The term ‘Space Marine’ was around long before Games Workshop’s ‘Warhammer 40K’ property came into existence, having first appeared in 1932’s ‘Captain Brink of the Space Marines’ by Bob Olsen. Despite this, the web serial ‘Spots the Space Marine’ by M.C.A. Hogarth was taken off Amazon after Games Workshop made a claim that the term ‘Space Marine’ is their exclusive trademark. Hogarth states that according to the Trademarks Database, Games Workshop’s trademark on ‘Space Marine’ only extends to “board games, parlor games, war games, hobby games, toy models and miniatures of buildings, scenery, figures, automobiles, vehicles, planes, trains and card games and paint, sold therewith.”, so it looks like fiction isn’t covered. To further make Games Workshop look like bastards, part of the reader contributions towards ‘Spots the Space Marine’ is donated to Wounded Warrior Project and Soldiers’ Angels.
Hat tip: i09
Tags: WTF?