well it depends on how you use them. you obviously need to change some things , and obviously don't use the actual name of the character(your example).
Let me give you a scenario about what hap'n to me last year at the Staples Center down here in los angeles. I was at the NBA finals out side the staple center. i had made character such as kobe , magic, and kareem abdul jabbar. Im mean they look just like them and every1 knew who they were with out me have'n to put kobe or magic or kareem on the shirt. but in the design of the kareem i had a little "L" that look real close to the Laker's "L". An "NBA" official came out side and told me that i couldn't sell that here.......I ask him why, and he pointed at the "L'' which was on kareem's shorts. So pretty much that was the only thing i couldn't sell that night. Needless to say i went home that night and made about 30more kareem's but removed the "L" and went back to the next game. The same "NBA" official cam e out side to see my shirts and ask to look at them again. Pretty much he was cool with it.
Another scenario of how companies get away with certain things. Have you ever played "NBA Live" on playstation? WEll since the begining of the game (1994) Michael Jordan was never in the game. But there was this player called "player 99" which looked like MJ and even was the best player in the game. But they just didn't say it was MJ. that's how they got away without have'n to pay MJ for using his name or character. But every1 knows that that is MIchael Jordan. hope this help. but i would still go do some more research about copy right laws. JMHO.
Let me give you a scenario about what hap'n to me last year at the Staples Center down here in los angeles. I was at the NBA finals out side the staple center. i had made character such as kobe , magic, and kareem abdul jabbar. Im mean they look just like them and every1 knew who they were with out me have'n to put kobe or magic or kareem on the shirt. but in the design of the kareem i had a little "L" that look real close to the Laker's "L". An "NBA" official came out side and told me that i couldn't sell that here.......I ask him why, and he pointed at the "L'' which was on kareem's shorts. So pretty much that was the only thing i couldn't sell that night. Needless to say i went home that night and made about 30more kareem's but removed the "L" and went back to the next game. The same "NBA" official cam e out side to see my shirts and ask to look at them again. Pretty much he was cool with it.
Another scenario of how companies get away with certain things. Have you ever played "NBA Live" on playstation? WEll since the begining of the game (1994) Michael Jordan was never in the game. But there was this player called "player 99" which looked like MJ and even was the best player in the game. But they just didn't say it was MJ. that's how they got away without have'n to pay MJ for using his name or character. But every1 knows that that is MIchael Jordan. hope this help. but i would still go do some more research about copy right laws. JMHO.