VEI's trademarks?

[leonmallett]

Okay, we now await the Harbinger hardcover with great anticipation. That said we also know that some of the trademarks were in dispute by VIP. I am the first one to admit that I am rubbish at using my google-fu to determine trademark ownershi/proprietary rights/whatevertheheckyacallit. As such I have three little questions (or more likely prompts for speculation):

1. Can anyone definitvely list what trademarks VEI have right now?

2. And what is the status of the Gold Key three (still trying to get GK3 to catch on...), with reference to VEI's plans?

3. Will we see actual new comic books as opposed to primarily reprints, within say the next 12 months?

WillTimeTell?

[thePike]

I can only speak intelligently about the first of those 3 points:

As per the advertisement in Previews, here is what is stated at the bottom in the "fine print":

Visit ValiantEntertainment.com for information on ValiantTM and its characters, including X-O Manowar, RAITM, Doctor MirageTM, Bloodshot, Quantum & WoodyTM, NinjakTM, Eternal WarriorTM, Shadowman, and many others. Copyright 2007 Valiant Entertainment, Inc. HARBINGER and Valiant are TM and Copyright 2007 Valiant Entertainment, Inc. All rights reserved.

So that pretty much confirms X-O, RAI, Dr. Mirage, Bloodshot, Q&W, Ninjak, EW, Shadowman, and Harbinger. I'm curious to know what "many others" means though. Could be the Gold Key 3 (lets get GK3 started!)

I'm curious about what else is beyond this also...

And: there is always the possibility that even though they have access to the rights, that they may not use all the characters - at least not right away...

Perhaps TimeWillTell...

[Schmakt]

I just wish they'd actually do something with that website...

or even the mailing list...

Was annoying to not get an email about the release of the Harbinger HC

[Daniel Jackson]

I'm curious to know what "many others" means though. Could be the Gold Key 3 (lets get GK3 started!)

Let's hope it is cause that would be awesome.

[Rubiks-Q-Bert]

I'm curious to know what "many others" means though. Could be the Gold Key 3 (lets get GK3 started!)

Let's hope it is cause that would be awesome.

That would be cool but I doubt VEI will get the ownership rights of those 3. I would bet that they could get temporary use of them like the original Valiant and acclaim did. But to actually own them, nah. For the record I think those 3 are the only ones that they don't own the rights to. I believe they have everything else.

Gregs quote for the same question from a different thread.

I don't know, but here's the summary.

Random House = Magnus, Solar, Turok

Valiant Entertainment = Every other Valiant and Acclaim character

[Daniel Jackson]

I'm curious to know what "many others" means though. Could be the Gold Key 3 (lets get GK3 started!)

Let's hope it is cause that would be awesome.

That would be cool but I doubt VEI will get the ownership rights of those 3. I would bet that they could get temporary use of them like the original Valiant and acclaim did. But to actually own them, nah. For the record I think those 3 are the only ones that they don't own the rights to. I believe they have everything else.

Gregs quote for the same question from a different thread.

I don't know, but here's the summary.

Random House = Magnus, Solar, Turok

Valiant Entertainment = Every other Valiant and Acclaim character

I don't think Pike meant ownership literally when he was referring to the GK characters. I'm sure actual "ownership" for those would probably be more than Dino and Co. are willing to pay.

[thePike]

I'm curious to know what "many others" means though. Could be the Gold Key 3 (lets get GK3 started!)

Let's hope it is cause that would be awesome.

At first glance I kinda took "many others" to mean the whole host of secondary characters in the Valiant Universe (Geoff McHenry and the like).

The only thing that those listed in the 'fine print' have in common is that they were flagship titles in either VH1 or VH2, but then where are the other, less popular titles that DNV surely owns - the H.A.R.D. Corps, Armorines, Secret Weapons, etc, ? Those might be what "many others" refer too...

The logical conclusion would be that at the time of the Previews Ad, that they did not have the GK3 rights (which I think was discussed when the HC was first announced). If they have them now, then either they have not been announced, or they are waiting for the release of the HC to let on any more.

It's my biggest hope that they at least give us something about the future of DNV at either SDCC (and you guys that are going better report!!!) or perhaps at the release date of the HC.

PS = those last 2 posts came up while I was typing. DJ is right and I meant leasing the rights, not so much propreitary rights.

[Chiclo]

I am not 100% sure on this, but don't bet on DNV having Secret Weapons just yet...

[thePike]

I am not 100% sure on this, but don't bet on DNV having Secret Weapons just yet...

I certainly hope not, but I was just using that as a reference point!

[greg]

Trademarks are words only... basically just the label or title on the book.

Copyrights are the characters, images, stories, likenesses, etc.

