Mutant Turtles Creators Sue U.K. Copycats

The Teenage Mutant Turtles, the pizza-eating cartoon creatures who fight crime in big-city America, have moved to the hallowed halls of the High Court in London.

Judge Sir Nicolas Browne-Wilkinson is being asked to halt alleged illegal copying of the clothing of the characters, known as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in the United States but marketed in Britain under the brand name Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles.

The dispute, brought to court by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, creators of the original turtles, involves the “unlicensed use” in Britain of the cartoon characters.

Two companies--Counter-Feat Clothing Co. and Justin Smith--are accused of infringement of copyright.

They are contesting the allegations and an application for a temporary injunction blocking them from using the turtle characters on T-shirts made by the defendants.

Mutant Turtles and the assorted paraphernalia associated with the sewer-roaming warriors have become the latest U.S. import to flood Britain.

London’s biggest toy store, Hamley’s, reported that since April, Mutant Turtles and 400 associated products had outsold any toy ever stocked. A spokeswoman said she could not give a precise figure but added: “We have never seen anything like it.”

Turtle promoters say retail sales of their goods are likely to reach $391.6 million in Britain in the next year.