You may have seen the recent news from Bleeding Cool that Hasbro has trademarked the term "Dire Wraiths" for comic books. That's certainly an interesting turn of events and I am indeed curious if and how Marvel will respond. But they missed a big related item. Hasbro also filed an application for use of "Dire Wraiths" with action figures!
Yes, after all these years, we might finally get Dire Wraith toys for our Rom action figures to fight. But until such a thing actually comes to be, we'll just have to keep pretending our sister's Ken and Barbie dolls are shape-shifting scum.
Showing posts with label toys. Show all posts
Showing posts with label toys. Show all posts
20 April 2016
Find: Star Bird
Looky what I found! It's a Star Bird! "What's a Star Bird?" Sigh. You young whippersnapper. You make me feel old.What's a Star Bird
The Star Bird was a cool electronic toy from the late 1970s. It was a contemporary of Big Trak and Rom the Space Knight. (Perhaps you've heard of Rom? If not, pick approximately every other entry in this blog since I started it in 2008.) In fact, Bing McCoy – the man that created the Rom concept – was also the mind behind this toy.Mounted on the front are twin "lasers" that one can fire by pressing a button. The true gimmick, however, is the engine sound. It responds to the angle you hold the ship. Point it down and you're coming in for a landing. Point it up and you're taking off. Hold it straight and, um, you maintain altitude.
The patent for the toy looks amazingly close to the final product, so perhaps McCoy and his partners also came up with the other cool feature. You can take pieces off and reconfigure it! Pop the front off and engine out, reconnect, and you've got a fighter. The two tail fins come off as drone fighters. Slide the outer hull off the front and you've got a sleeker cockpit underneath. Eject the laser turret and its an escape pod. Oh, just go look at the instructions.
The Find
Sadly, one of the local comic book stores – in fact, the newest – was closing. Of course, Hit Comics opening less than half a mile from the biggest comic store in town, The Deep, probably wasn't a great idea to begin with. The owner had actually been doing collectible shows for a while before opening the shop and will continue to do so now that it's closed. He specializes in comic books and Star Wars toys and memorbilia, but has other collectibles, too. So when I saw on Facebook that the store was having a going out of business sale, I went to check it out.
I found a few comics to buy, but nothing I'd really been looking for. I had to talk myself out of buying a complete set of 7 Guys of Justice because I'd have wound up with far more duplicates than I would have filled in missing issues. It wasn't until I was checking out I spotted the Star Bird box behind the counter. GASP!
Two things were at play in my mind. First, it was invented by the same team that invented Rom. Second, my best friend in elementary school had one and I never did. (You'll probably never read this, but hi, Cody!) So I ask if I can see it. I haven't held a Star Bird in decades.
As you can see, the box is not in great shape. It was once sealed in packing tape which has since been removed, leaving those lovely brown marks. And some of the corners have come apart.
Inside I'm surprised to find what looks like a complete Star Bird. It even has the little gun for the turret that everybody – including, if I recall correctly, my best friend – lost. Wow! No instructions, but that's no big deal. Okay, how much? Twenty bucks. Amazingly, I talk myself out of whipping out my debit card and buying it. It's just a hunk of plastic. It'll just sit on a shelf forever. That money is more wisely spent on necessities than this.
That was Wednesday. Thursday I can see in my bank account the bonus from work pending as a deposit for Friday. Holy cow! It's a lot, lot, lot more than I expected. Guess where I'm going back to on Friday?
I do zero research on prices ahead of time. After years of dealing in classic video games of that era, I know a good deal when I see it. What I want to know is whether it's really complete or not, so I check on what pieces it's supposed to come with. When I go back on Friday, it's still there! I determine it is truly complete, so now it's mine!
I considered it, but didn't check the battery compartment before buying. There I failed because it turns out the 9-volt battery connector is torn up. I'm pretty confident I can replace it, though, I just haven't had time yet. I'm hoping that once that's done, I'll have a fully functional toy.
Post-purchase research on ebay confirms I got a great deal. I also discover that all the stickers are present and placed in the right spots, according to the instructions. The "Dock" sticker on the back of the ship's head is mauled and one sticker on the front has shifted at some point, but overall it's good. And my younger kids were impressed just looking at it when I brought it home. Can't wait to fix it and show them the electronics in action. But I want to keep from losing that little gun for the turret, so I'm afraid they're not going to get unrestricted access to it.
04 February 2014
Rom the Space Knight Transformer
For more information on this, see the Transformers Wiki entry. And thanks to them for the photo.
03 February 2014
An overdue Rom trademark update
An e-mail prompted me to finally see what the latest is on Hasbro's attempts to once again trademark ROM. I won't summarize the history like I did in the last update, but you can go read it for yourself if you need a refresher. Or, if you want to read the whole saga, you can start at the beginning. (Really, I've been following this since November 2008?) Since it's officially (somewhat) new information since the last update, I will confirm that all eight of Hasbro's original trademark filings are dead because they were either denied or Hasbro used up all their extensions.
So, there are currently three trademarks Hasbro has applied for. The first is for comic books and was granted in April 2013. They've already used the first of their five possible extensions to use it in commerce (i.e. publish a ROM comic book). Extensions are required every six months if Hasbro doesn't have proof of use. Five extensions give them three years to do so.
The second trademark is for "toy action figures and toy robots convertible into other visual toy forms," which leads to the already existing rumor that Hasbro is going to make Rom part of the Transformers toy line. It, too, was granted in April 2013 and has had one extension filed against it.
The final trademark is for "entertainment services, namely an on-going animated television series for children." This one was only granted in June 2013 and, because I've gotten lazy, is new to me. It would seem to contradict Hasbro making Rom part of the Transformers, unless such a TV series would be a spin-off of Transformers: Prime or something. The first extension was just granted last month.
And finally, I remind you that although Hasbro owns Rom, his look, and his three accessories, Marvel owns the other Spaceknights, Dire Wraiths, and everything else. So whatever — if anything — Hasbro ends up doing with the character is going to have to be different from what we Rom fans are used to.
So, there are currently three trademarks Hasbro has applied for. The first is for comic books and was granted in April 2013. They've already used the first of their five possible extensions to use it in commerce (i.e. publish a ROM comic book). Extensions are required every six months if Hasbro doesn't have proof of use. Five extensions give them three years to do so.
The second trademark is for "toy action figures and toy robots convertible into other visual toy forms," which leads to the already existing rumor that Hasbro is going to make Rom part of the Transformers toy line. It, too, was granted in April 2013 and has had one extension filed against it.
The final trademark is for "entertainment services, namely an on-going animated television series for children." This one was only granted in June 2013 and, because I've gotten lazy, is new to me. It would seem to contradict Hasbro making Rom part of the Transformers, unless such a TV series would be a spin-off of Transformers: Prime or something. The first extension was just granted last month.
And finally, I remind you that although Hasbro owns Rom, his look, and his three accessories, Marvel owns the other Spaceknights, Dire Wraiths, and everything else. So whatever — if anything — Hasbro ends up doing with the character is going to have to be different from what we Rom fans are used to.
20 December 2012
What Child Is This (Playing with a Rom Action Figure)?
The article was published in several newspapers and has no byline, but in one newspaper is marked "NEA," meaning it was distributed by the Newspaper Enterprise Association, a newspaper syndicate of the day. I found five others in the Google News Archive, but only one of them also included this photo. That was the Merced (California) Sun-Star's November 22, 1979 edition, where it was published as "Children of today the same but toys are changing."
