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Gene Simmons Wants to Trademark Spider-Man's 'Thwip' Hand Gesture
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47 posts in this topic

Gene Simmons Wants to Trademark Spider-Man's 'Thwip' Hand Gesture

http://io9.gizmodo.com/gene-simmons-wants-to-trademark-spider-mans-thwip-hand-1796098294

I want you to stop what you’re doing, raise your dominant hand, and imitate Spider-Man shooting webs from his wrists. Look at your hand. See that “thwip, thwip” gesture you’re making? Gene Simmons of KISS fame wants to trademark that gesture.

Last Friday, the famous rocker filed an application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office that, if approved, would grand him trademark of a hand gesture consisting of the curling of one’s middle and ring fingers while the pinky, index, and thumb remain extended. Simmons says that the gesture became an iconic park of KISS’ act during its 1974 Hotter Than Hell tour.

To Simmons’ credit, he has been making that symbol with his hands for decades now, but comics fans will also recognize it as one of the more common gestures that certain comics characters use to activate their powers. Marvel introduced both Spider-Man and the Scarlet Witch in the early ‘60s long before KISS’ formation, and both characters can be seen on-page making the hand gesture Simmons wants to own:

According to Simmons’ application, he’s seeking to trademark the symbol for all things relating to “entertainment, namely, live performances by a musical artist; personal appearances by a musical artist.”

 
The obvious issue at hand here is whether or not Simmons will be able to make a solid enough argument that the gesture is so strongly tied to his brand in peoples’ minds that he should own it. Obviously, there are plenty of other people who’ve made the gesture in the past and it’s actually the sign for “I love you” in American Sign Language.

But hey—this is America and Simmons has the right to take a shot at this. The question now, though, if Simmons is successful, how’s Peter Parker going to use his web shooters in the future?

Thwip, Thwip

 
 
 
 
 
 
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Trying for a variation on the old  Ronnie James Dio devil horn gesture, maybe?

Left it rather late in the day.

IIRC, that was taken from a very old Italian gesture, originating long, long before AF 15, and Kiss.

Edited by Ken Aldred
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Didn't he already own it? 

Oh no my mistake, he owns everything else.

To be buried in a Kiss casket, with my Kiss Halloween mask,and my Kiss toothbrush.

Gene, stick to music please.:facepalm:

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12 minutes ago, oakman29 said:

Didn't he already own it? 

Oh no my mistake, he owns everything else.

To be buried in a Kiss casket, with my Kiss Halloween mask,and my Kiss toothbrush.

Gene, stick to music please.:facepalm:

Nor will I be buried with a copy of Marvel Super Special 1, either slabbed or raw.

It's no Batman 251.

Edited by Ken Aldred
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When I watched that guy on Celebrity Apprentice it became clear what a tool he was.

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Just now, oakman29 said:

He is a self obsorbed azzhat isn't he.

Yes he is.  That became very evident when watching him.  His attempts to dominate his team quickly got him fired.

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3 minutes ago, oakman29 said:

He is a self obsorbed azzhat isn't he.

Yup. Narcissist.

Edited by Ken Aldred
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He probably also wants to trademark bamf and snikt.  The bamf for when he appears onstage amid a cloud of smoke and the snikt for his tongue-snapping.

Edited by kav
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Just now, kav said:

He also wants to trademark bamf and snikt.  The bamf for when he appears onstage amid a cloud of smoke...

Did he also create fireworks?

IIRC, that was the Chinese, just a few years prior to AF 15 and the formation of Kiss?

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