The Federal Communications Commission launched a review into whether a television cartoon featuring characters that also advertise Skechers shoes violates rules limiting commercials to children.

“Zevo-3,” a program-length series to begin airing Oct. 11 on Nicktoons, features three superheroes from comics and television ads used by Skechers. Characters Kewl Breeze, Z-Strap and Elastika are also the names for shoe lines sold by Skechers and amount to program-length advertisements for the company, according to a complaint filed by the Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood.

“For children, the characters embody the shoe lines they represent, so much so that retailers report that kids often refer to the shoes by character name rather than by the shoe model,” the petition says.

The FCC said it would take public comments on the complaint to determine whether the series violates the Children's Television Act and agency rules that limit advertising in children's programming.

When the CCFC first asked the FCC to explore the issue, Kristen Van Cott, co-executive producer of “Zevo-3” and a senior vice president of Skechers Entertainment, said in a statement released to the AP that she and her colleagues had worked hard to ensure the show conforms with FCC provisions. She said there are no overt pitches for Skechers' products in the cartoons and the plot lines “often reflect issues that kids deal with on a daily basis – from peer pressure and bullying to relationships with family and friends.”

“Skechers Entertainment is tremendously proud of 'Zevo-3,'” she said. “It's a fun, action-packed and beautifully animated series.”