Lucasfilm’s reaction to Eric
When I first saw Jones’ feed, besides being captivated by Eric, I was also struck that Disney and Lucasfilm hadn’t gone after the artist with a big band of lawyers. Jones said that a lot of people ask him if Lucasfilm is OK with what he does and admits that he was worried about the company’s reaction at first, given that he is essentially “using someone else’s character to make my own little stories.”
Surprisingly, the big band of lawyers never came. In fact, Jones said that he’s partnered with Disney, which owns Lucasfilm, on a few things and that it was fine with Eric and his art. Disney sometimes sends him new products to feature.
Jones points out that it’s obvious that he’s not making millions in profit from what he does with Eric, and that he’s not defacing the brand or being derogatory. He doesn’t mass produce his work, but he does make occasional prints and other items, including coffee paintings. Right now, he’s working with a supplier to release some limited t-shirts.
