What we as HeroMachiners consider “fair use” can become a possible copyright issue for Jeff as the creator of HeroMachine and its profit potential.
By no means am I a lawyer, but a publisher or movie studio could just as easily sue Crayola because a proud dad posts his 6-year old kid’s doodle of Spiderman on Facebook. I see daycare centers all over town who have paintings of superheroes, Sesame Street, and Spongebob on their buildings and in their windows. Whether they are paying royalties, I honestly don’t know.
To get around all that, I avoid direct references as best I can. If I design a specific character for a specific game, it’s hard to not to acknowledge. Heck, I used to use Microsoft PowerPoint to create Car Wars tiles. Imagine that lawsuit… Bill Gates versus Steve Jackson!
Anyway, here is my own original thought to the copyright issue. Avoid direct references as best you can. Leave it to the audience to interpret. No, don’t go around saying that your character is a “Thundersoldier” instead of a “Stormtrooper.” Even non-geeks pick up on references such as light sabers and red shirt ensigns. If you feel compelled to give credit or make a reference, simply refer to your design as an “inspired character.”
Besides… I’ve got the whole “Thundersoldier” thing wrapped up in an old Battletech campaign. 