I'd love to know more about this photo and the girl featured in it. In particular because this is one of two photos featuring her and Rom! The other appeared in an article called "Choose Toys, Games that Outlast Holidays." In this photo, however, it's a blond boy who's holding Rom while he plays the Mad Magazine Game with the girl in the first photo. Unfortunately, this article not only lacks a byline, it also doesn't list a syndicate, so there's no indication at all of its origins.I've found copies of this story in seven papers in the Google News Archive. Again, not all include this photo with the article, but most do. The most interesting thing is the range of dates this article printed. Most were published between November 21 and December 24, 1979, however The Day of New London, Connecticut published it a year later, in November 1980. That was without the photo, but the article still has the part about Rom in it. (According to my somewhat anecdotal research, the Rom action figure was marked down to half-price in 1980 from his 1979 debut.) The prize, however, goes to The Rockmart (Georgia) Journal, which published the article in December 1983, complete with references to TV shows that were canceled by then. Unfortunately, they cut off the article before it got to talking about the Rom action figure.
So, back to the title question: who are these children and where did the photos comes from? Based on the fact that both articles appeared on November 21, 1979, I'm going to guess both were part of a package of articles from NEA. I asked my father, who used to be a newspaper journalist, about it. He told me that, in addition to the comics, editorial cartoons, and opinion columns they syndicated, NEA "also provided packages of feature stories, which may have contained photographs provided by companies whose products were discussed." He also added, "newspapers were not required to identify the material as coming from NEA."
Therefore, my theory is that in November 1979, NEA sent its subscribing newspapers a set of stories on toys for the upcoming Christmas shopping season. I'm betting one of the stories' "sponsors" was Parker Brothers, who also provided several photos of children playing with its products. Besides Rom and the Mad Magazine Game, other Parker Brothers products appearing in either of these stories or the photos included the All the King's Men board game, Merlin electronic game, Stop Thief electronic board game, and Wildfire pinball. (And I'm willing to bet that list of toys has evoked a nostalgic response from most of you guys over 40.)
So if you happen to have a 40-something-year-old friend who did a little modeling for Parker Brothers back in the early '80s, please have them drop me a line. Parker Brothers was headquartered in Salem, Mass., but that may or may not have been where the photos were taken. I'll take any clues I can get right now.
Thanks to my dad for the information he provided about NEA.
Thanks to my dad for the information he provided about NEA.
16 November 2012
Rom Trademark Update
It's late and I'm tired, so I'll make this quick. Hasbro's latest ROM trademark filings—yes, there are two—are nothing to get too excited about.
They started with eight: four each for ROM and ROM THE SPACEKNIGHT for four different categories of goods and services. They abandoned all the latter*, but the four for just ROM were approved . . . at different times. That gave Hasbro only six months to use each in commerce. That means they had to actually sell, or at least advertise, something called ROM. However, they're allowed five six-month extensions for a total of three years. Two of them, the ones for toys and paper goods, have reached their maximum extensions and completely expire in January 2013.
So do you want to guess what the two ROM trademarks Hasbro has re-filed for are? If you guessed toys and comic books, you nailed it. I could be wrong, but it appears to me that Hasbro is simply starting the process over for another three years.
One interesting note, however, is that the new trademark applications are much more specific about what they're being filed for. The first is for "comic books" (without all the other paper goods you could think of) and the second is for "toy action figures and toy robots convertible into other visual toy forms". So apparently Rom might be made into a Transformer. Ugh.
* The one for paper goods was abandoned because Marvel trademarked "Spaceknights" for comic books back when the 2000 limited series was published. If I told you registered trademarks had to be renewed every ten years, you might say, "but that means Marvel's reprinting of it this year is too late!" And you'd be right. But that's okay, Marvel's submitted a couple of "specimens" in the meantime to keep the trademark active. Would you care to guess what? Why, the OHOTMU entries. One's from the "All-New OHOTMU A-Z" in 2006. The other one is apparently from last year, but I'd have to dig to find the exact comic it came from.
[Next trademark update]
They started with eight: four each for ROM and ROM THE SPACEKNIGHT for four different categories of goods and services. They abandoned all the latter*, but the four for just ROM were approved . . . at different times. That gave Hasbro only six months to use each in commerce. That means they had to actually sell, or at least advertise, something called ROM. However, they're allowed five six-month extensions for a total of three years. Two of them, the ones for toys and paper goods, have reached their maximum extensions and completely expire in January 2013.
So do you want to guess what the two ROM trademarks Hasbro has re-filed for are? If you guessed toys and comic books, you nailed it. I could be wrong, but it appears to me that Hasbro is simply starting the process over for another three years.
One interesting note, however, is that the new trademark applications are much more specific about what they're being filed for. The first is for "comic books" (without all the other paper goods you could think of) and the second is for "toy action figures and toy robots convertible into other visual toy forms". So apparently Rom might be made into a Transformer. Ugh.
* The one for paper goods was abandoned because Marvel trademarked "Spaceknights" for comic books back when the 2000 limited series was published. If I told you registered trademarks had to be renewed every ten years, you might say, "but that means Marvel's reprinting of it this year is too late!" And you'd be right. But that's okay, Marvel's submitted a couple of "specimens" in the meantime to keep the trademark active. Would you care to guess what? Why, the OHOTMU entries. One's from the "All-New OHOTMU A-Z" in 2006. The other one is apparently from last year, but I'd have to dig to find the exact comic it came from.
[Next trademark update]
07 November 2012
The Rights to Rom: It's Not Just Parker Brothers
Did you hear the one about the guy who had a tantalizing bit of information in front of him, but he didn't recognize it? That was me up until last year. All Rom fans know the comic book hero was licensed from Parker Brothers. What most don't know — until now — is that the toy's creator, Bing McCoy, retained all the rights to secondary merchandise.
Think about that for a minute. That means it was Bing McCoy, not Parker Brothers, who was making money off Marvel's Rom comic book. That means Parker Brothers, now owned by Hasbro, doesn't have a whole lot of incentive to let Marvel use Rom any more, although it's unclear just how much say they have in the matter.
About six months after publishing my interview with McCoy, in early February 2006, I received another e-mail from him. It read in part:
Time went on. McCoy was busy with other projects, but every few months he'd either e-mail me an update or I'd ask him for one. McCoy was trying to buy back all the rights to Rom. In the end, McCoy said in September 2008 that Hasbro backed out at the last minute. This might have something to do with them no longer holding the trademark to Rom, but that's only conjecture on my part. When I told McCoy about that, he told me he intended to sue. That was in 2009. He reiterated it in 2011, but I'd received some sad news in the meantime.
In late 2010, I was contacted by McCoy's younger brother. He'd happened to Google McCoy's name and come across a post from way back when I was still trying to confirm McCoy's identity. We continued corresponding and in early 2011 McCoy's brother dropped two bombshells on me.
First, he told me about McCoy retaining the secondary merchandise rights. Suddenly, everything made much more sense. And it just happened to be confirmed later by former Marvel Editor-in-Chief Jim Shooter when he recounted Rom's comic book genesis. But no one seemed to notice!
Second, he revealed that McCoy "suffers from a rare degenerative disease that is destroying his brain and gradually robbing him of his ability to function on his own." McCoy is now living in a medical facility. His younger brother and his brother's wife are his legal guardians. McCoy still get out some, as I was told he enjoyed going to see Wreck-It Ralph recently.
I told McCoy's brother about the push to reprint the Rom series to benefit Bill Mantlo and explained Mantlo's condition. Although the causes are completely different, it's scary how much McCoy's and Mantlo's conditions now resemble each other. McCoy's brother was sympathetic and said, pending review by a lawyer as McCoy does have an adult son to consider, he was authorized to sign on McCoy's behalf and didn't believe McCoy would want to stand in the way of such an effort. Let's hope this is the breakthrough needed to get Rom reprinted. But let us not forget Bing McCoy.
Think about that for a minute. That means it was Bing McCoy, not Parker Brothers, who was making money off Marvel's Rom comic book. That means Parker Brothers, now owned by Hasbro, doesn't have a whole lot of incentive to let Marvel use Rom any more, although it's unclear just how much say they have in the matter.
