According to an article over at
Daily Tech, George Lucas is once again sending out his army of lawyers to protect one of his copyrights in the world of Star Wars. This time he is going after a company named Jedi Mind Inc. who makes wireless, brain-controlled consumer electronics.
The company currently makes 3 different products, "Master Mind," "Jedi Mouse" and "Think Tac Toe." Lucas contends that he created and owns the term "Jedi Knight". In addition, the "Jedi mind trick" was a key plot item used throughout the Star Wars movies.
According to Lucas and his people, they sent a cease-and-desist letter out last May to Jedi Mind, at which point the companies chief executive officer Brent Fouch, promised Lucas that they would phase out the company's name and any Jedi references in its products. After several months and a second cease-and-desist letter which was sent out last September, still no action has been taken by Jedi Mind to appease Lucas.
This in-action by Jedi Mind might come from there being some confusion on exactly what Lucas' trademarks cover. Apparently Lucas Film only owns rights to the terms Jedi Knight, Jedi Power Battles, and Jedi Training Academy, and they do not explicitly own the word "Jedi" or the phrase "Jedi mind". Lucas however says they have legal documents that state they own
"all characteristics associated with the Jedi Knights not memorialized in a registered trademark ... (including) Jedi robes, the lightsaber weapon, the power to levitate objects, a telepathic oneness with other Jedi and the universe, and the ability to shoot energy beams called 'Force Lightning' from the fingertips."
It remains to be seen who will win this fight, but I for one don't blame Lucas for trying to protect his Copyrights. It seems pretty clear that the people who started this company and make these mind control type products, picked the names for the company and it's products to play off the things portrayed in the Star Wars movies and essentially use Star Wars to market and promote their stuff, and George Lucas has every right to try and protect what is clearly his.
I agree after seeing the pic of the Swap skier in relation to Zartan.I am not sure how this will work.
I don't know - looking at the two side-by-side, that swamp skier is waaaay smaller than the original. (in order to fit with the card, no doubt). I already have the 1st release, so think I'm going to pass on this one anyway. But still looks tiny.
nevermind, check the pics and looks like it is all new.. cool, wish they'd make more new stuff.
Given that the Chameleon is a new mold for this Zartan, I am pretty sure it was designed so as to fit him. The Chariot was simply a slight update of the 80s version when the figures were smaller, and was not re-sized for the new Serpy.
@can@
