Starting this discussion about the legality of repros and why are the called that anyways. First, they should be called forgeries or if you want to be kind, bootlegs. I've seen the arguments about the molds are public domain, how Hasbro doesn't make these figures, how if this was really wrong the copyright holding company would shut it down, etc. I'm going to say why none of those reasons are valid. Feel free to dispute/discuss but please don't be rude.
1. The molds are public domain - from what I could see on Google, this does appear to be accurate. But only the molds. If they were produced and painted differently and did not use specific, copyrighted characters names then this would be perfectly fine. This is not the case however.
2. Hasbro doesn't make these figures anyways - weakest argument there is. Because the actual license holder doesn't make the figure you want, it's perfectly fine to buy a forgery of one? That's just ludicrous.
3. If it was a big deal the copyright owner would shut it down - ask yourself this, if it wasn't a big deal why do these fraud companies advertise with the movie and character names blocked out, why do they only sell on the Etsy and Ebays of the internet? Why can't you buy them at stores? The answer is simple. They are too small for the copyright holders to waste the legal fees on at this moment. You know and I know and the makers of these forgeries know that the second they put up a legitimate online storefront or try to sell to distributors they will get shutdown. And fast.
Now, please understand this, I DO NOT CARE if you buy these. Your money, do what you want. If you want to go buy five pounds of coke and snort your brains out that's your choice. I'm just tired of people trying to make excuses of why it's ok to buy forgeries. It's not. Doesn't mean you can't. Doesn't mean I care if you do. Buy what you enjoy. But be honest (at least with yourself) about what you are buying.
1. The molds are public domain - from what I could see on Google, this does appear to be accurate. But only the molds. If they were produced and painted differently and did not use specific, copyrighted characters names then this would be perfectly fine. This is not the case however.
2. Hasbro doesn't make these figures anyways - weakest argument there is. Because the actual license holder doesn't make the figure you want, it's perfectly fine to buy a forgery of one? That's just ludicrous.
3. If it was a big deal the copyright owner would shut it down - ask yourself this, if it wasn't a big deal why do these fraud companies advertise with the movie and character names blocked out, why do they only sell on the Etsy and Ebays of the internet? Why can't you buy them at stores? The answer is simple. They are too small for the copyright holders to waste the legal fees on at this moment. You know and I know and the makers of these forgeries know that the second they put up a legitimate online storefront or try to sell to distributors they will get shutdown. And fast.
Now, please understand this, I DO NOT CARE if you buy these. Your money, do what you want. If you want to go buy five pounds of coke and snort your brains out that's your choice. I'm just tired of people trying to make excuses of why it's ok to buy forgeries. It's not. Doesn't mean you can't. Doesn't mean I care if you do. Buy what you enjoy. But be honest (at least with yourself) about what you are buying.