About six months after publishing my interview with McCoy, in early February 2006, I received another e-mail from him. It read in part:
I am completing negotiations with Hasbro and Marvel over some minor details relating to the copyrights and then I will begin work on developing an animated series based on ROM.My thoughts at the time were along the lines of, "wow, it's kind of weird that he's so interested in reviving something he sold to Parker Brothers." McCoy didn't tell me he'd kept the rights and it didn't occur to me to ask him! As it turned out, the second bit about a "new anthology" was really just the reprintings of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe in the Essential format. If you ever wondered why Marvel included Rom in those, but didn't include Marvel Two-in-One #99 and Power Man and Iron Fist #73 — both featuring Rom — in the Essential collections, that's why. Apparently only OHOTMU was covered by whatever negotiations took place.
Marvel also planning to include ROM in a new anthology of Marvel superheros - just a couple of pages.
Time went on. McCoy was busy with other projects, but every few months he'd either e-mail me an update or I'd ask him for one. McCoy was trying to buy back all the rights to Rom. In the end, McCoy said in September 2008 that Hasbro backed out at the last minute. This might have something to do with them no longer holding the trademark to Rom, but that's only conjecture on my part. When I told McCoy about that, he told me he intended to sue. That was in 2009. He reiterated it in 2011, but I'd received some sad news in the meantime.
In late 2010, I was contacted by McCoy's younger brother. He'd happened to Google McCoy's name and come across a post from way back when I was still trying to confirm McCoy's identity. We continued corresponding and in early 2011 McCoy's brother dropped two bombshells on me.
First, he told me about McCoy retaining the secondary merchandise rights. Suddenly, everything made much more sense. And it just happened to be confirmed later by former Marvel Editor-in-Chief Jim Shooter when he recounted Rom's comic book genesis. But no one seemed to notice!
Second, he revealed that McCoy "suffers from a rare degenerative disease that is destroying his brain and gradually robbing him of his ability to function on his own." McCoy is now living in a medical facility. His younger brother and his brother's wife are his legal guardians. McCoy still get out some, as I was told he enjoyed going to see Wreck-It Ralph recently.
I told McCoy's brother about the push to reprint the Rom series to benefit Bill Mantlo and explained Mantlo's condition. Although the causes are completely different, it's scary how much McCoy's and Mantlo's conditions now resemble each other. McCoy's brother was sympathetic and said, pending review by a lawyer as McCoy does have an adult son to consider, he was authorized to sign on McCoy's behalf and didn't believe McCoy would want to stand in the way of such an effort. Let's hope this is the breakthrough needed to get Rom reprinted. But let us not forget Bing McCoy.
03 September 2012
Find: Electronic Milton
One of the local thrift stores (Thrift Mart on University Dr.) had a 50% off of sale today. I happened to drop by earlier and found out about it. I thought it might be a good chance to pick up some needed clothes for our children cheaply. Well, that and I spotted a copy of Essential Super-Villain Team-Up in one of their display cases. I couldn't see the price, but figured anything cheaper than cover price would be a good deal.
Then, over the weekend, I saw a commercial for the sale on TV. But surely, that won't really affect how many people show up that much, will it? Well, I can't say for sure what it was, but there were tons of people there. We arrived around lunch time and decided to go eat before coming back.
Upon our return, it wasn't any better. After we'd been inside a while, my oldest son pointed out that the checkout line stretched all the way to the back of the store! But at least the book was still there. And just $9.98, meaning today it would be $5! I'd searched the Web and discovered that the book, now out of print, can't be had for less than $20 online, so it was a steal.
However, this entry is about the electronic game I found called Milton. As you might have guessed, it's from Milton Bradley and features the short-lived MB Electronics logo on the box. I'm by no means an expert on such games and this one was unfamiliar to me. The box was taped shut, but I decided it was easily worth the $1 (originally priced $1.98) gamble to buy it.
As you can see on Wikipedia, this game came out in 1980, a couple years after Simon. I suspect from the round design and one-word name, they were hoping to capitalize on the huge success Simon was turning out to be. Apparently they were so confident it would be a hit, they were willing to name it after the company! Unfortunately for Milton Bradley, the game was not a hit and quickly became an obscurity.
One thing I found interesting is the inclusion of a power adapter. Again, I'm no expert, but I can't think of any similar electronic games of the time that weren't battery powered. I know adapters were offered for some electronic games of the age, but they were alternatives to batteries and usually had to be purchased separately. I love the big warning on the front of the box: "CAUTION: ELECTRICALLY OPERATED PRODUCT / Not recommended for children under 7 years of age. As with all electric products, precautions should be observed during handling and use to prevent electric shock." And you thought today's product warning labels were excessive!
So when I got home, I found inside the box the game, the adapter, one piece of Styrofoam for the adapter, and a feedback/registration card. No instructions, but the back of the box summarizes the three games well enough. Essentially, you've got to match the first (the red circles) and last words (the yellow circles) of various phrases (e.g. "kiss my lips", "flush your toilet"). It's like the card game Memory, but with spoken words instead of cards. So during play, you get phrases like "kiss my . . . toilet". Hilarity ensues.
Oh yes, just as the box says, it talks! And fairly well, too. From my experience with talking electronics, I'd guess they used recorded speech rather than completely electronically-generated speech. The interesting thing is that Milton has an accent I can't quite put my finger on. I initially was thinking Southern, but my wife said Cajun and she may be right. Judge for yourself by watching this YouTube video. (Not mine.) It also gives some basic instructions as you go, which is much more user-friendly than some other electronic games of the day I've tried to play without instructions. (I'm looking at you, Comp IV!)
Unfortunately, while this one is in working condition, the power cord is touchy. It fits into the game loosely and if bumped, will cause the game to reset. I'm not sure that anything can be done about that. The contacts also look like they need some cleaning. The adapter has a three-prong arrangement I've not seen on any other electronics.
This makes an interesting addition to my vintage electronic (non-video) game collection. I have yet to try it with my kids beyond a brief game with my 3-year-old daughter, but I suspect it won't hold any long-term interest with them. I can see why it wasn't a big hit.
Then, over the weekend, I saw a commercial for the sale on TV. But surely, that won't really affect how many people show up that much, will it? Well, I can't say for sure what it was, but there were tons of people there. We arrived around lunch time and decided to go eat before coming back.
Upon our return, it wasn't any better. After we'd been inside a while, my oldest son pointed out that the checkout line stretched all the way to the back of the store! But at least the book was still there. And just $9.98, meaning today it would be $5! I'd searched the Web and discovered that the book, now out of print, can't be had for less than $20 online, so it was a steal.
As you can see on Wikipedia, this game came out in 1980, a couple years after Simon. I suspect from the round design and one-word name, they were hoping to capitalize on the huge success Simon was turning out to be. Apparently they were so confident it would be a hit, they were willing to name it after the company! Unfortunately for Milton Bradley, the game was not a hit and quickly became an obscurity.
One thing I found interesting is the inclusion of a power adapter. Again, I'm no expert, but I can't think of any similar electronic games of the time that weren't battery powered. I know adapters were offered for some electronic games of the age, but they were alternatives to batteries and usually had to be purchased separately. I love the big warning on the front of the box: "CAUTION: ELECTRICALLY OPERATED PRODUCT / Not recommended for children under 7 years of age. As with all electric products, precautions should be observed during handling and use to prevent electric shock." And you thought today's product warning labels were excessive!
Oh yes, just as the box says, it talks! And fairly well, too. From my experience with talking electronics, I'd guess they used recorded speech rather than completely electronically-generated speech. The interesting thing is that Milton has an accent I can't quite put my finger on. I initially was thinking Southern, but my wife said Cajun and she may be right. Judge for yourself by watching this YouTube video. (Not mine.) It also gives some basic instructions as you go, which is much more user-friendly than some other electronic games of the day I've tried to play without instructions. (I'm looking at you, Comp IV!)
