Copyright query.

Vidar · 12 Jan 2012 at 18:10

A guy in college has made sold several t-shirts featuring several images of well known cartoon characters and other merchandise featuring heavy metal bands, names etc but with his own graphic designs?

My query is can this be legal? are you able to use such images etc without obtain consent or does it come under copyright infringement?

Kazz · 12 Jan 2012 at 18:11

He's a naughty boy.

Edrof · 12 Jan 2012 at 18:13

Sounds illegal to me, but it depends entirely upon the images used and whether the copyright holders have released those images into the public domain for alteration and commercial purposes (highly unlikely!).

I'm no expert, though, I'm just going by what I know for using photographs in articles.

mattyfez · 12 Jan 2012 at 19:24

As above, you could do an iron maiden t-shirt, and if the font was different, and it didn't use the 'eddie' image, but rather featured a images of an actual medieval iron maiden, etc, it would be pretty difficult to claim copyright infringement.

Another example would be a picture of an Apple with the word Apple underneath it, its not copyright infringement unless you are copying the logo/imagery.

Apple can't sue del Monte because apples are in the public domain etc.

If that makes sense.

Nitefly · 12 Jan 2012 at 19:48

By the sound of things it's very likely that this is both trademark and copyright infringement.

mattyfez said:
Apple can't sue del Monte because apples are in the public domain etc.

No.