Hot Toys Issues Infringement Notice

[Femtech]

Same story with what Takara Tommy experiences. The Masterpiece (Transformers) line is yuge. So many third party manufacturers do that as well. It all started as "fill-ins" for figures Takara wouldn't make, but it is much more now. Takara doesn't really fight it legally, as it is quite hard to do in China. What they do is simply release a better product, fairly priced, thus making the 3P version obsolete.

Many disagree, and claim that 3P has gotten better, but the fact remains< once Takara releases the real thing, eBay gets flooded with the bootlegs. Takara also prices them competitively too, so we all win.

They don't release a crying letter stating an absurd cease and desist, they GET TO WORK for the benefit fo the consumer.

HT? Nah, they release a ****ing 6" rat and price them at $230 plus shipping.

But of course, the HT white knights will state that it takes more "art" and "engineering", therefore $$$ to make an Iron Meh than doing an officially licensed Lamborghini car that TRANSFORMS into a cartoon accurate AS HELL Red Alert. Yeah, right.

Good post, fran.

 

[Johnny Utah]

Lot of anger and venom towards the King today.

Good.

Hope it makes them raise their game. They've become complacent.

 

[Sweet Rabbit]

So if they didnt pay a lot for the license then bootlegging is ok?

I dont think the cost of the license is relevant. In theory they could have been gifted the license. Or paid $1 for them. The cost of the license does not affect their rights. They have the sole legal right to produce these figures. They are protecting their rights.

The Marvel license sure as hell isn't $1

 

[Sweet Rabbit]

Are all of those hating on Hot Toys in this thread, still buy product from them?

Of course

 

[Bjjer]

Prices are getting up there but it made me more selective where if they were cheaper i would buy more. I don't like bootlegs so I dont support them apart from buying accessories that HT should have made(Kryptonite spear) I did order my first couple of 3rd party figures(Francis and Faora) but HT never made those so I don't know if they have a problem with those or knock off of HT like the Groot and the Hoc Hois MK 43 that recently came out

 

[enzolt]

I dont mind buying one of those Hoc Hoi Mk43 so I can put that inside the Hulkbuster. I rather not use the real HT Mk43 as I dont want any scratches or damages on it.

 

[mrjasontodd]

1:6 scale snitches get 1:6 scale stitches.

 

[siquisiri]

I think this is geared more toward those companies that have even gone as far as reproducing their packaging..

 

[Veovis]

Same story with what Takara Tommy experiences. The Masterpiece (Transformers) line is yuge. So many third party manufacturers do that as well. It all started as "fill-ins" for figures Takara wouldn't make, but it is much more now. Takara doesn't really fight it legally, as it is quite hard to do in China. What they do is simply release a better product, fairly priced, thus making the 3P version obsolete.

Many disagree, and claim that 3P has gotten better, but the fact remains< once Takara releases the real thing, eBay gets flooded with the bootlegs. Takara also prices them competitively too, so we all win.

They don't release a crying letter stating an absurd cease and desist, they GET TO WORK for the benefit fo the consumer.

HT? Nah, they release a ****ing 6" rat and price them at $230 plus shipping.

But of course, the HT white knights will state that it takes more "art" and "engineering", therefore $$$ to make an Iron Meh than doing an officially licensed Lamborghini car that TRANSFORMS into a cartoon accurate AS HELL Red Alert. Yeah, right.

That's not quite the same. For Takara Tomy / Hasbro, the Transformers are their own IP - if they don't go after the bootleggers, it's only their own bottom line they're allowing to be damaged. In the case of HT, it's a licensed IP being infringed; it may well be that Marvel or DC are threatening to withdraw the licenses if nothing is done.

 

[franpincho]

That's not quite the same. For Takara Tomy / Hasbro, the Transformers are their own IP - if they don't go after the bootleggers, it's only their own bottom line they're allowing to be damaged. In the case of HT, it's a licensed IP being infringed; it may well be that Marvel or DC are threatening to withdraw the licenses if nothing is done.

I didn't know Takara/hasbro owned Lamborghini, Nissan, Lancia, Mitsubishi, etc etc.


Stop justifying HT's BS. It's pathetic.

 

[JerrytheBatman]

The more I think about this, shouldn't Vimal be mad at Hot Toys? He
Sculpted the punisher for 1/6 kit. The hot toys Punisher looks exaxctly like it with more hair......

 

[Veovis]

I didn't know Takara/hasbro owned Lamborghini, Nissan, Lancia, Mitsubishi, etc etc.


Stop justifying HT's BS. It's pathetic.

The MP line is more than just the real cars series. Granted, I was thinking of the line as a whole rather than the licensed ones, but the consideration still holds. TakTom also don't go after the companies that knock off the non-MP toys, either.