Unfortunately, while this one is in working condition, the power cord is touchy. It fits into the game loosely and if bumped, will cause the game to reset. I'm not sure that anything can be done about that. The contacts also look like they need some cleaning. The adapter has a three-prong arrangement I've not seen on any other electronics.
This makes an interesting addition to my vintage electronic (non-video) game collection. I have yet to try it with my kids beyond a brief game with my 3-year-old daughter, but I suspect it won't hold any long-term interest with them. I can see why it wasn't a big hit.
14 May 2012
Parker Brothers' Rom Paperwork
If you're a Rom, Spaceknight fan, you've no doubt seen this piece of art before, but probably not in its complete, original form. For example, a cropped version currently Rom's avatar over on Twitter. So what is it, you ask? It's shelf art! Parker Brothers sent them stores for their Rom displays. As it says, the yellow "T" was T-tacked, taped, or otherwise attached to the shelf and perhaps folded so that the "ROM is here!" sign was prominently displayed below and/or above the boxed action figures.
I have no idea who the artist for the shelf art is; likely a staff artist at Parker Brothers. However, it was obviously redrawn for the small house ads that Marvel ran as they were launching the Rom comic book. Honestly, I don't know who is behind the house ad art, either, but likely suspects are John Romita, Jr. (who drew the presentation page for Marvel's proposal to Parker Brothers) and Sal Buscema (I don't have to tell you who he is, do I?). Or possibly it's the other way around, as Rom's head in both is how he appeared in the comics, which is slightly different from the action figure's.
The shelf display above and 180-day limited warranty below were sent to me by Max Thorne. Both pieces of paperwork came from unopened boxes of action figures. The wording of the warranty is identical to what appears on the last page of the action figure's instructions, just formatted to a wider width.
And for reference, here's how Rom was shipped to toy stores back in the day when it was new: six action figures to a shipping box. Sadly, I've lost the information on where I obtained this photo. Possibly it came from eBay.
10 May 2012
Action Man Stickers, Part II
This is an update to the previous blog post on the Action Man stickers featuring Rom. The day that post went live, I got a hit on my new ebay search for the stickers, but I was too busy to check my e-mail until the next day. The photos the seller had provided much of info I was looking for. Figures, doesn't it?
Thanks to UK ebay seller bowleycat for granting me permission to use his photos! You can find his auction for the very Action Man sticker album seen below on ebay UK.
The Action Man Sticker Collection was published in 1983 by Figurine Panini under license from CPG Product Corp. (essentially Palitoy). They were distributed by Minicards Ltd. The album weighs in at 32 pages and contains six different stories of 5-6 pages each and each with spaces for 40 stickers. (That's 240 stickers total, for the math challenged.) The story featuring from is titled "Threat From Space" and runs six pages (pp. 6-11). The stickers for the story are #41–80, but Rom appears no earlier than #50.
I'm not certain, but it appears the stickers were sold in packs much like collectible cards in the U.S. (e.g. baseball cards). I do not yet know how many stickers came in a pack. The backs of the stickers all have the same text, except for the number in the top right corner to let collectors know where to put it in their albums, although some are oriented horizontally and some vertically. I believe the album came with one pack of stickers.
Inside the back cover is a cool offer from Minicards Ltd. Once collectors were down to only needing a few stickers to complete their collection (up to 25), they could order the individual stickers they needed. There were ordering instructions for the U.K., Ireland, Canada, Australia, and South Africa. Yes, Canada! That means there might be stashes of these stickers already in North America (for us Rom aficionados in the U.S.A.), but I don't guarantee it. I'd appreciate any information from Canadians on that.
I suppose I should summarize the story, as the photos aren't high enough resolution to always be easily read. An alien ship approaches Earth, not responding to hails. Space Ranger Captain Jack Hardy leads a team of pilots in their solar hurricane interceptors to check it out. The strange ship suddenly fires on them, destroying two interceptors. Suddenly, Rom appears in a saucer ship and destroys the enemy. He then takes the surviving Space Rangers back to their base orbiting the moon and introduces himself as Rom, an android from the planet Zar. The enemy ship was from the planet Margax. To help save Earth from the coming invasion, Rom, Hardy, and two more Space Rangers attack Margax.
Their surprise assault is not successful and Hardy's ship is destroyed, although he ejects and joins Rom in his saucer. Ultimately, they use the saucer to crash into Margax Central Control, ejecting shortly before impact. Rom and Hardy then steal a ship, bombing the city for good measure, and return to Earth. They shake hands and "from that moment, Space-Knight and Captain are inseparable."
As you can see, bowleycat also does not have a complete collection of stickers, so I can't yet tell you exactly which ones feature Rom. I'm surprised that, with all the apparent Action Man fans on the Internet, no one has completed an album and posted photos online. Perhaps I've not been searching the right Action Man or photo sites. If anyone finds them, please let me know and I'll feature them here.
While you're checking out the stickers that are there, make sure you get a good look at #74 (the first one on the last page). Note Rom is firing a weapon, but it's not his Neutralizer. In fact, it's not any of the accessories the figures shipped with. I wonder if it's one of Action Man's guns? And I wonder if the Rom action figure could even hold any of the Action Man weapons since he wasn't designed with that in mind? I tend to doubt it.
As a final note, do not confuse these stickers with the Action Man stickers Panini printed in 1996. Those feature a bright orange Action Man logo. And again, if you read this before May 14, 2012, you might still be able to bid on the album shown above.
Thanks to UK ebay seller bowleycat for granting me permission to use his photos! You can find his auction for the very Action Man sticker album seen below on ebay UK.
The Action Man Sticker Collection was published in 1983 by Figurine Panini under license from CPG Product Corp. (essentially Palitoy). They were distributed by Minicards Ltd. The album weighs in at 32 pages and contains six different stories of 5-6 pages each and each with spaces for 40 stickers. (That's 240 stickers total, for the math challenged.) The story featuring from is titled "Threat From Space" and runs six pages (pp. 6-11). The stickers for the story are #41–80, but Rom appears no earlier than #50.
I'm not certain, but it appears the stickers were sold in packs much like collectible cards in the U.S. (e.g. baseball cards). I do not yet know how many stickers came in a pack. The backs of the stickers all have the same text, except for the number in the top right corner to let collectors know where to put it in their albums, although some are oriented horizontally and some vertically. I believe the album came with one pack of stickers.
Inside the back cover is a cool offer from Minicards Ltd. Once collectors were down to only needing a few stickers to complete their collection (up to 25), they could order the individual stickers they needed. There were ordering instructions for the U.K., Ireland, Canada, Australia, and South Africa. Yes, Canada! That means there might be stashes of these stickers already in North America (for us Rom aficionados in the U.S.A.), but I don't guarantee it. I'd appreciate any information from Canadians on that.
I suppose I should summarize the story, as the photos aren't high enough resolution to always be easily read. An alien ship approaches Earth, not responding to hails. Space Ranger Captain Jack Hardy leads a team of pilots in their solar hurricane interceptors to check it out. The strange ship suddenly fires on them, destroying two interceptors. Suddenly, Rom appears in a saucer ship and destroys the enemy. He then takes the surviving Space Rangers back to their base orbiting the moon and introduces himself as Rom, an android from the planet Zar. The enemy ship was from the planet Margax. To help save Earth from the coming invasion, Rom, Hardy, and two more Space Rangers attack Margax.
