Jake Skull
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 5,987
Likes: 18
From: DuBois PA
St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13-'14-'15
I have a few of em on my car;
There are three versions, C6R, Blue Devil and the C5. The C6R is copyrighted by Badboyvettes, the new ZR1 has the Blue Devil on it and they added horns to the C6R skull so the GM/Badboyvettes link is there I would imagine.
The C5 version was drawn up by someone to personlize it for the C5 and as far as I know NO ONE can claim ownership of it and I think it's purely a scare tactic by GM. Heck someone can make a C2 and C3 version...
That's my .02 anyway...
There are three versions, C6R, Blue Devil and the C5. The C6R is copyrighted by Badboyvettes, the new ZR1 has the Blue Devil on it and they added horns to the C6R skull so the GM/Badboyvettes link is there I would imagine.
The C5 version was drawn up by someone to personlize it for the C5 and as far as I know NO ONE can claim ownership of it and I think it's purely a scare tactic by GM. Heck someone can make a C2 and C3 version...
That's my .02 anyway...
Tech Contributor
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 41,066
Likes: 9,832
From: Charlotte, NC (formerly Endicott, NY)
well this is what they say.....trust me I have seen this "Jake" on more then a few things "illegally" and they were not simple little vinyl decals! We are talking anything and everything from functional "go fast" goodies to being printed on "non-licensed" T-shirts! The other day in fact I was at a flea market when I spotted one! It wasn't a "punisher" type either. It was one of the real C6 versions! To be honest if Bad Boy Vettes (who really has rights to the logo) don't come after you first (which I haven't seen or read one person say they have) then I really can't see GM doing it.
A quote from that Vette Magazine article:
Around this time, it was discovered that the original skull decal had been a logo sticker for the "No Fear" line of clothes and accessories. Concerned about potential copyright infringement, Corvette Racing officials commissioned a new design. Corvette-themed Web site Badboyvettes.com and Ed Jabbour of Kick Design in New York came up with a new black-and-yellow skull featuring a forward-facing look, jagged teeth, and a Corvette crossed-flags logo forming the eyes and nose.
Bill
Last edited by Bill Dearborn; Jan 10, 2009 at 02:11 PM.
6th Gear
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
new skull
Actually, it is GM who has rights to the logo. If you read the article that was referenced earlier in the thread GM commissioned Bad Boy Vettes to design the logo. Thus they own it not Bad Boy Vettes. The person who pays for the design is the one who owns it. Just like a lot of other logo designs that GM owns.
A quote from that Vette Magazine article:
Around this time, it was discovered that the original skull decal had been a logo sticker for the "No Fear" line of clothes and accessories. Concerned about potential copyright infringement, Corvette Racing officials commissioned a new design. Corvette-themed Web site Badboyvettes.com and Ed Jabbour of Kick Design in New York came up with a new black-and-yellow skull featuring a forward-facing look, jagged teeth, and a Corvette crossed-flags logo forming the eyes and nose.
Bill
A quote from that Vette Magazine article:
Around this time, it was discovered that the original skull decal had been a logo sticker for the "No Fear" line of clothes and accessories. Concerned about potential copyright infringement, Corvette Racing officials commissioned a new design. Corvette-themed Web site Badboyvettes.com and Ed Jabbour of Kick Design in New York came up with a new black-and-yellow skull featuring a forward-facing look, jagged teeth, and a Corvette crossed-flags logo forming the eyes and nose.
Bill
Original Founding Member!
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 9,037
Likes: 88
From: Granby, MA
Cruise-In 1, 3, 9. 10 & 11 Veteran
Actually, it is GM who has rights to the logo. If you read the article that was referenced earlier in the thread GM commissioned Bad Boy Vettes to design the logo. Thus they own it not Bad Boy Vettes. The person who pays for the design is the one who owns it. Just like a lot of other logo designs that GM owns.
A quote from that Vette Magazine article:
Around this time, it was discovered that the original skull decal had been a logo sticker for the "No Fear" line of clothes and accessories. Concerned about potential copyright infringement, Corvette Racing officials commissioned a new design. Corvette-themed Web site Badboyvettes.com and Ed Jabbour of Kick Design in New York came up with a new black-and-yellow skull featuring a forward-facing look, jagged teeth, and a Corvette crossed-flags logo forming the eyes and nose.
Bill
A quote from that Vette Magazine article:
Around this time, it was discovered that the original skull decal had been a logo sticker for the "No Fear" line of clothes and accessories. Concerned about potential copyright infringement, Corvette Racing officials commissioned a new design. Corvette-themed Web site Badboyvettes.com and Ed Jabbour of Kick Design in New York came up with a new black-and-yellow skull featuring a forward-facing look, jagged teeth, and a Corvette crossed-flags logo forming the eyes and nose.
Bill
Original Founding Member!
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 9,037
Likes: 88
From: Granby, MA
Cruise-In 1, 3, 9. 10 & 11 Veteran
I have a new skull design that is great for corvettes, i would be happy to e-mail my skull design ,I have my skull decals on many corvettes all ready ,you can change the color of the skull to your cars color just e-mail me at tom2005gt@aol.com
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 43,084
Likes: 33
From: Raleigh / Rolesville NC
Might want to be careful floating this information around...its one of the main reason's this thread exists....whether or not a similar but yet totally different design can be done up for the corvette and sold/given away freely and not have the seller face copyright infringement issues and get a letter in the mail from GM. (I too have made my version of Skull and Eyes). It has its own link in the general C5 section.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 14,107
Likes: 26
From: 4th on the list of top 100 in USA Ga.
That's where I got mine,great stuff.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
5 Best & 5 Worst Corvette Daily Drivers
Joe Kucinski
The Headlights of Every Corvette Generation Explained
Joe Kucinski
5 Best & 5 Most Overrated Corvette Track Packages of All Time!
Joe Kucinski
Every 2027 Corvette Engine Explained
Joe Kucinski
Designer Imagines A Corvette That Looks More Like a Corvette Than the Corvette
Verdad Gallardo
10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
Cruising
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
I think GM bought the rights to use it from Bad Boy Vettes and apparently in the copyright or whatever it is they have on it, it covers the Jake with the C5 flag also. The C6R Jake is on the new ZR1 so GM does have the rights to it. You can PM forum member mike76002, I believe he got a letter from GM telling him to stop selling the C5 Jake and anything that has to do with the Jake logo. 
Last edited by busakabenka; Feb 16, 2010 at 09:18 AM. Reason: info was already posted..
Original Founding Member!
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 9,037
Likes: 88
From: Granby, MA
Cruise-In 1, 3, 9. 10 & 11 Veteran
I understand that Jake was originally "pirated" from no fear line of clothing with skull and crossbones and was properly commissioned in 2005 - thus the C6-R designation.. interestingly, although GM may have paid for it (is this verified or hearsay?) the original artist will still hold copyright on the design even though GM would own the distribution rights to it.. meaning anyone could likely draw their own similar one if it made them feel good - but nobody could sell a product using it.. maybe intentional? Possibly to keep the 'brand' underground and not overused?
Here ya go...the true story of Jake and BBV:
Last edited by XtremeVette; Feb 16, 2010 at 11:17 AM.