VEI owns all copyrights for Valiant and Acclaim besides Magnus, Solar, Turok.

If someone else has a trademark for, let's say "Secret Weapons", which appears
to now belong to Lucasfilm, then VEI still owns everything about Secret Weapons
except the name. They can keep telling stories, using the characters, making images,
etc., as long as they don't try to call it "Secret Weapons".

If you ask me, trademarks are nice, but not necessary.

A rose by any other trademark would smell as sweet.

However, the opposite would be a Valiant trademark without any Valiant content.

That would just be stupid. "Rai" as a crime-fighting loaf of bread, for example.

[DarqueArcher]

Okay, we now await the Harbinger hardcover with great anticipation. That said we also know that some of the trademarks were in dispute by VIP. I am the first one to admit that I am rubbish at using my google-fu to determine trademark ownershi/proprietary rights/whatevertheheckyacallit. As such I have three little questions (or more likely prompts for speculation):

1. Can anyone definitvely list what trademarks VEI have right now?

2. And what is the status of the Gold Key three (still trying to get GK3 to catch on...), with reference to VEI's plans?

3. Will we see actual new comic books as opposed to primarily reprints, within say the next 12 months?

WillTimeTell?

Kind of along this line, I am new and am having trouble understanding all the abbeviations.
VEI and CEAR being the 2 most used.

[thePike]

I've done a little google-scouring to see what I could dig up on those property rights and most of the stuff on it is 2 years old (back when the Acclaim properties were up for grabs).

Click here for the Old Info on Valiant Characters (April 2005)

Click here for the more detailed info on the property-shift
or I'll just parapharse the good parts here:

The final price paid by John Taddeo ... $925,000 for the comic-related assets of the company (Acclaim). The assets, according to the listing of the Trustee include Rights, Trade Marks, Service Marks, Registrations and pending Applications for:

Archer & Armstrong, Armorines, Bloodshot (original), Bloodshot (VH2), Chaos Effect, Darque Passages, Deathmate, Destroyer, Dr. Tomorrow (VH2), Eternal Warrior, Geomancer, Harbinger, Hardcorps, NIO, Ninjak, Ninjak (VH2), PsiLords, PunX, Rai, Second Life of Dr. Mirage, Secrets/Valiant Universe, Secret Weapons, Shadowman, Deadside, Trinity Angels, Solar (VH2), Timewalker, Troublemakers, Quantum & Woody, Unity, Visitor, Valiant Voice, Valiant Voyagers, X-O Manowar, Captain Johner & the Aliens, Outcast, Valiant Era, Validated Signature Series.

Trade Names: “Valiant,” Voyager, Voyager Communications.

Fictitious Business Names: Valiant, Voyager, Voyager Communications.

While the list of assets covers virtually all Acclaim characters (less those owned by Classic Media: Turok, Solar, and Magnus), a handful appear to have more than one claimants. Newsarama readers will remember our previous report which showed that a third party, Valiant Intellectual Properties, LLC had applied for the trademarks to Secret Weapons, Outcast, Rai and the Future Force, Deathmate, Quantum and Woody, Harbinger, PunX, Dr. Mirage, Eternal Warrior, Ninjak, Bloodshot, and The Visitor. While legal experts contacted by Newsarama feel that VIP, LLC has a compelling case to claim the marks (they were abandoned by Acclaim during the course of its bankruptcy and sat for months without a legal owner), the claims for the marks are just that at this point.

I'm sure this was covered back in the day, and do keep in mind that the article does say "pending Applications".

Just here for reference since it's topic related (but do keep in mind that its 2 years old).

[thePike]

Kind of along this line, I am new and am having trouble understanding all the abbeviations.
VEI and CEAR being the 2 most used.

VEI = Valiant Entertainmen Inc. - the people who are starting the new Valiant
CEAR = Chaos Effect Alpha Red - one of the more 'desired' Valiant books (due to its scarcity)

Welcome to the boards!

[Chiclo]

VEI - Valiant Entertainment Industries. VEI is making the new Harbinger HC and is a source of greatness, benevolence and is developing a car engine that operates on a fuel of happy thoughts and unicorn pee.

VIP - Valiant Intellectual Properties. The bump in the road keeping new Valiant from coming back so decisively. They own a few names (but no material, just the names) and are protesting more names. Typical Bond villains; they kick puppies recreationally and are putting Hitler's brain in a liger/shark chimera.

CEAR - Chaos Effect Alpha Red. It's a comic, and one of the most desirable that Valiant put out way back when.

GK3 - Gold Key Three. Magnus, Solar and Turok.

[thePike]

VEI - Valiant Entertainment Industries. VEI is making the new Harbinger HC and is a source of greatness, benevolence and is developing a car engine that operates on a fuel of happy thoughts and unicorn pee.