Their surprise assault is not successful and Hardy's ship is destroyed, although he ejects and joins Rom in his saucer. Ultimately, they use the saucer to crash into Margax Central Control, ejecting shortly before impact. Rom and Hardy then steal a ship, bombing the city for good measure, and return to Earth. They shake hands and "from that moment, Space-Knight and Captain are inseparable."
As you can see, bowleycat also does not have a complete collection of stickers, so I can't yet tell you exactly which ones feature Rom. I'm surprised that, with all the apparent Action Man fans on the Internet, no one has completed an album and posted photos online. Perhaps I've not been searching the right Action Man or photo sites. If anyone finds them, please let me know and I'll feature them here.
While you're checking out the stickers that are there, make sure you get a good look at #74 (the first one on the last page). Note Rom is firing a weapon, but it's not his Neutralizer. In fact, it's not any of the accessories the figures shipped with. I wonder if it's one of Action Man's guns? And I wonder if the Rom action figure could even hold any of the Action Man weapons since he wasn't designed with that in mind? I tend to doubt it.
As a final note, do not confuse these stickers with the Action Man stickers Panini printed in 1996. Those feature a bright orange Action Man logo. And again, if you read this before May 14, 2012, you might still be able to bid on the album shown above.
07 May 2012
Action Man Stickers Featuring Rom
Thanks to Marvel's many international publishing contracts, Rom's comic adventures appeared in numerous countries. However, I'm only aware of one country where Parker Brothers let another company sell the Rom action figure: the United Kingdom. In the U.K, Palitoy licensed Rom as part of their Action Man line. Specifically as part of the new Space Ranger subset of toys c. 1980.
Interestingly, Action Man was actually a G. I. Joe license from Hasbro. (This was well before Hasbro bought Parker Brothers.) Frankly, the history of Action Man beyond that is outside the scope of this post, so if you want to know more, consult Wikipedia or Action Man HQ.
Most of the above I'd known for a while when I received an e-mail from a guy known as the Gonz over in England. He revealed to me that there was an Action Man sticker album released in the 1980s. And who should make an appearance in it but Rom! In the six-page Space Ranger adventure contained in the album, Rom is an android from the planet Zar, which has been conquered by another planet called Margax. Rom, still called a Space Knight, seeks to avenge his people and teams up with the Space Rangers to fight the aliens from Margax.
Unfortunately, as you can see, Gonz was missing most of the stickers that went with this adventure. Below is a closeup of the only one he had featuring Rom. Note Rom arrived in a spaceship and his rocket pack is missing, at least on this sticker.
The last I heard from Gonz, he had found a seller on eBay that was selling packs of the stickers. He was going to attempt to complete his set and send me scans. Unfortunately, that was the last I ever heard from him. But that's somewhat my fault for not following up with him over the years. I did attempt to contact him before making this post, but received no reply.
This, honestly, is the big thing that I've been meaning to share with my fellow Rom fans for years. The one that's prompted me to finally clean out my queue of Rom items. At first, I sat on it just because I was hoping I'd hear from him soon with more scans of his newly purchased stickers. But days turned into weeks turned into months and I let it go. (Have I mentioned I'm a master procrastinator?) So my apologies to the Rom community for not sharing this a long time ago.
In all the time Rom, Spaceknight Revisited has existed, Gonz's two e-mails are the only time I've heard of these. And I don't even know what the cover looks like, how long the book is (only that this adventure is six pages), or what sort of packs the stickers came in. My attempts to Google it have found a couple possibilities, but nothing definitive. If anyone out there has more information, please let me know!
UPDATE: I found an ebay auction that provided much of the information I wanted. That's the next blog entry.
27 April 2012
Evolution of an Action Figure
Just a little something I whipped up after inspiration struck yesterday. It's the evolution of Rom the Space Knight, action figure. (Click to enlarge.)
We start with the drawing from Bing McCoy et al.'s patent application for a "multi-mode doll". Then the Egyptian mystic toy that no toy company would touch. Then Cobol, the cyborg toy that Parker Brothers finally bought.* Then the original, green-eyed Rom from a sell sheet. And finally, the well-known red-eyed Rom from his box front.
It hadn't really occurred to me before I did this that Rom had another logo before the one that appeared on the box. (Which was later modified for the comic book logo.) True, that first logo only appeared on the sell sheet, which was only aimed at those in the toy industry, but still. Kind of cool.
If you want to know more about the evolution of Rom, read my interview with Bing McCoy on Rom, Spaceknight Revisited. Prototype photos and sell sheet scan courtesy Bing McCoy.
* In the case of the Egyptian mystic and Cobol, because they were prototypes, the actual electronics are contained in the cabinet attached to the figure. Once actual production began, Parker Brothers was able to reduce the circuitry down to something that would fit inside an action figure.
We start with the drawing from Bing McCoy et al.'s patent application for a "multi-mode doll". Then the Egyptian mystic toy that no toy company would touch. Then Cobol, the cyborg toy that Parker Brothers finally bought.* Then the original, green-eyed Rom from a sell sheet. And finally, the well-known red-eyed Rom from his box front.
It hadn't really occurred to me before I did this that Rom had another logo before the one that appeared on the box. (Which was later modified for the comic book logo.) True, that first logo only appeared on the sell sheet, which was only aimed at those in the toy industry, but still. Kind of cool.
If you want to know more about the evolution of Rom, read my interview with Bing McCoy on Rom, Spaceknight Revisited. Prototype photos and sell sheet scan courtesy Bing McCoy.
* In the case of the Egyptian mystic and Cobol, because they were prototypes, the actual electronics are contained in the cabinet attached to the figure. Once actual production began, Parker Brothers was able to reduce the circuitry down to something that would fit inside an action figure.
15 February 2010
1-1/4 years down, 3 years to go on Rom trademark
Despite Hasbro's Rom trademark applications having seemingly been banished to bureaucratic limbo, there has actually been a small bit of news to report since the last update.
First, Hasbo did not respond within their deadline regarding their four "Rom the Spaceknight" filings, so the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has officially marked them as dead. Second, two of the "Rom" applications are still on hold, as reported last time.
Finally, the "Rom" applications, one for paper and office goods and the other for just about every game and toy you can think of, were published in the USPTO's Official Gazette on October 20, 2009 and no parties responded within the five-week deadline to object. If you'd like a personal copy of this four-pound, seven-ounce tome, the U.S. Government Printing Office will be happy to sell you one . . . for just $81! So Hasbro now has six months to submit proof of using the mark in commerce in order to secure it. Sounds good, right? We'll see ads for new Rom toys within six months, right? Well, no.
If Hasbro doesn't submit proof of use within six months, they can instead file for a six-month extension. So we'll know something in a year, right? Uh, no. They can file five of these extensions, meaning it could be three years before the Hasbro trademark saga finally comes to an end.
At this point, I hesitate to speculate any more on Hasbro's motives. In the blog comments, I'd previously argued that Hasbro's spending thousands of dollars on this surely meant they actually had some sort of plan. I'm no longer so optimistic. Perhaps this is simply a negotiating tool because Marvel or some other party (or even multiple parties) have approached them asking to license Rom. And they realized that to do so, they might need some better legal standing than, "we created this character in 1979 and the copyright is still ours." In any case, check back in six months or so for an update and prepare for a long wait for any resolution.
[Next trademark update]
First, Hasbo did not respond within their deadline regarding their four "Rom the Spaceknight" filings, so the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has officially marked them as dead. Second, two of the "Rom" applications are still on hold, as reported last time.
Finally, the "Rom" applications, one for paper and office goods and the other for just about every game and toy you can think of, were published in the USPTO's Official Gazette on October 20, 2009 and no parties responded within the five-week deadline to object. If you'd like a personal copy of this four-pound, seven-ounce tome, the U.S. Government Printing Office will be happy to sell you one . . . for just $81! So Hasbro now has six months to submit proof of using the mark in commerce in order to secure it. Sounds good, right? We'll see ads for new Rom toys within six months, right? Well, no.
