You Don’t Own Me: How Mattel v. MGA Entertainment Exposed Barbie’s Dark Side

The toy industry can be a cutthroat business, as Lobel (Talent Wants to Be Free) conclusively shows in this impressive account of the 10-year court battle waged between Mattel (maker of Barbie) and MGA Entertainment. The dispute began when designer Carter Bryant conceived of the sassy Bratz toy line, which became “the first doll to present a true market challenge to Barbie since her 1959 debut.” The issue: Bryant pitched the concept to MGA while still employed by Mattel, although he insisted the inspiration came to him while on leave from the latter. After Bratz became a runaway success, Mattel sued MGA for half a billion dollars. Lobel delves into the history of both companies and the backstories of various players. She also raises questions about intellectual-property litigation’s increasingly aggressive bent, which she argues poses the danger of stifling creativity and competition. A professor of law at the University of San Diego, Lobel spent years sifting through hundreds of documents and speaking with dozens of individuals related to the case. The end result is a thoroughly researched book that explains the legalese of patent, property, and copyright law in layman’s terms while providing an entertaining narrative. [em](Nov.) [/em]