thisisourfight-18x24-flat

As you are already well aware, the staff of TheOneRing.net are descending on Comic-Con 2013 as one of the sole representatives of Tolkien fandom at this year’s show. We’ve talked a bit about our panel (Thur 5:30 Room 6A) and mentioned our LIVE coverage , but we haven’t really shared all of the amazing offerings we’ll have showcasing at our two, yes two, booth locations! (WETA #3513B  and Badali Jewelry #532 ) Whether its a Tauriel/Rosie the Riveter mash-up, or The Superman logo Hobbitized, we’ve got something for every Tolkien fan attending the show. Details after the break! (And not to worry for folks who will not be going, we are planning on offering most of these items in our online shop!)

Continue reading “Comic-Con 2013 is Overflowing with New TORn Merchandise!”

LOTR_Online_Slots.jpgFurther to our earlier report this week, attorney and message board member Douglas C. Kane aka Voronwë the Faithful has once again sent us a breakdown on the latest Tolkien Lawsuit.

 

Continue reading “Making Sense of the latest Tolkien Lawsuit”

If you have followed all the off-screen drama related to the film adaptation of “The Hobbit,” you know that teams of lawyers have been central to the nearly unbelievable plot. There is a history of legal maneuvering that stretches back around Middle-earth movies for decades.

LOTR_Online_Slots.jpgIn the current round of court battles the Tolkien Estate brought a lawsuit in Nov. 2012 against Warner Bros. for $80 million that centered on online slot machines and digital merchandise. By March, WB and the Middle-earth Enterprises (that owns the rights purchased from J.R.R. Tolkien and grants them to Warner Bros.) filed a counter-claim saying the lawsuit had damaged them and undermined rights to the property.

The Estate, and an entity called The Fourth Age Ltd. filed to dismiss the counter suit, saying it was simply a legal move to get rid of the original suit. The victory for Warners and Middle-earth Enterprises was judge Audrey Collins stamping a “denied” against the motion to dismiss, allowing the suit to go forward. As you might guess, it is far from settled and many lawyers will collect significant money yet hashing it all out. Most of our information comes from Deadline.com where you can read more details if you wish, including the six-page decision. Kudos to Deadline for its reporting but their decision to watermark this public document is a tad silly.

Deadline’s latest story can be found here. There are others, including by bizjournals.com, while Deadline’s story about the original suit can be read here.

The judge concludes with some clear language:

“For the foregoing reasons, Fourth Age’s Motions to Dismiss Amended Counterclaims and Special Motions to Strike Amended Counterclaims (docket nos. 40, 41, 42, and 43) are DENIED
.
IT IS SO ORDERED.

misty-mountains-feature01Far over the Misty Mountains cold…
Comes a brand new geeky shirt that is perfect for fans of both Tolkien and…beer!

If you look closely at the design, you’ll find nine hidden references to our favorite film of 2012!

Each shirt is Royal Blue and 100% cotton and we are offering both standard and women’s fit!

Special for Father’s Day!
Order by June 9th 2013 11:59pm PST and we’ll get your order to you in time for Father’s Day. Offer only available for continental United States customers. Shipments are made using USPS Priority Mail. Unfortunately we cannot be responsible for USPS delays once the item leaves our hands.

[Order today!]

PJGandalfAndDwalinWelcome to our collection of TORn’s hottest topics for the past week. If you’ve fallen behind on what’s happening on the Message Boards, here’s a great way to catch the highlights. Or if you’re new to TORn and want to enjoy some great conversations, just follow the links to some of our most popular discussions. Watch this space as every weekend we will spotlight the most popular buzz on TORn’s Message Boards. Everyone is welcome, so come on in and join in the fun!

Continue reading “TORn Message Boards Weekly Roundup – June 3, 2013”

torn13-coupon-fbimageWe’ve got a great reason to build up your Tolkien t-shirt collection! From now through Monday, we are offering 25% OFF our entire catalog with purchase of $30 or more. The sale includes our most popular designs: OBEY (The Eye of Sauron), May the Dwarves be With You, ‘I Like Big Books…,’ Lake Town Archery Club, Peter’s Dragon and more! We have also heard your feedback and adjusted our shipping rates to make purchasing even easier and more affordable. Don’t delay, this 25% Off offer is only good through Monday night at Midnight (Pacific). [Click here] As always, when you support TheOneRing.net all proceeds go to directly running the website. We are a true 100% volunteer not for profit website. Thank you in advance!