Marvel Comics has always been stringent about their rights to the logo and imagery of The Punisher, but now that the character has his own live-action series, Marvel is definitely pushing harder on the usage crackdown.
Videos by ComicBook.com
As Bleeding Cool points out, Marvel has recently gone after motorcycle parts and merchandise with logos resembling The Punisher, specifically HTT Group for the following infringements:
“…parts of motorcycles, namely, master cylinders, brake levers and shift levers; structural parts of motorcycles; components and parts of motorcycles, namely, handle bar ends, bolts toppers, chain guards, crash bars, derby cover, aerodynamic fairing bolts and fairing kit for vehicles, foot pegs, frame slider, gas cap, grab rails, handlebar grips, handlebar riser, horn cover, kickstand, lamp clamp, lowering links, luggage rack, mirror block off base plates, fitted motorcycle cover, radiator grille guard cover, saddlebag bracket, seats, sissy bar, backrest, stator cover, stay bracket, switching housing cover, and windscreen…”
Loyalty Bound LLC of Texas is being looked at for merchandise like beverage can cosies, or a lot of merchandise inspired by Chris Kyle, the military sniper from the Iraq War who was the subject of the Oscar-winning biopic, American Sniper.
The Punisher logo is, in and of itself, so close to universal images of death that it’s easy for it to be interchanged or substituted in any number of ways. It’s also pretty damn cool, which is why people want to wear it so much. However, for Marvel, now is the time to be reaping the benefits of Punisher merchandise, so a lockdown on the usage of that imagery is not surprising at all.
The Punisher is now streaming season 1 on Netflix. Jessica Jones season 2, Luke Cage season 2, are already in production, with Daredevil season 3 and Iron Fist season 2 about to start production, as well.