How much of HT's product line would vanish if Disney decided to pull their licenses?

 

[franpincho]

Based on today's standards? 95%?

 

[DiFabio]

I get where Hot Toys is coming from if they're talking about the knock offs and recasts. If bootlegers were taking my products and remaking/copying them right down to the packaging and trying to pass it off as legitimate, I wouldn't let that **** fly either. They should crack down.

But if they mean stuff like these great X-Men or Marvel figures or that fantastic Jon Bernthal Punisher (that was released first) or accessories and heads that have no relation to their own products, well then they can go **** themselves. I remember when they were trying to crack down on the Morgan Freeman Lucius Fox "CEO" figure and Michael Keaton Bruce Wayne headsculpt by ace toyz simply because they were license holders and didn't like other offerings. I don't pity them in that regard because A. they did the same thing when they were a younger company, B. they have a stranglehold on the market with their monopoly now, C. they could offer a lot of these things with the licenses they have, but choose not to

 

[morphosis]

In my opinion, the overall theme of those opposed to this letter, IS hating on Hot Toys. But thats my opinion. I'm not asking you to agree with me. Nor am I forcing the way I feel down anyones throat. All I did was ask a simple question. I actually don't care much about the letter or whether its right or wrong. People here get offended quite easily........about toys.....

The letter is fine, its just several years late. The problem here is that people are interpreting this letter completely wrong. Hot Toys is only talking about recasting and selling their products. Thats all this they are saying. This is not about licenses they "do not" make, or figures they never made. If someone wants to create a Faora, then go ahead. Hot Toys cannot stop you unless your taking their Maria Hill headsculpt and redoing it as Faora or something. DC and WB sure can come after you for Faora, but not Hot Toys. They never made her.

This has nothing to do with what Hot Toys has not made.

I remember years ago when some were selling the Toy Fair Batman figures but they took out the Christian Bale head and put some ugly knockoff inside the box and sold the product on eBay as the Hot Toys Toy Fair Batman. Then they would sell the HTs Christian Bale head separately. I remember people posting they got this odd looking Christian Bale head that didn't look like the real Hot Toys version. Thats what this letter is about.

Or even more recently there is this new 1/4 Heath Joker someone basically re-casted the entire Enterbay version and is now selling it. Thats pretty wrong if you ask me.

Recasts only hurt the hobby because then your flooding the market with all this junk.

Now if your making your own custom figures, then go ahead. thats is perfectly fine. You just shouldn't be selling them as Mass Market products. If a select group of friends want to make a Faora and share it with each other, i am sure thats fine. Just don't start putting them on eBay selling hundreds and thousands of them or you could have DC or WB come after you, never mind Hot Toys.

 

[The Iron Koob]

I think this is geared more toward those companies that have even gone as far as reproducing their packaging..

Very few voices of reason here. A lot of people missed the point. It's about people buying the knock off winter soldier figure, etc. not unlicensed parts or outfits or figures they have no intention of making. It's just people literally copying their products. Not every consumer knows the difference. This has nothing to do with price increases, etc.

 

[morphosis]

Very few voices of reason here. A lot of people missed the point. It's about people buying the knock off winter soldier figure, etc. not unlicensed parts or outfits or figures they have no intention of making. It's just people literally copying their products. Not every consumer knows the difference. This has nothing to do with price increases, etc.

 

[Johnny Utah]

Very few voices of reason here. A lot of people missed the point. It's about people buying the knock off winter soldier figure, etc. not unlicensed parts or outfits or figures they have no intention of making. It's just people literally copying their products. Not every consumer knows the difference. This has nothing to do with price increases, etc.

Nevertheless, it brought up very valid points from various members and their opinions deserve to be heard, not corrected.

 

[Plastic Bateman]

Very few voices of reason here. A lot of people missed the point. It's about people buying the knock off winter soldier figure, etc. not unlicensed parts or outfits or figures they have no intention of making. It's just people literally copying their products. Not every consumer knows the difference. This has nothing to do with price increases, etc.

Except the wording of the letter is so hopelessly vague it covers just about anything.

 

[**16k**]

Very few voices of reason here. A lot of people missed the point. It's about people buying the knock off winter soldier figure, etc. not unlicensed parts or outfits or figures they have no intention of making. It's just people literally copying their products. Not every consumer knows the difference. This has nothing to do with price increases, etc.

On the contrary, it has everything to do with the price increase! If the prices weren't that outrageous, no one would bother buying KOs and those wouldn't exist. They exist because there is a market for them. if Sideshow hadn't priced their original Wolverine so high, I'd have bought the original. Now I'll wait for the bootlegs Daredevil and Ghost Rider. Their fault, not mine!