Marvel Comics filed suit against NCSoft and Cryptic Studios concerning their creation, gaming sensation City of Heroes on November 10th. The suit alleged COH allowed "players to design characters that are virtual copies of its own superheroes, including 'The Incredible Hulk.'" Wired.com is now reporting Marvel's complaint also singled out City of Heroes' icon Statesman as "strikingly similar to Captain America" and that "... defendants have created, marketed, distributed and provided a host environment for a game that 'brings the world of comic books alive,' not by the creation of new or original characters but, instead, by directly, contributorily and vicariously infringing upon Marvel copyrights and trademarks."
Wired.com also has information from Marvel lawyers taken from the lawsuit. Wired.com reports:
"Considering that defendants own no comic characters themselves, it stands to reason that the comic books to which they refer are those that depict the characters of Marvel and others," wrote Marvel's attorneys in the complaint. "Defendants' Creation Engine facilitates and, indeed, encourages players to create and utilize heroes that are nearly identical in name, appearance and characteristics to characters belonging to Marvel."
"'Statesman,' a character strikingly similar to Marvel's Captain America (right down to the trademark large white star on his chest and shield), prominently appears on the front of the City of Heroes box and guides the user through the 'creation' process," argues Marvel's complaint. "Defendants' infringement is so brazen that their only attempt to disguise 'Statesman' is to give him a helmet that is nearly identical to the trademark helmet worn by 'Magneto,' another of Marvel's X-Men characters."
Read more details at Wired.com.
Shame on you Marvel!!
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