Marvel Should Keep A Tighter Leash On Its Lawyers

from the yikes dept

On Tuesday, Mike Arrington of TechCrunch took a straw poll on Twitter and decided to set up a screening of the new movie Iron Man, based on the comic. By Wednesday morning the details were set. He had rented out the Metreon by calling the "Group Sales" phone number on the Iron Man website, and paid for 600 seats for the showing. He posted the info to his blog, and asked people to pay $1 per seat in order to hold the spot (and to avoid no-shows). All this was perfectly reasonable. And then... a lawyer from Marvel Comics sent Arrington a threatening cease-and-desist letter demanding that he pull down the information about the show, claiming that Arrington wasn't authorized to set up such a showing. Again, the whole thing was arranged by Arrington by calling the "Group Sales" line on the Iron Man website. All of the tickets were paid for. It's hard to see what Marvel can possibly be complaining about. Also, I know for a fact that Arrington's event is hardly the only such event... because I got invited to a different one (also tomorrow, though at a different time and location and organized by a different group) and have a ticket on my desk for the show.

As a guess, perhaps Marvel is upset that Arrington made his an open invite system. The other showings I'm aware of are all private invite-only showings. But, even if that's true, it's rather ridiculous for Marvel to be complaining, and this is giving the company a ton of totally unnecessary bad press for an event that was generating plenty of enthusiasm and excitement for the movie. It appears to be yet another case where a lawyer is complaining because he can, and not because it's a good business move. As of right now, AMC Theatres, which sold Arrington the tickets, is standing behind the showing, and hopefully someone higher up at Marvel is figuring out what a ridiculous move this is, and will apologize by morning.
Hide this

Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.

Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.

While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.

–The Techdirt Team

Filed Under: comics, iron man, lawyers, movie screening, movies
Companies: marvel comics


Reader Comments

Subscribe: RSS

View by: Time | Thread


  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 29 Apr 2008 @ 11:37pm

    What a Retard - For that, I'm not going to see the movie -

    - Eat my Left NUT MARVEL!

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      tarzanboy, 30 Apr 2008 @ 5:54am

      Re:

      Right ...you're gonna skip the movie because some lawyer is an ass?

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        interval, 30 Apr 2008 @ 7:34am

        Re: Re:

        I'm not going to see because it also stars Gweneth Paltrow. The same actress/idiot who moved to France after calling the American people idiots. France can have her, and I save $10.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

        • icon
          PaulT (profile), 30 Apr 2008 @ 8:11am

          Re: Re: Re:

          I wonder if you realise that actually proves a large part of her point?

          link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          BlowURmindBowel, 30 Apr 2008 @ 8:21am

          Re: Re: Re:

          And she was incorrect how?

          link to this | view in chronology ]

          • identicon
            BlowURmindBowel, 30 Apr 2008 @ 8:40am

            Re: Re: Re: Re:

            Oh, and I presume you hate Johnny Depp for having a similar opinion (and place of residence)?

            link to this | view in chronology ]

            • identicon
              JS Beckerist, 30 Apr 2008 @ 11:07am

              Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:

              I share feelings about the Baldwins (who hail from near my hometown.) While I would never listen to any of their advice on parenting, voting or ANYTHING to do with Hillary, I think 30 Rock is one of the funniest shows on TV right now.

              Hate the player, not the game.

              Besides, I got GTA4 so I'll wait until FXG or AXXO gets a hold of Iron man first anyway ;) ...or not.

              link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          tubes, 30 Apr 2008 @ 9:40am

          Re: Re: Re:

          I live in America & I completely agree with her most Americans are idiots.
          If I had the same money she has I would move too.

          link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          Sean, 30 Apr 2008 @ 12:37pm

          Re: Re: Re:

          Well you are only helping prove how right she was.

          Someone said something bad about us, using her very freedom of speech, and you will hold it against her. Must be wonderful going through life painfully stupid.

          link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Anonymous Coward, 30 Apr 2008 @ 10:00am

        Re: Re:

        >"Right ...you're gonna skip the movie because some lawyer is an ass?"

        Um, actually I'm going to skip the movie because it looks kinda sorta... how do you say? Oh yes: STUPID.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          tubes, 30 Apr 2008 @ 12:55pm

          Re: Re: Re:

          I guess you're waiting for the next installment of Harry Potter or something closer to your level like the remake of Troll. Go back under your bridge or even your mother's basement!!!!!

          Did you even hear of Iron Man before? Actually Iron Man looks like one of the best superhero movies made so far. I have been waiting for this movie for almost 10 years (And I'm glad they waited 10 years) when they first said they were planning on making it & from the previews it looks like I won't be disappointed one bit.

          link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Igor The Troll, 30 Apr 2008 @ 12:37am

    Michael Arrington

    Can the lawyer be some guy or a friend of some guy who is a blogger and Michael pissed him off?

    We all know of Valleywag and Mashable Mike's party encounter.
    Oh, the famous Strawberry Shake!

    Maybe Mike needs to learn how to be a bit more humble and stop thinking of other bloggers as Trolls.

    Good Karma works fantastic!

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    dave mcclure, 30 Apr 2008 @ 1:33am

    dear troll: don't player hate, don't hesitate, just commentate.

    >>Maybe Mike needs to learn how to be a bit more humble and stop thinking of other bloggers as Trolls...

    ... said the Troll.

    cough.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    PRatzo, 30 Apr 2008 @ 1:44am

    Not to worry

    I was planning on downloading the movie from TPB anyway.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 30 Apr 2008 @ 4:19am

      Re: Not to worry

      Same here....but if it is good, I usually try to catch it in the theatre.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        BlowURmindBowel, 30 Apr 2008 @ 8:26am

        Re: Re: Not to worry

        y?

