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Tony Twist in a fight on the ice
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Tony Twist and Todd McFarlane settle lawsuit

By: Karl Schneider
Date: Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Source: STLToday.com

According to STLtoday.com, Tony Twist has settled a lawsuit over his depiction in the comic strip Spawn. Twist was well known as an enforcer for the hockey team the St. Louis Blues.

The settlement between Twist and insurance companies for Todd McFarlane Productions Inc. was approved in bankruptcy court in Arizona. The law firm of Blitz Bardgett & Deutsch represented Twist.

The litigation began when McFarlane, creator of the comic series "Spawn," used Twist's name for a violent, mob boss character. The first jury award came in 2000.

Twist initially was awarded $24.5 million in damages, which was later tossed out.

KJ's Take: Not sure why he settled for so little, not that $5 million is anything to sneeze at. The initial jury awarded him the $24.5 settlement, then after that was thrown out, he was awarded something around $15 million before settling for $5 million. I haven't followed the lawsuit much, maybe he was just tired of it all, or maybe he just needed the money.

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Comments/Responses

westend • Feb 20, 2007, 03:39am •

a motorcycle accident essentially ended his hockey career and gets a few broadcasting jobs here and there, so he probabbly needs the cash.

ponyboy76 • Feb 20, 2007, 04:28am •

Maybe I`m just simple but if Todd MaFarlane made me into a comic book character in some popular mag, I`d be thanking him not suing him. I may want a little dough if he`s using my likeness but that`s it. Can`t believe they wanted to reward him 25.5 for that.Nuts

tacid • Feb 20, 2007, 05:24am •

McFarlane created a mobster named Tony Twistereli. McFarlane a hockey fan was inspired by Tony Twist's name yes but other than that there has never been any mentions of Twistereli and Twist being the same person. This suit was as dumb as Spike Lee suing Spike TV for using the name Spike.

madmanic999 • Feb 20, 2007, 07:30am •

This goes on my list of dumbest news... I hate MacFarlane (thats right I said hate, the guy is the comic book equivalent of a crack dealer), but this is unbelievable.

ponyboy76 • Feb 20, 2007, 09:30am •

Come on Mad, His run on Amazing Spiderman is still one of the best at least looking comics ever. I was pissed when all those dudes ran off and created Image but you can`t deny the man`s skills.

fft5305 • Feb 20, 2007, 11:23am •

That's ridiculous! If McF didn't use Twist's likeness or try to portray him as being the same person, how the hell can they award Twist $25M? That's so absurd...

cjclifford • Feb 20, 2007, 03:27pm •

Still can't believe the idiot is actually getting any money out of this. It's just a name. If I like the actor Will Smith and name a character after him called William Smithey, am I going to get sued over that? Maybe I should sue the person who created Clifford the Big Red Dog. That's my last name dammit! How dare you use it to name a large red fictional dog!

muchdrama • Feb 20, 2007, 05:05pm •

Todd McFarlane's the AntiChrist of comics...everything about the guy screams greasy, creepy scumbag.

madmanic999 • Feb 20, 2007, 09:47pm •

pony, I love his art (except his Hulk, I'm sorry man, worst Hulk ever) but McFarlane has made a career of using and abusing the industry. His run on spiderman used thsi whole dark edge that well, just didn't feel like Spiderman, and then he invents SPAWN..... A guy in a dark version of Spideys tights, with Doc Stranges cape, Ghost Riders chains, Wolverines attitude and on occasion the Punishers firepower.... the story had more plot holes and dropped story arcs than OJ Simpsons autobiography. I just pray I can get my mug on TV for 15 minutes so he can make a special edition toy in my likeness like he has with 75% of the population of Earth...... Sorry to McF fans out there, but I aint buyin what he's selling... Still think this lawsuit is BS though.

GentlemenDeath • Feb 21, 2007, 01:11am •

The great thing about this is the fact that only in america can someone sue someone else for using there name. My name is marc, so i guess that means i will go sue the marker company for personal damages. i went home and cried when i touched someone and they said, "hey is this a permenent marker?"....okay sry that was lame.

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