Hi, i am outside of States i would like to know can i use company names like mtv, nitendo and 80s logos...
Also, can i use products of 80s like donkey kong, super mario?
I am comics writer and would like to put this in my comic like characters are playing super mario...
First, if you are sued over your use of rights-protected material, you will be sued in your country's courts under your country's laws, so those are the laws that should concern you the most.
Here is a link to WIPO, the World Intellectual Property Organization's website, where you can search for the laws specific to you:
http://www.wipo.org
In the US, trademarks can be used in a descriptive way without infringing on a trademark holder's trademark rights. If you are talking about drinking a Coke, you can call the drink a Coke. If you are driving a Mustang, you can call it a Mustang. From that perspective, therefore, you can use trademarks like MTV.
That said, your use of another's trademark must be done respecting the reputation of the trademark holder and the business, product, service that carries the mark. There are laws (in the US, at any rate) beside IP laws to consider (unfair business practices, disparagement/defamation ...).
Logos can be protected under both trademark laws and copyright laws. Because logos are generally readily identifiable by the consuming public and indicate at a glance the origin of goods/services, these shoulld not be used without authorization from the holder of the mark.
Character illustrations are copyrighted and also can be trademarks. Although it can be possible to use just enough of a character's appearance to go along with a descriptive use of the name, here it can get trickier. There is often a fine line between an okay use and an infringing use.
I recommend you consult with an attorney in your area of the world and have all of your comics personally reviewed and edited by a publishing law professional prior to publication.
Good luck.