If Hasbro doesn't submit proof of use within six months, they can instead file for a six-month extension. So we'll know something in a year, right? Uh, no. They can file five of these extensions, meaning it could be three years before the Hasbro trademark saga finally comes to an end.
At this point, I hesitate to speculate any more on Hasbro's motives. In the blog comments, I'd previously argued that Hasbro's spending thousands of dollars on this surely meant they actually had some sort of plan. I'm no longer so optimistic. Perhaps this is simply a negotiating tool because Marvel or some other party (or even multiple parties) have approached them asking to license Rom. And they realized that to do so, they might need some better legal standing than, "we created this character in 1979 and the copyright is still ours." In any case, check back in six months or so for an update and prepare for a long wait for any resolution.
14 October 2009
Is this the end of the Rom trademark saga?
If you've been wondering what's the latest in Parker Brothers' attempt to renew their trademarks on Rom, you're not alone. So have I! Unfortunately, there had been nothing to report until now. (Well, actually a few weeks ago when I started this entry, but life interfered with finishing it until now.)
First off, let's tackle the four "Rom the Spaceknight" trademarks. I said previously that I was most looking forward to see Hasbro's response on those, particularly the one that would include comic books. Sadly, I've been denied. Hasbro failed to respond in the six month response period about these four applications, therefore the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) has mailed an abandonment notice to them. This notice informs them that if they don't respond in an additional two months, the applications will be considered abandoned. I guess it's their "final final notice."
So, that leaves the four "Rom" trademark applications. The first, for software and video games, has hit a snag. When it was filed, it included various types of equipment. Hasbro's response to the USPTO's earlier claim that the category specified was too broad had them change it to include "downloadable software" for video game consoles and cell phones. The USPTO now says downloadable software does not logically follow from all the equipment (hardware) they specified in the original application. Frankly, I wonder if the original attorney really knew what he was doing in regards to the categories on the original applications. Anyway, Hasbro now has another six months to reply. At the moment, this is the final issue for this application.
The second application, for entertainment like movies, has been suspended pending the approval of an earlier application for "The Rom" by a company called Curious Sense, Inc. That application is for an "online community website featuring educational and entertainment related digital music content, video gaming, online shopping and social networking features". Curious Sense has less than a month remaining to either show they're using the mark in commerce or ask for an extension. We'll have to stay tuned for that one.
The third application, for paper and office goods, and fourth, for just about every game and toy you can think of, have both been accepted and will be published in the USPTO's Official Gazette on October 20, 2009. Barring, of course, objections by any other parties. The last one, of course, is the most important if Hasbro wants to actually bring the toy back.
So that's where everything stand now. Out of eight applications, four appear to have been abandoned, two are approved, one is awaiting clarification, and another is held up pending the approval of a similar but earlier application. But even those two approvals aren't the end for those applications. Hasbro will have to actually start selling something related to Rom to secure them! So, consider this just another step in what's becoming an unending saga.
[Next trademark update]
First off, let's tackle the four "Rom the Spaceknight" trademarks. I said previously that I was most looking forward to see Hasbro's response on those, particularly the one that would include comic books. Sadly, I've been denied. Hasbro failed to respond in the six month response period about these four applications, therefore the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) has mailed an abandonment notice to them. This notice informs them that if they don't respond in an additional two months, the applications will be considered abandoned. I guess it's their "final final notice."
So, that leaves the four "Rom" trademark applications. The first, for software and video games, has hit a snag. When it was filed, it included various types of equipment. Hasbro's response to the USPTO's earlier claim that the category specified was too broad had them change it to include "downloadable software" for video game consoles and cell phones. The USPTO now says downloadable software does not logically follow from all the equipment (hardware) they specified in the original application. Frankly, I wonder if the original attorney really knew what he was doing in regards to the categories on the original applications. Anyway, Hasbro now has another six months to reply. At the moment, this is the final issue for this application.
The second application, for entertainment like movies, has been suspended pending the approval of an earlier application for "The Rom" by a company called Curious Sense, Inc. That application is for an "online community website featuring educational and entertainment related digital music content, video gaming, online shopping and social networking features". Curious Sense has less than a month remaining to either show they're using the mark in commerce or ask for an extension. We'll have to stay tuned for that one.
The third application, for paper and office goods, and fourth, for just about every game and toy you can think of, have both been accepted and will be published in the USPTO's Official Gazette on October 20, 2009. Barring, of course, objections by any other parties. The last one, of course, is the most important if Hasbro wants to actually bring the toy back.
So that's where everything stand now. Out of eight applications, four appear to have been abandoned, two are approved, one is awaiting clarification, and another is held up pending the approval of a similar but earlier application. But even those two approvals aren't the end for those applications. Hasbro will have to actually start selling something related to Rom to secure them! So, consider this just another step in what's becoming an unending saga.
[Next trademark update]
30 July 2009
Rom tidbit of the day
In searching the Web, I came across the following tidbit from The General Mills/Parker Brothers Merger by Ellen Wojahn (2003).
Most interesting for the designers and marketers in-house, ROM made breathing sounds that made for great intra-office obscene phone calls.No doubt this occurred to many people who had a Rom action figure back in the day, but I must sadly confess that I'd never thought of it.
27 July 2009
The Rom trademark saga continues
The U.S. Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) has updated half of Hasbro's trademark claims, namely those for just the "Rom" mark, with Hasbro's response. Sadly, the ones for "Rom the Spaceknight," which were the ones initially refused in part because of Marvel's "Spaceknights" trademark, have not been updated at this time. I would ascribe this to delays on the USPTO's part in updating their databases, not Hasbro's in responding, but that's only a guess.
In essence, Hasbro's lawyers did three things for each application. First, they disclaimed any relation to Rom and computer memory, essentially saying that their product is not called Rom because it contains Read Only Memory computer chips. Second, they narrowed the classifications on each one to show that their products would not conflict with those of other companies that already have related trademarks. And third, they reiterated that the applications were for "intent to use" and that "at this time [Hasbro] has not yet developed specific, detailed factual plans for the goods/services" (where it's "goods" or "services" depending on the application in question).
Despite their supposed lack of detailed plans, the new classifications give us a much better idea of Hasbro's potential plans for Rom: market the stew out of him. The new classifications include action figures and vehicles(!), playsets, plush toys, stuffed toys, ride-on toys, building toys, inflatable toys, water squirting toys, board games, card games, electronic hand-held games, and jigsaw puzzles. And that's just the toys and games application. Then we have computer games, video games, gambling machines(!), movies, television shows, DVDs, and soundtrack albums spread across two more applications. And finally, we have just about every paper good and office supply imaginable: coloring books, story books, fiction books, party supplies, wrapping paper, trading cards, lunch bags, book covers, posters, pens, pencils, stationery, rulers, and temporary tattoos. In essence, think of all the common Star Wars products created in 30+ years. Hasbro wants to leave the door open to make those for Rom.
There's one, however that may bite them in the butt: comic books. Fine for the plain "Rom" applications, but if they include that in the "Rom the Spaceknight" ones, they'll run smack into Marvel's "Spaceknights" trademark. This is the response I anxiously await to read. And after I do, I'll let you know about it here.
[Next trademark update]
In essence, Hasbro's lawyers did three things for each application. First, they disclaimed any relation to Rom and computer memory, essentially saying that their product is not called Rom because it contains Read Only Memory computer chips. Second, they narrowed the classifications on each one to show that their products would not conflict with those of other companies that already have related trademarks. And third, they reiterated that the applications were for "intent to use" and that "at this time [Hasbro] has not yet developed specific, detailed factual plans for the goods/services" (where it's "goods" or "services" depending on the application in question).
