GW Property Stolen

[Lorizael]

Here's a bigger picture:
[url]http://www.musicaheavy.org/wp-content/uploads/evolutionrgb.jpg[/url]

1. Yes I can see the Tzeentch eye. The WAR symbol is not there though unless I'm completely blind.
2. Ok, I have no proof of this, just anecdotal evidence. As such I'll take it back. Brutal Truth have used the Chaos arrows on a previous album (though of course the Arms of Chaos are of Moorcock design).
3. I will be very surprised if Brutal Truth or Relapse Records haven't checked this out before using the artwork. I could be wrong, fair enough. But Relapse are big insofar as being an indie label and it would be stupidity on their part to not have checked the legal issues out.

[Droofus]

Anyone bothered to look a the CD's legal notifications? Perhaps we'll find sentence about the "8-Sided Star of Chaos symbol is used by permission of Games Workshop LTD".

Doubtful, but possible.

[WarSanguinius]

the 8 sided star of chaos was not created by gw niether was the all seeing eye, these are two very old symbols .i doubt very much that gw could copyright them

[GentleBen]

I didn't even know this subforum was down here! This sort of thing happens all the time. There's even a website devoted to it. [url]http://youthoughtwewouldntnotice.com/blog3/[/url]

As far as the image... copyright law is a fairly sticky wicket. One thing that will guarantee you get into trouble is making a thing similar to another thing in such a way that you capitalize on someone's pre-existing thing with your new thing. Its why the Fantasy Football mini manufaturers can run into trouble. Since this cd is for something completely unrelated to minis or MMO's its possible the photoshopping they did may make it distinct enough to not warrant a copyright violation. Even if there is a violation they will almost certainly be issued a cease and desist, which might require them to remove all copies of their album from store shelves, or at the very least mean art changes for any future releases of the album. But yeah, they could just get their pants sued off.

[eldargal]

I realise this is an old post, but I thought I would point this out anyway. If a compmany fails to defend its intellectual property it can be declared public domain, hence the trigger happiness with the law suits. So says a lawyer friend of mine at any rate.

gw seems about as law-suit-happy as starbucks! Its probably costing them more then they are getting out of it!
Seriously ridiuclas at times this world is (and I'm channelling yoda today)

[Gigawatt]

G W Stolen Inc is a private company categorized under Office Buildings and Parks and located in Madison, WI. Current estimates show this company has an annual revenue of 320,000 and employs a staff of approximately 5.

[Brass Scorpion]

As has been mentioned, GW does not own nor did they "invent" the 8-pointed Chaos star. The Chaos Star comes from some of the most popular fantasy fiction of the past 40 years written by British sword-and-sorcery author, Michael Moorcock.

His stories revolve around central and connected themes regardless of setting, time period or changes in characters. Law vs. Chaos is a main theme as are beings chosen in each time to fill the role of "eternal champion" (much like Phoenix Lords whose part is played by many taking on the role after an individual in that part dies).

Wiki or Google "Hawkmoon", "Corum" and "Elric Of Melnibone" and "Eternal Champion" for starters. Moorcock also popularized the idea of "Eternal Champions" (eternal warrior) and demon-possessed swords ("Stormbringer"). If you're a sword-and-sorcery fan and missed out on reading these books then you've missed a lot. Get thee to a library!

Interestingly, I was discussing this with someone the other day and they added a piece of the puzzle I hadn't heard before. Apparently, Bryan Ansell was personal friends with Michael Moorcock, which would explain even more why GW borrowed so many of his ideas very early on in their history of miniatures and game development.

The band Hawkwind even did an entire album devoted to Elric of Melnibone and Michael Moorcock comes out and reads from his books during one live performance that was turned into an album.

P.S. Yes, once upon a time I was a Moorcock fanatic. I read all the Corum and Hawkmoon stories, the Elric books up to Stormbringer and some of the tie-in Eternal Champion stories like the Ice Schooner too. I also own that live Hawkwind album.

[Mauglum.]

HI all.
I dont think GW could sue them , as the image is NOT being used in context with its original tradmark , IE a minatures game.
However, EA could sue them as it is a deliberate (and sloppy copy) of THIER artwork !

TTFN