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In lugnet.off-topic.clone-brands, David Eaton wrote:
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In lugnet.off-topic.clone-brands, Dave Schuler wrote:
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This style of minifig ... suggests to me that TLG’s patents must have
expired some time ago.
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Hm. I was under the impression that even just the *image* of a minifig was
un-marketable thanks to copyright. I seem to recall that Mike Rayhawk was
prevented from selling his BrikWars artwork for that reason (although I don’t
think he ever tried to push the issue, since he has a vested interest in not
annoying the company).
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Old Timers may recall the flap back in ‘99 over the
LEGODEATH image originally
crafted by “Froggy.” A brief (400+ post) thread on RTL can be read
here, if you’re interested.
I can’t remember what became of that whole issue, but clearly the image is still
available online, whatever that implies...
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I seem to remember having seen the minifig-style fig in the Chinese
knock-offs “Brick”/”Shifty”, but they were flat-out barred from sale in the
US (for other reasons primarily of course). Only ones I’ve ever noticed to
date in the US have been less minifiggy, I guess...
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I think it goes a step further--Brick/Shifty was ordered to destroy a whole
bunch of their rip-off clone bricks in a move that I would describe as
beneficial to the entire industry. Illegal knock-offs hurt LEGO and its
legitimate competitors alike!
Anyway, there’s a wide spectrum of minifigs of varying quality. Heck, Mega
Bloks has gone through half a dozen fundamental design changes all by itself,
much less all the other brands. The lineage gets confusing, as I mentioned,
with considerable apparent mingling among several brands. Clone-o-phile though
I am, even I can’t keep it all straight.
If you’re interested, you might check out RedBean Studios, which maintains a
repository of minifig-related images and info, drawing from LEGO and a host of
other brick-brands.
I’ll see about posting that aforementioned photo tomorrow, if possible.
Dave!
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Message has 1 Reply:
 | | Re: Cobi/Best-Lock
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| (...) Whoa, that was a blast from the past! I had only been online for the first time a couple of months before that thread.... What an experience the WWW was as a newbie. And now 9 years have past. </nostalgicpine> FUT OT.OT;-) JOHN (17 years ago, 3-Jan-07, to lugnet.off-topic.clone-brands, FTX)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | Re: Cobi/Best-Lock
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| (...) Hm. I was under the impression that even just the *image* of a minifig was un-marketable thanks to copyright. I seem to recall that Mike Rayhawk was prevented from selling his BrikWars artwork for that reason (although I don't think he ever (...) (17 years ago, 2-Jan-07, to lugnet.off-topic.clone-brands, FTX)
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