Despite their supposed lack of detailed plans, the new classifications give us a much better idea of Hasbro's potential plans for Rom: market the stew out of him. The new classifications include action figures and vehicles(!), playsets, plush toys, stuffed toys, ride-on toys, building toys, inflatable toys, water squirting toys, board games, card games, electronic hand-held games, and jigsaw puzzles. And that's just the toys and games application. Then we have computer games, video games, gambling machines(!), movies, television shows, DVDs, and soundtrack albums spread across two more applications. And finally, we have just about every paper good and office supply imaginable: coloring books, story books, fiction books, party supplies, wrapping paper, trading cards, lunch bags, book covers, posters, pens, pencils, stationery, rulers, and temporary tattoos. In essence, think of all the common Star Wars products created in 30+ years. Hasbro wants to leave the door open to make those for Rom.
There's one, however that may bite them in the butt: comic books. Fine for the plain "Rom" applications, but if they include that in the "Rom the Spaceknight" ones, they'll run smack into Marvel's "Spaceknights" trademark. This is the response I anxiously await to read. And after I do, I'll let you know about it here.
[Next trademark update]
04 June 2009
Hasbro's Rom trademarks refused, but it's not over
Obligatory disclaimer: I am not a lawyer! So take anything I say about trademarks with the grain of salt.In checking on the status of Hasbro's trademark applications for "Rom" and "Rom the Spaceknight," I learned a little bit more about just what information the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has available throughout the registration process. It turns out that the USPTO had issues with every single one of Hasbro's applications. Letters were sent in January and Hasbro was given six months to respond. So we might know something by July 21!
While we're waiting, I thought I'd explain briefly the problems with the filings. First, in every single case Hasbro was told the classification they requested was too broad. Hasbro's lawyer(s) simply copied the description of the entire classes of goods they were applying for. The USPTO wants something more specific in each case. For example, rather than "games," they want something like "computer game consoles for use with an external display screen or monitor."
Second, all the trademarks for "Rom" were initially refused for being "merely descriptive." In other words, Hasbro can't trademark "Rom" for something involving "Read Only Memory" because it's a common descriptive term. Similarly, in all the "Rom the Spaceknight" applications, Hasbro was told they must disclaim the word "Rom" as part of the trademark. In other words, they can claim a specific, stylized logo including the word "Rom," but they can make no claim to the word itself. (I should point out that Hasbro did not submit any specific logos with their applications.) It turns out Casio already has a trademark on a "ROM" logo they use on memory cards for some electronic musical instruments, as seen below.
But the best refusal I've saved for last. Three of the four applications for "Rom the Spaceknight" were refused because of the registered trademark Marvel got for "Spaceknights" back in 2001! Yes, you read that right; Hasbro was refused because of Marvel's limited series featuring Rom's children. Oh, the irony! And unlike Parker Brothers/Hasbro, who let the original Rom trademark expire, Marvel applied for an extension in 2007, meaning Spaceknights should remain a registered trademark of Marvel until 2017, at which time they can apply for another ten-year extension.
Now as I said, Hasbro can refute the USPTO's refusals and answer their calls for clarification, but they're quickly running out of time. I don't know how much lag there is between the USPTO receiving materials and updating their database, but hopefully we'll see something by the end of next month. I promise you that once I know something, I'll share it.
[Next trademark update]
21 April 2009
Impressive custom Rom figure
I've seen several custom-made Rom action figures on eBay over the years. They have all obviously been labors of love, but of varied skill levels. Today I've come across what I feel is the best effort I've seen to date.Is it perfect? No, there's several details that are a bit off. The back of the head is probably the most noticeable. But if I wanted a Rom action figure on my shelf – and I do – this would be the the one.
Unfortunately for me, bidding has already proceeded directly from $0.99 to $66.00, which is out of my price range at this time. So if you'd like to bid on it, be my guest.
19 November 2008
Hasbro re-registering trademark on Rom
On November 6, 2008, Hasbro began the process of re-registering trademarks on "Rom" and "Rom the Spaceknight." What exactly they have in mind, I can only speculate on. But first, let's review a little terminology and history. In the interest of keeping this (relatively) short, I'm going to gloss over some details where possible. And naturally, I must disclaim the following as legal advice, as I am not a lawyer and don't even play one on TV.
First, if you don't know, a trademark is merely a word or logo used to distinguish the goods of a company from all other companies similar goods. The words "Coke," "Pentium," and "Spider-Man" are all examples of trademarks. Any company can declare something a trademark by adding that little TM symbol (™) after the word or logo wherever it appears on the company's packaging.
However, to assure full legal protection, it is best to register the trademark with the federal government. The agency that handles this is the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Once a trademark's registration is approved, it becomes a registered trademark. At this point, and only at this point, the company can use the little R in a circle (®) on its logos instead of the TM.
Another aspect of registered trademarks is that they only apply to the category of items for which they are registered. For example, while no one else can call a drink "Pepsi," one might be able to use it for a hammer. (I by no means advise trying this, as the litigation would probably kill your company even if you ultimately manage to win the lawsuit.) This is also why Apple Computers has had a history of trouble with Apple Records since going into the music market with iTunes.
That's trademarks in a very small nutshell. For further reading, I suggest reading the USPTO's Trademark FAQ and/or visiting their trademark page.
Moving on to the history, back in 1979 when Parker Brothers released the Rom action figure, they filed with the USPTO for a trademark on the word/logo ROM. This was actually done through their parent company at the time, CPG Product Corp. Although the toy was only sold for a couple years (at best), they maintained the rights to the trademark until 1987, about a year after the character's Marvel comic book series had been canceled. Parker Brothers assets were later acquired by Hasbro, who is still Parker Brothers' parent company today.
Trademark law is a tricky thing. Because Marvel had licensed the Rom character from Parker Brothers, they could no longer use him upon expiration of the agreement. Or, at least, not blatantly. He managed to make a few cameos in the years after his series, but by and large it is most likely Marvel has seen no potential profit in reviving a B-list character they'd have to pay for the rights to use again.
It is important to note that Parker Brothers only registered a trademark on the mark "Rom." Not "Rom the Spaceknight" or anything similar. The title of the comic book series, according to the indica, was similarly just "Rom," not "Rom: Spaceknight" or any other variation on that theme. Although generally included on the cover, the word "Spaceknight" was sometimes omitted there as well. Furthermore, the registration only covered it's use for "toy figures and related accessories sold as a unit." If you look at your Rom comic book collection, you will not find a single instance of "Rom" as a registered trademark because comic books weren't the category the trademark was registered for.
This became important in 2000 after Chris Batista got the green light for his Spaceknights limited series. He was kind enough to contact me during this period and one of the things he told me was that Marvel's legal department was concerned that they couldn't use the name "Spaceknights" because it might be co-owned with Parker Brothers as well. Ultimately they not only decided they could use the name – most likely for the reason just noted above – Marvel even applied for registration of the "Spaceknights" trademark themselves. (Only as a comic book title, mind you.)
Now we're back where we started: Hasbro has re-registered for a trademark on Rom. This time they've gone much further than they did back in 1979. They applied for eight trademarks, four on "Rom" and four on "Rom the Spaceknight." (I should note that the phrasing of the latter was most likely chosen because it is the three word phrase that actually appeared on the action figure's box back in '79.) That's one for each of the two versions of the mark in four different categories: entertainment, paper goods, toys, and equipment. The last one is a bit puzzling. In full, the category is:
So we're finally back to the question of "why?" Why has Hasbro chosen to do this after all these years? Could it be that repeated interest from various parties in somehow bringing Rom back to comics has finally gotten their attention and something is forthcoming? Or have they gotten wind of someone who was going to take advantage of the Rom trademark's inactive status and are preparing for a lawsuit to stop it? I hope it doesn't mean they're coming after my humble fan site. Surely it wouldn't be worth all that trouble. All I can say for sure is that, pending the actual approval of the USPTO, I might have to change the fine print at the bottom of all those pages from "ROM was a trademark" to "Rom is a trademark." Thank goodness for server-side includes.