VIP - Valiant Intellectual Properties. The bump in the road keeping new Valiant from coming back so decisively. They own a few names (but no material, just the names) and are protesting more names. Typical Bond villains; they kick puppies recreationally and are putting Hitler's brain in a liger/shark chimera.

Your definitions are better than mine!

[Cyberstrike]

VEI - Valiant Entertainment Industries. VEI is making the new Harbinger HC and is a source of greatness, benevolence and is developing a car engine that operates on a fuel of happy thoughts and unicorn pee.

VIP - Valiant Intellectual Properties. The bump in the road keeping new Valiant from coming back so decisively. They own a few names (but no material, just the names) and are protesting more names. Typical Bond villains; they kick puppies recreationally and are putting Hitler's brain in a liger/shark chimera.

CEAR - Chaos Effect Alpha Red. It's a comic, and one of the most desirable that Valiant put out way back when.

GK3 - Gold Key Three. Magnus, Solar and Turok.

What is DNV?

[Chiclo]

VEI - Valiant Entertainment Industries. VEI is making the new Harbinger HC and is a source of greatness, benevolence and is developing a car engine that operates on a fuel of happy thoughts and unicorn pee.

VIP - Valiant Intellectual Properties. The bump in the road keeping new Valiant from coming back so decisively. They own a few names (but no material, just the names) and are protesting more names. Typical Bond villains; they kick puppies recreationally and are putting Hitler's brain in a liger/shark chimera.

CEAR - Chaos Effect Alpha Red. It's a comic, and one of the most desirable that Valiant put out way back when.

GK3 - Gold Key Three. Magnus, Solar and Turok.

What is DNV?

"Da New Valiant" or "Dino's New Valiant".

[IanAlexavier]

I think its crazy that they dont send out an email from their site. I know many of us have signed up. It would be nice to receive an email before the Trade is on the market..

C'mon Dino.. send us an email, man! It would only take like, what? 5 minutes to do it

[Daniel Jackson]

I think its crazy that they dont send out an email from their site. I know many of us have signed up. It would be nice to receive an email before the Trade is on the market..

C'mon Dino.. send us an email, man! It would only take like, what? 5 minutes to do it

Once his midget army is done pressing the book, I'm sure they'll focus on the web site.......

[leonmallett]

I think its crazy that they dont send out an email from their site. I know many of us have signed up. It would be nice to receive an email before the Trade is on the market..

C'mon Dino.. send us an email, man! It would only take like, what? 5 minutes to do it

Once his midget army is done pressing the book, I'm sure they'll focus on the web site.......

Do we know how big the midget army is (numbers, not height, obviously...)? Are we talking world-domination type numbers?

[cobra_commander]

I think its crazy that they dont send out an email from their site. I know many of us have signed up. It would be nice to receive an email before the Trade is on the market..

C'mon Dino.. send us an email, man! It would only take like, what? 5 minutes to do it

Once his midget army is done pressing the book, I'm sure they'll focus on the web site.......

Do we know how big the midget army is (numbers, not height, obviously...)? Are we talking world-domination type numbers?

I hope they all kick the sh!t out of VIP. Tiny little kicks..

[leonmallett]

I think its crazy that they dont send out an email from their site. I know many of us have signed up. It would be nice to receive an email before the Trade is on the market..

C'mon Dino.. send us an email, man! It would only take like, what? 5 minutes to do it

Once his midget army is done pressing the book, I'm sure they'll focus on the web site.......

Do we know how big the midget army is (numbers, not height, obviously...)? Are we talking world-domination type numbers?

I hope they all kick the sh!t out of VIP. Tiny little kicks..

"Daeth by one million tiny kicks". Now that sound like the weapon of a man ready to take over the world...

[Daniel Jackson]

I think its crazy that they dont send out an email from their site. I know many of us have signed up. It would be nice to receive an email before the Trade is on the market..

C'mon Dino.. send us an email, man! It would only take like, what? 5 minutes to do it

Once his midget army is done pressing the book, I'm sure they'll focus on the web site.......

Do we know how big the midget army is (numbers, not height, obviously...)? Are we talking world-domination type numbers?

I hope they all kick the sh!t out of VIP. Tiny little kicks..

"Daeth by one million tiny kicks". Now that sound like the weapon of a man ready to take over the world...

Why yes it does....bwahahahaha.

[Byrneout]

That would just be stupid. "Rai" as a crime-fighting loaf of bread, for example.

Careful there, Greg. A quote rather like this one started an entire picture thread once..

[slym2none]

That would just be stupid. "Rai" as a crime-fighting loaf of bread, for example.

-slym