the word/name MEGOCON, thay copyright is null and void now?

Never been Copywrited (prior to 1978 that is), it was Trademarked though...
but since it's been dead since 2000, I'd think so ...

Word Mark MEGOCON
Goods and Services (ABANDONED) IC 035. US 100 101 102. G & S: Organizing and conducting commercial trade shows and exhibitions in the field of toys, entertainment and comic books(ABANDONED) IC 041. US 100 101 107. G & S: Organizing and conducting entertainment exhibitions and conventions in the field of classic toys

(ABANDONED) IC 042. US 100 101. G & S: providing convention facilities

Mark Drawing Code (1) TYPED DRAWING
Serial Number 75323073
Filing Date July 11, 1997
Current Filing Basis 1B
Original Filing Basis 1B
Published for Opposition December 7, 1999
Owner (APPLICANT) MJJ MULTIMEDIA LLC LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY DELAWARE BY ASSIGNMENT DELAWARE 244 W 54TH ST NEW YORK NEW YORK 10019
Assignment Recorded ASSIGNMENT RECORDED
Attorney of Record LANCE LIEBERMAN
Type of Mark SERVICE MARK
Register PRINCIPAL
Live/Dead Indicator DEAD
Abandonment Date August 30, 2000

[The Kryptonite Kid]

Mixed feelings......As long as we get the same quality products the Doc has been providing us with for years.

[Hulk]

Marty owns the trademark for Mego items moving forward (and possibly only within a very limited market from what I can tell). I don't believe he has any rights or claims to the old Mego items or name. So it would be hard to sell anything related to the new Mego without Marty, but the historical Mego is pretty much fair game, and sites like this, books like Benjamin's, and even merchandise like t-shirts or let's say trading cards are copyrighted well before this latest trademark.

Of less clarity might be e-commerce sites like mine or Doc's that use the name. My main site would be fine, but my shopping cart could probably be enjoined from using the name.

Ultimately though, the question becomes whether anyone wants or even needs to threaten legal action in order to protect the trademark. It becomes work for the lawyers at that level.

[Wee67]

Couple of things-
1- Dr. Doom in Europe- My impression was that Marty was talking out his butt here. He seemed to not really remember. Doc Mego had to correct and mention it was Dr. Kromedome who made it into production. Remeber, Neil Kublan (who was more in tune with product develpoment) said he did not think they ever did or started on a Dr. Doom character.

2- Benjamin is definitely in the clear with his book. It is a reference book and falls under the same laws as any piece of reference or journalism.

3- My impression was that Marty has no real interest in once again making 8-inch, clothed figures. He seemed quite content with Emcee doing that. Personally, I would love to see Joe and Paul get to do this. The level of passion and dedication these guys have put into getting out what they have accomplished gives them, in my book, the honor of doing it some more.

[HardyGirl]

I don't agree with this statment at all. I have been giving out EMCE's as gifts to my son and nephews and some of there friends and they love them and play with them all the time. They also ask me what else is out there and I have had parents ask me where to get them from. So I think that if they were made easier to find they would sell very well and as you mentioned there would also be the collectors going after them. Sometimes I think that people that have the original Mego's are afraid that reintroducing the Mego line will somehow devalue there collection instead of thinking about how much a new generation would enjoy playing with the same type of toys that made alot of us happy.

Y'know, I've been on plenty of forums where folks say things like, "Oh it's too bad that kids don't have the kind of toys we had." Just think if everyone who has ever said that bought their kid a Mego or EMCE. Kids are rather impressed w/ those now. The kids who come here and play, and even the ones who have seen the video of commercials, seem to really like the figures. Some say things like "I wish they still made those." Kids still like superheroes, Star Trek, POTA so I think there's still hope. I hope that Marty and Paul can come up w/ something and that the glory days of Mego will live again.

[MegoMark71]

wow can you guys imagine going into toysrus today and finding a whole row of megos.

[Meule]

wow can you guys imagine going into toysrus today and finding a whole row of megos.

I can certainly imagine it but whether it'll happen is another thing

[CaptainTrenchcoat]

Couple of things-

2- Benjamin is definitely in the clear with his book. It is a reference book and falls under the same laws as any piece of reference or journalism.

Tell that to the guy that wrote the reference book about the world of Harry Potter. He got his *** sued by JK Rowlings people.

[Wee67]

Tell that to the guy that wrote the reference book about the world of Harry Potter. He got his *** sued by JK Rowlings people.

Legally there is a provision called "Fair Use." It is a provision of U.S. copyright law, which allow people to copy work for "purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching ... scholarship, or research." As journalists, we use this principle all the time.

Anyone can sue, but it does not mean they have a case. I don't think this case has been decided, but her lawyers are arguing that this book goes beyond reference and adds to the Potter universe. That would be infringement.

Salon's Machinist Blog summed it up well-
"Has J.K. Rowling ever been to a library? Seriously, I truly wonder. Because if she had, she might have seen many examples of exactly the sort of books she describes as "not reasonable." For instance, a list of the allusions in "Ulysses"; or a complete guide to all of the characters in William Faulkner's fiction; or a compilation and detailed analysis of Bob Dylan's lyrics; or a book containing the complete chronology of the events in David Foster Wallace's "Infinite Jest.""

[drmego]

Just to let you know:

EMCE Toys was the name coined because we couldn't call it MEGO.
Now that MEGO is back, we would love to use that name for all
8 inch action figures.

Regardless, I will do everything I can to promote all products like
Marty is involved with. I just showed the Pet Rocks to my six year
old daughter and she wants them all. If you know a child between
5-9, they will love these toys. Toys R Us will be carrying them.

We knew since last summer that Marty was working on getting the
MEGO name back. I don't say anything anymore until Joe Sena tells
me I can. Loose lips sink ships. Marty has been very helpful to us
already and I hope to see that relationship grow over time.

EMCE Toys is not announcing any new product now because of the
new regulations on toys just now being worked on and the state of
the economy. We have just rolled out a full year's worth of production
and will get to work on 2009 shortly, but since we are not a traditional
toy company, we don't have to show new product at Toy Fair - we can
start our year later - after the spring rush.

Big news is coming - sit tight and stay tuned.

[vulcan2074]

Big news is coming - sit tight and stay tuned.

I can't wait to Hear what we're in store for Next. I'm excited
Sammy

[AAAAA]

soon we'll get the whole seminar up on MM.

[mextoys]

It would be just great to see MEGO figures in stores again, but I can not fail to recognize the enormous effort of EMCE and other companies formed mainly by collectors, companies that turned our nostalgic dreams into reality, whose main intent is not money but to give new options to us, collectors, that is why I think that mego will have to "ask" for support of those new companies (they know what we like). I wonder, beside collectors like us, the retro figures have a real impact in the new generation? I see children more interested in video games than in action figures (even the new ones like max steel), at least that happens with my two children (13 and 8 years old). What do you think?