        I think theaters have pretty much run their course, I have a home theater that I would rather experience any given movie in. Theaters are waaaay overpriced and generally pointless nowadays...

        I've had too many experiences with stupid tween girls jabbering about nothing through a whole movie...

        link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    bobbknight, 30 Apr 2008 @ 3:02am

    Bit Torrent FTW

    Nope I'm not going to the theater to see this now.
    Who needs to watch a coked out pederast any ways.
    Being found in a small boys bed blitzed out of his gourd, for shame, for shame.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 30 Apr 2008 @ 3:29am

    like Stark. Not Techcrunch.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 30 Apr 2008 @ 5:34am

    Looks like this lawyer got his degree from a ad in a comic book.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      John Duncan Yoyo, 30 Apr 2008 @ 7:43pm

      Re:

      They used an in house guy- Matt Murdoch and he really doesn't understand film being blind and all.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Insider, 30 Apr 2008 @ 7:05am

    the whole story

    There is a lot he isnt saying, mervel isnt in the wrong

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      lar3ry, 30 Apr 2008 @ 7:48am

      Re: the whole story

      All right. I'll bite. What isn't he saying? And who is this "Mervel," anyway?

      From the look of the C&D, it appears that this whole thing is pointless.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    oregonnerd, 30 Apr 2008 @ 10:56am

    iron man, marvel, comics, asses

    Marvel: comic book publisher. I read them in between books.

    Americans as idiots: we have Bush as president, and Windows Vista as the most widely-used OS. Yup, we're idiots.

    The comic was a blow-off on earlier ones--and Gwyneth Paltrow is the spittin' image of a welsh princess if I ever saw one. I'll no doubt see the movie.

    Comics as stupid...um. Duh. They never pretended to be classroom material (although in an interesting psychosociological way they are).
    --Glenn
    8]

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      JS Beckerist, 30 Apr 2008 @ 11:21am

      Re: iron man...defense

      A: Marvel, yeah...not much literary substance but you have to admit those artists are talented!

      B: Americans, Bush, whatever, he'll be gone in a few months and as for Vista? Everyone I know that used Vista has since reverted to XP and everyone I know that currently uses XP has no plans to upgrade. Blame Dell, or HP. Not Americans for that.

      C: Comics are just another form of entertainment. No need to hate, just ignore it if it's not your cup o' tea!

      By the way, saying any single nationality as "stupid" goes about as far as saying any single ANYTHING is stupid. Feel free to throw me into any box you like, just don't be surprised if I (or any one of us) happens to change your mind.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    PRMan, 30 Apr 2008 @ 11:53am

    Marvel literary substance

    Some very good writers have gotten their start in the comics world, including Frank Miller (Daredevil comics, Sin City, 300)...

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 30 Apr 2008 @ 1:09pm

    Lawyers

    I wonder how it works as a practical matter. Does Marvel retain the services of a lawyer who makes it part of their day doing google searches for trademark marvel terms?

    Does the lawyer check out each result, eagerly hoping that they'll find something that they can justify suing over? If that's how it works, no wonder that they launch so many frivolous suits. And I'm sure this is entirely separate from the creative/productive side of the company; they no doubt hate the lawyers as much as everybody else.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Increasing Stupidity One Step at a Time, 30 Apr 2008 @ 2:03pm

    So, let me get this straight. A guy buys all the tickets for a showing of the movie. Tickets which are publicly available. Then this guy offers his community a seat, which he has paid for already, and Marvel says this is verboten?

    I'm sorry, this is IP rights run amok.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    tim stevens, 1 May 2008 @ 5:30am

    F-em. Just torrent the thing and avoid the nasty theater experience totally.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    jeremy, 1 May 2008 @ 2:10pm

    open event?

    what about all the radio stations GIVING AWAY free tickets to pre-showings, are those not open showings?

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    John (profile), 1 May 2008 @ 4:17pm

    Um, yes

    >"Right ...you're gonna skip the movie because some lawyer is an ass?"

    Um, yes.
    It's time to send a message to companies who let their lawyers run free. I agree that Marvel may need to enforce their copyright when it needs to, but going after a guy who used their own website is just wrong.

    Maybe if we start a protest, Marvel will stop using lawyers like these.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Get Real!, 1 May 2008 @ 6:11pm

    Get Real - Lawyer IDIOTS!

    This lawyer must be really bored with his job at Marvel.

    So he decides to go around getting bad press from Marvels affciandos and friends. What a piece fo shit!

    He must be another Creative ex-employee VP

    Here is one guy who is trying to create hype for IronMan which will bring so much more returns in the long run and an asshole of a fu*k lawyer whose head is up some asshole.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    derlo, 22 Oct 2008 @ 1:03pm

    new file engine search!

    I surfed all the web till found the best searcher. Films, picts, mp3’s, videos and lots more at http://newfileengine.com/

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    spiderman, 30 Jul 2009 @ 2:28pm

    Marvel game called Mugen

    Did anyone know that there was a Marvel Comics based game called Mugen? Its a free game and features Spiderman, X-men, The Avengers and more. There is like Spidermna, Venom, Carnage, Armored Spiderman, Symbiote Spiderman and too many more to mention. You can ploay as the good guys or the bad guys. Anyhow, I thought this would be a relevant post and get some more people into playing Mugen since you can create your own Marvel characters or modify the existing ones.

    link to this | view in chronology ]


Follow Techdirt
Essential Reading
Techdirt Deals
Report this ad  |  Hide Techdirt ads
Techdirt Insider Discord

The latest chatter on the Techdirt Insider Discord channel...

Loading...
Recent Stories

This site, like most other sites on the web, uses cookies. For more information, see our privacy policy. Got it
Close

Email This

This feature is only available to registered users. Register or sign in to use it.