Doesn't this violate copyright laws?

[Trance Viper]

http://cgi.ebay.com/Replacement-1986-Viper-Gun-Army-Building_W0QQitemZ110130134571QQihZ001QQcategoryZ2467QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem

I mean, I'm not going to "report" him. One, because I don't know how, and two, it's a good idea. I'd buy a couple.

I would just think Hasbro, being the punks they are, would've jumped all over this guy.

Anyone educated in this field?

[astros86]

hmmmm, good question. I wish I could chime in on some facts regarding this but I must admit, I can't. Interesting. Can't wait to see the responses.

[Trance Viper]

Me neither.

[GIOSplat]

So he makes them himself?

[Holeman]

It probably is, but who gives a ****? He's providing a valuable service.

[craigjames]

Im kind of confused... he just makes those guns himself as replacement parts for hasbro toys right? Do Hasbro also offer the same replacement parts? If not, I'm not sure if there is an issue?

In all legality, its probably illegal but I'm not sure Hasbro would care because they probably have bigger fish to fry. He's not exactly going to become a millionaire by selling those.

[GIOSplat]

Im kind of confused... he just makes those guns himself as replacement parts for hasbro toys right? Do Hasbro also offer the same replacement parts? If not, I'm not sure if there is an issue?

In all legality, its probably illegal but I'm not sure Hasbro would care because they probably have bigger fish to fry. He's not exactly going to become a millionaire by selling those.

Unless some big collector buys a million from that guy. But otherwise, it's not a big issue.;)

[mmevile]

He can change something slightly & he's scott-free to do it as much as he wants. The only thing Hasbro can go after him is if it's an "exact" copy of a sculpt they have.....if there's a variation = nope.

[SauronTD]

Repro parts for vintage toys is nothing new. They've been being made since the early 90s, at least for SW stuff.

[Trance Viper]

He can change something slightly & he's scott-free to do it as much as he wants. The only thing Hasbro can go after him is if it's an "exact" copy of a sculpt they have.....if there's a variation = nope.

Are you serious?

Like, if he just adds a button, or an emblem, or something, he's all good?

[Trance Viper]

It probably is, but who gives a ****? He's providing a valuable service.

Very true.

[GIOSplat]

Are you serious?

Like, if he just adds a button, or an emblem, or something, he's all good?

As far as I know, yes.

[Trout606]

Technically I'd think it'd be illegal, since he's taking a Hasbro product, duplicating it, and then profiting on it. The thing is, it'd be very hard to prove that he's directly copying them, I mean, he could probably claim that he sculpted the gun himself as a "replica" of the original Hasbro one, then copied his own personally made gun. Hasbro would have to prove in court that he without a doubt is making copies of their exact GI Joe gun, and really, it'd be a waste of time for Hasbro to spend all that money going after a guy making a few bucks off some copied little guns.

Then again, Hasbro went after the Fensler Films, so I wouldn't put it past them to do something stupid like sue the guy.

[tatoman2525]

is it primed with date rape primer?

[bborst]

I think you should report him. He's charging $2.00 for a 1" piece of plastic and $3.00 to ship it???

[Salvatore Lucania]

No legal biggy here. Back when I used to build model cars. I myself and many other guys would take certain parts and make resin casts of them. We used to sell them in all the local hobby shops around town. We used to take these wire spoked hub caps from a 1970Impala kit, turn the back rimmed part over and placed them over the spoked hubcaps, to give them that deep dish Dayton wire wheel look(There were no mass produced wire wheel rims at the time). Even a company down in L.A. called "Pegasus hobby", started doing the same thing, but even on a bigger scale. AMT/Ertil never bothered chasing any of us down.

[D-Compose]

hasbro doesn't really care about these things. They've "copied" far worst in the transformers line, all the way to the packaging which has the words Hasbro on it, and they still do nothing.

[D2eux]

how can you even think hasbro will go a-wall on replicating old 1980's guns that look like any other for that scale? Plus look how cheap it is, its not issue in the least, at all

[MUNDO]

No copyright laws are broken unless the seller uses the GI Joe or Cobra logos in the auction, on the item itself, or on a package, or if Hasbro had a copyright on that specific design, which I doubt they ever did even when that gun came out with the figure. It's just like you guys can take a Medieval Spawn's cape and reproduce it all you want, but you wouldn't be able to reproduce Medieval Spawn's shield because it has the Spawn symbol.

[mmevile]

Are you serious?

Like, if he just adds a button, or an emblem, or something, he's all good?
Correcto-Mundo! ;)
- First off, Hasbro doesn't have legal ownership of an image of a gun -- anyone can make a toy of a gun. The only legal basis they can stand on is if it's an "exact" copy of their sculpt. Add a groove, change the look of the handle, the noozle...then forget about it.
- The other thing they can go after him is that if he's referencing their name of "Hasbro" or "GIJoe".....but the way to get around that is a simple disclosure in the description voiding any relationship that the seller has w/ the company.
Ultimately, it doesn't pay for them to even bother....the only times most companies take action is if this seller is representing their product in a neg fashion or he starts getting major coin.

[mmevile]

Then again, Hasbro went after the Fensler Films, so I wouldn't put it past them to do something stupid like sue the guy.The reason why they were successful against Fensler Films is that they were using the footage of the cartoon. "Now how about a body massage?".....man, do I miss those films. ;) :D