First, if you don't know, a trademark is merely a word or logo used to distinguish the goods of a company from all other companies similar goods. The words "Coke," "Pentium," and "Spider-Man" are all examples of trademarks. Any company can declare something a trademark by adding that little TM symbol (™) after the word or logo wherever it appears on the company's packaging.
However, to assure full legal protection, it is best to register the trademark with the federal government. The agency that handles this is the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Once a trademark's registration is approved, it becomes a registered trademark. At this point, and only at this point, the company can use the little R in a circle (®) on its logos instead of the TM.
Another aspect of registered trademarks is that they only apply to the category of items for which they are registered. For example, while no one else can call a drink "Pepsi," one might be able to use it for a hammer. (I by no means advise trying this, as the litigation would probably kill your company even if you ultimately manage to win the lawsuit.) This is also why Apple Computers has had a history of trouble with Apple Records since going into the music market with iTunes.
That's trademarks in a very small nutshell. For further reading, I suggest reading the USPTO's Trademark FAQ and/or visiting their trademark page.
Moving on to the history, back in 1979 when Parker Brothers released the Rom action figure, they filed with the USPTO for a trademark on the word/logo ROM. This was actually done through their parent company at the time, CPG Product Corp. Although the toy was only sold for a couple years (at best), they maintained the rights to the trademark until 1987, about a year after the character's Marvel comic book series had been canceled. Parker Brothers assets were later acquired by Hasbro, who is still Parker Brothers' parent company today.
Trademark law is a tricky thing. Because Marvel had licensed the Rom character from Parker Brothers, they could no longer use him upon expiration of the agreement. Or, at least, not blatantly. He managed to make a few cameos in the years after his series, but by and large it is most likely Marvel has seen no potential profit in reviving a B-list character they'd have to pay for the rights to use again.
It is important to note that Parker Brothers only registered a trademark on the mark "Rom." Not "Rom the Spaceknight" or anything similar. The title of the comic book series, according to the indica, was similarly just "Rom," not "Rom: Spaceknight" or any other variation on that theme. Although generally included on the cover, the word "Spaceknight" was sometimes omitted there as well. Furthermore, the registration only covered it's use for "toy figures and related accessories sold as a unit." If you look at your Rom comic book collection, you will not find a single instance of "Rom" as a registered trademark because comic books weren't the category the trademark was registered for.
This became important in 2000 after Chris Batista got the green light for his Spaceknights limited series. He was kind enough to contact me during this period and one of the things he told me was that Marvel's legal department was concerned that they couldn't use the name "Spaceknights" because it might be co-owned with Parker Brothers as well. Ultimately they not only decided they could use the name – most likely for the reason just noted above – Marvel even applied for registration of the "Spaceknights" trademark themselves. (Only as a comic book title, mind you.)
Now we're back where we started: Hasbro has re-registered for a trademark on Rom. This time they've gone much further than they did back in 1979. They applied for eight trademarks, four on "Rom" and four on "Rom the Spaceknight." (I should note that the phrasing of the latter was most likely chosen because it is the three word phrase that actually appeared on the action figure's box back in '79.) That's one for each of the two versions of the mark in four different categories: entertainment, paper goods, toys, and equipment. The last one is a bit puzzling. In full, the category is:
Scientific, nautical, surveying, electric, photographic, cinematographic, optical, weighing, measuring, signalling, checking (supervision), life-saving and teaching apparatus and instruments; apparatus for recording, transmission or reproduction of sound or images; magnetic data carriers, recording discs; automatic vending machines and mechanisms for coin operated apparatus; cash registers, calculating machines, data processing equipment and computers; fire extinguishing apparatus.If that seems like an odd combination of items, it might not entirely be Hasbro's fault. The USPTO seems to have certain categories for marks and many of them are some odd groups of things. The forum that I believe first announced Hasbro's move says the category is "normally used for video games." Although in this case it seems Hasbro's wording for the numeric categories they registered might simply be out of date. Other video game trademarks in the USPTO's Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS) database actually just say "video game software." Then again, a vending machine that looked like a life-sized Rom would be really cool!
So we're finally back to the question of "why?" Why has Hasbro chosen to do this after all these years? Could it be that repeated interest from various parties in somehow bringing Rom back to comics has finally gotten their attention and something is forthcoming? Or have they gotten wind of someone who was going to take advantage of the Rom trademark's inactive status and are preparing for a lawsuit to stop it? I hope it doesn't mean they're coming after my humble fan site. Surely it wouldn't be worth all that trouble. All I can say for sure is that, pending the actual approval of the USPTO, I might have to change the fine print at the bottom of all those pages from "ROM was a trademark" to "Rom is a trademark." Thank goodness for server-side includes.
22 June 2000
FIND: Super Simon & Inty games
[Originally posted to rec.games.video.classic.]
Okay, so that should probably be "[FINDS]".... Anyway, earlier this week I found a Super Simon in nice condition & with both battery covers in the box. Can anyone tell me (Lenny?) if Ralph Baer created this sequel to his most popular game? I couldn't find a price on it, but as luck would have it, one of the main pricers was by the cash register when I got there, so he let me have it for a buck. (Then he saw the $2.49 price written in small print, but let it go.) I also picked up a Sega Menacer, missing one eyepiece but otherwise complete, also in the box for $2. I saw it shortly after they got it, when it was marked at $12. I wasn't going to buy it at that price. Glad I checked the price again this time.
Off-topic, I also picked up the paperback Gidget Goes New York, thinking my wife might like it since she likes the movies. On a lark, I checked for it on eBay and was surprised at the profit I can probably make selling it. She said if I sell it before she reads it, that's fine.
Today I picked up a bag of 10 unboxed Intellivision games for $2.50. I broke my personal rule about only getting common carts if they were complete (box, docs, overlays) because it had Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back in it. The only other game in the batch I didn't have was Triple Action. I was pleasantly surprised to find most of the games had the overlays tucked in their manuals. (I couldn't tell this before I bought it.) Here's the complete list (I=instructions, O=overlays):
Okay, so that should probably be "[FINDS]".... Anyway, earlier this week I found a Super Simon in nice condition & with both battery covers in the box. Can anyone tell me (Lenny?) if Ralph Baer created this sequel to his most popular game? I couldn't find a price on it, but as luck would have it, one of the main pricers was by the cash register when I got there, so he let me have it for a buck. (Then he saw the $2.49 price written in small print, but let it go.) I also picked up a Sega Menacer, missing one eyepiece but otherwise complete, also in the box for $2. I saw it shortly after they got it, when it was marked at $12. I wasn't going to buy it at that price. Glad I checked the price again this time.
Off-topic, I also picked up the paperback Gidget Goes New York, thinking my wife might like it since she likes the movies. On a lark, I checked for it on eBay and was surprised at the profit I can probably make selling it. She said if I sell it before she reads it, that's fine.
Today I picked up a bag of 10 unboxed Intellivision games for $2.50. I broke my personal rule about only getting common carts if they were complete (box, docs, overlays) because it had Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back in it. The only other game in the batch I didn't have was Triple Action. I was pleasantly surprised to find most of the games had the overlays tucked in their manuals. (I couldn't tell this before I bought it.) Here's the complete list (I=instructions, O=overlays):
- Auto Racing (I(x2?),O)
- Sea Battle (I,O)
- D&D (INTV label)
- Star Wars: TESB
- LV Poker & Blackjack
- Sub Hunt
- Major League Baseball (O)
- Triple Action (I,O)
- NFL Football (all I,O)
- Utopia (I,O)
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