Cosplayer Pillow Controversy at NJ's AnimeNEXT

Over the weekend, I attended a 3-day anime convention called AnimeNEXT.
I had a great time.
However, there has been some controversy over cosplayers having their pictures taken & later added onto pillows being sold in the dealer's room.
http://www.theouthousers.com/index.php/news/122575-cosplay-creepiness-its-not-just-for-fanboys-anymore.html
The maker of the pillows leter responded via e-mail saying that the cosplayers signed releases & had every legal right to sell them.
http://www.theouthousers.com/index.php/news/122603-animenext-cosplay-pillow-maker-responds-to-controversy.html
What are your thoughts about this?
Looks like a crazy subject to mention on my 500th post on the forum!

sounds pretty crazy. i went to animenext twice. twice once 2010 and then again in 2011.

Sounds like the pillow maker is probably a d-bag looking to get a good lawsuit going...

It'd be interesting to see this guy sued, but I don't think it will affect fandom overall. It could serve as an example to something jerk wade that tries to make a dishonest buck off of people.

Speaking of Anime convention controversies....did any else here about the dumbass trying to organize in ass grab groups at Dallas convention? They were organizing it over Twitter. I don't know what happened with it, but they were reported to the police before the convention.

#gropecrew

Unfortunately, *if* these cos-players did indeed sign releases, and this guy can produce evidence of it, there's really nothing that can be done legal wise.

The guy sounds like a prick, but if these people willingly signed off on doing this, he's a prick who can't be sued unfortunately.