It is essential that you register a trademark for any item a product or service so that you can avoid legal allegations. You can also complete your trademark registration for the characters of webcomics so that others do not make use of those characters. Trademark registration is required for claiming exclusive rights of a product or a character of a comic or story. You must be aware of the trademark registration process of your webcomic character. Hiring a professional attorney for the registration process would help to complete it without any errors. The following are some of the steps involved in trademark registration for characters in webcomics.
Importance Of Trademark Registration For Web Comic Characters
Copyright or trademark registration is essential so that it prevents others from using one’s work. You can seek copyright or patent registration for a written work, comic character design, drawing, etc. It is a process which helps to recognize your creativity. Thus something unique can help to earn money, and others cannot make use of it without prior permission. Thus you can earn a profit from your creativity.
Trademark helps to establish your brand name and protects in at the same time. Thus the public would be aware of the owner of the comic work and acknowledge their work. When you wish to own the rights of the design of comic characters, then make sure to complete trademark registration. You would have come across several comic characters with unique design and logo.
Check The Trademark Database
It is essential that you register the characters of your webcomic with the unique trademark name. Trademark electronic search system in the trademark website can be used for checking the existing trademark name of comic characters. Perform word search in the database to make sure that the chosen trademark name of the comic characters is unique. You can browse the trademark names as it is arranged in alphabetical order. The database also displays trademark applications that are in pending so that you can know about the trademark name that is in the process of registration. This database would be useful for choosing a unique trademark name for your webcomic characters
Fill The Application
Download the application form for registering the trademark of the webcomic characters. The application can be downloaded from the trademark and patent website. You must fill in the personal information, contact details, and other details. You must provide the designs of the comic characters of your webcomic. You must also upload some additional documents related to the webcomic characters. You must also enter your bank details in the secure portion provided in the trademark and patent website.
Pay The Registration Fees
You must pay the registration fees when you submit the application form for trademark registration for webcomic characters. The cost of the trademark registration varies based on certain factors including the number of aspects of comic you seek trademark registration, the application form version, etc. You cannot complete the trademark registration without paying the registration fees. The application fee is refundable even though the application is not approved or canceled.
Processing Time
Once you have submitted the application form for trademark registration, the processing would start after four to five days. The processing of the application form would take a long time say a year or more than a year. You can check the status of your application on the website where you submitted your application form. Make use of the serial number to check the status of your trademark application. The trademark and patent office would come up with queries and requests on the trademark registration of your comic characters. Make sure that you respond to the queries immediately else your application would be discarded. Once you receive the trademark registration for your webcomic characters, you own the exclusive rights of the comic characters. The trademark registration prevents others from using your work.Here you also check out the info of law behind the comic book characters.
The above are the steps to be followed for completing the trademark registration for the webcomic characters.