The well-known Kippa Man store located on Jerusalem’s Ben-Yehuda Pedestrian Mall is having hard times. Owner Avi Binyamin is being sued by Marvel Comics to the tune of 100,000 NIS for using the Spiderman logo on his kipot with license. According to the daily Maariv, a representative of Marvel visited the store on July 30th and he purchased a Spiderman yarmulke without identifying himself and with the proof in hand, the lawsuit was on its way.
Ivtsan, Netzer, Wolecki & Co. law firm that has represented Marvel in Israel for the past decade, said any business in Israel suspected of selling illegal Marvel merchandise would be sued for NIS 100,000. He added that Marvel received information about Kippa Man specifically, which is why representatives visited his store. After announcing the suit, Warner Brothers got on board too, suing for the use of the Batman logo without license. Warner is seeking 100,000 NIS as well.
For Binyamin, he simply doesn’t get it, explaining the kipot are manufactured in China, not Israel, and he simply sells them. He does not manufacture them. He adds that there are 20 stores on the block, all selling the same kipot, yet it appears he alone is being targeted in the lawsuit.
His store, described by most as “the size of a phone booth” is quite popular and a regular stop for most visitors from N. America and elsewhere. He speculates he is being singled out because his store is so popular.
For now, Binyamin has removed his Spiderman line, while the other stores on Ben-Yehuda have not. He continues to sell the other kipot however, which exhibit the logos of football, baseball, soccer and other sports teams, as well as car company logos and more.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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6 Responses
The vendor should have insisted that the wholesaler certifies that the designs on the yarmulkes were lawful, and agree to compensate him for litigation costs and damages if they weren’t. Lacking such an agreement, the retailer’s only recourse is to sue the wholesaler/importer.
Selling a design protected by intellectual property laws is considered theft, so the vendor is in the position of having been caught selling stolen goods. Assume we aren’t talking about someone so frum he never heard of Superman or Spiderman, he should have known these were likely to be “owned” by someone, and he knew he wasn’t dealing with the owner.
Aren’t Yarmulkas (yarei malka) supposed to show our Yiras Shamayim? How is that done with thes baseball & movie logos?
U wana tell me that by puting a baseball or soccer logo on it shows they don’t have yirat shamaim ??? Somtimes u gota make it fun for kids to wear them I don’t think I’ve seen an adult with a spiderman kippah …. Seriously some comments r just too much
#2, answer to your very profound question, is the fact that you and I do not wear those yarmulkes. Its geared for the crowd who possibly would not wear one at all so with a little fun and shtick, those that are not so frum will start wearing one. Quit the negitivity and look at the bright side of things
Next thing the kipot will come with hechsherim
I’d much rather wear a Yarmulka with a Batman figure on it than my wife wear a sheiltel made out of avodah zara from India. Quit the nonsense.