This is very helpful information and obviously took some time to gather and share. Thanks :)

Regarding #1, So we can create characters from books, very good, im attempting my own first char from Tolkien's world. So I assume it's as allowable to use a complete char name, like Turin Turambar, or Bilbo Baggins, as to use a "generic" fictional race name such as Orc or Troll? As to the visual end result - If you market or advertise a freebie or retail item, with only the item title of "Bilbo Baggins from LOTR" or "Tolkien's Bilbo" etc, but your bilbo looks suprisingly like a rankin/bass animation, or your Aragorn is a dead ringer of the actor Viggo, where do you stand legally? If there is no mention of Peter Jackson's movie, or Ralph Bakshi's Movie, or Rankin/Bass' television specials in the product/freebie name and description, how close can any created poser char be visually to any of these previously displayed versions?