NEW YORK -- Noted actor/director Spike Lee celebrated a victory Thursday when he won a temporary injunction from a New York judge barring the use of the card Force Spike in Psychatog, or any other deck, pending a courtroom trial.

"The use of this card, which bears my name, in a deck as depraved and near-pornographic as Psychatog is a personal slur against me, and damages my character and reputation," said the accomplished director of such films as "Jungle Fever" and "She's Gotta Have It."

State Supreme Court Justice Walter Tolub said Thursday that Lee had presented enough evidence to warrant a trial to decide upon the use of the card. Officials from Wizards of the Coast objected, saying that the word "spike" has multiple meanings in the English language.

However, after hearing arguments by Lee's lawyer, Johnnie Cochran, the judge disagreed, saying that the case has validity and noting that "braids" also has multiple meanings in English.

"This case is about force," Cochran said. "They're trying to 'force' 'Spike.' See, that's even what they call the card. 'Force Spike.' This is about the big man, trying to hurt and use force on the little man.

"The little man in this case being my unbelievably wealthy and diminutive celebrity client," Cochran said.

"When you use force, you're wrong of course," he said. "If you play blue, we have to sue."

Lee noted that the injunction also includes such "rogue crap decks" as "Mono-Blue Wizards."

The injunction carries over onto some other cards, such as Spike Feeder and Spike Weaver. However, Justice Tolub refused to have the court order cover Spiketail Hatchling or Spiketail Drake.

It was a big legal week for Lee. Also on Thursday, New York's state Supreme Court refused to overturn a temporary injuction Lee had won earlier this month, barring the network TNN from changing its name to Spike TV.

"When this is all over, it will be proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that one annoying wealthy person with access to a lawyer can cost companies that employ hundreds of people millions of dollars," Lee said.

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NEW YORK -- Noted actor/director Spike Lee celebrated a victory Thursday when he won a temporary injunction from a New York judge barring the use of the card Force Spike in Psychatog, or any other deck, pending a courtroom trial.

"The use of this card, which bears my name, in a deck as depraved and near-pornographic as Psychatog is a personal slur against me, and damages my character and reputation," said the accomplished director of such films as "Jungle Fever" and "She's Gotta Have It."

State Supreme Court Justice Walter Tolub said Thursday that Lee had presented enough evidence to warrant a trial to decide upon the use of the card. Officials from Wizards of the Coast objected, saying that the word "spike" has multiple meanings in the English language.

However, after hearing arguments by Lee's lawyer, Johnnie Cochran, the judge disagreed, saying that the case has validity and noting that "braids" also has multiple meanings in English.

"This case is about force," Cochran said. "They're trying to 'force' 'Spike.' See, that's even what they call the card. 'Force Spike.' This is about the big man, trying to hurt and use force on the little man.

"The little man in this case being my unbelievably wealthy and diminutive celebrity client," Cochran said.

"When you use force, you're wrong of course," he said. "If you play blue, we have to sue."

Lee noted that the injunction also includes such "rogue crap decks" as "Mono-Blue Wizards."

The injunction carries over onto some other cards, such as Spike Feeder and Spike Weaver. However, Justice Tolub refused to have the court order cover Spiketail Hatchling or Spiketail Drake.

It was a big legal week for Lee. Also on Thursday, New York's state Supreme Court refused to overturn a temporary injuction Lee had won earlier this month, barring the network TNN from changing its name to Spike TV.

"When this is all over, it will be proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that one annoying wealthy person with access to a lawyer can cost companies that employ hundreds of people millions of dollars," Lee said.

Discuss this article in the Magic: the Gathering Forums!