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Copyright for Cartoon Character Names
Quick question please, I'm hoping someone out there in the ether might know the answer.
I have written a short story in which the main character's daughter is said to imagine herself as 'Spongebob' which would make her sister 'Patrick' and him 'Squidworth'. For those in the know these are characters from Spongebob Squarepants. This is the only reference to the character names in the story.
Does anyone know if I can use these names in this manner without infringing Copyright or Trademark legislation? I have tried to look this up but I'm struggling to find a definitive answer. It is not essential to the story but it was a small detail in it that I liked.
Thanks TBers
Comments
"SpongeBob SquarePants: © 2015 Viacom International Inc. All Rights Reserved. Nickelodeon, SpongeBob SquarePants and all related titles, logos and characters are trademarks of Viacom International Inc. Created by Stephen Hillenburg."
Personally I wouldn't ask for permission. If you do, you can't do anything until they say yes and they might not ever respond, or might want payment or to set all kind of restrictions ... Didn't this come up when someone asked for permission to mention a guidebook in their novel?
"Jenny had that Marge Simpson gravel in her voice; although her hair was short and not blue -- not today." That would be okay.