“Superman” ruling leaves plenty of questions
From Friday’s The Oklahoman:
By Matthew Price
Assistant Features Editor
WORD BALLOONS
A startling turn in the fight over the Superman copyright has the internet abuzz and comic-book fans wondering about the Man of Steel’s future.
The heirs of Jerry Siegel were awarded a stake in the rights to “Superman” in federal court. Stephen G. Larson, a judge in the Federal District Court for the Central District of California, wrote in the decision:
“After 70 years, Jerome Siegel’s heirs regain what he granted so long ago — the copyright in the Superman material that was published in Action Comics Vol. 1.”Larson wrote that what comes next is an apportionment of profits, and a determination on whether the Siegels are owed money from publishing only, or also from film adaptations.
Variety reports that this lawsuit could complicate Superman’s upcoming big-screen adventures: Both a sequel to “Superman Returns” and a “Justice League” film are in the works. In addition, co-creator Joe Shuster’s heirs could file for his half of the rights in 2013.Still, the “Superman” rights are worth more to Time Warner than to any other party, as Time Warner, via DC Comics, still owns the trademark and international rights to the character.
Siegel and Shuster created Superman in 1932, and shopped the character as a comic strip before reworking it into a comic book format for “Action Comics” No. 1 in 1938. Siegel and his heirs have been in litigation with DC Comics and Time Warner several times over the character, and over Superboy, which the Siegels won partial rights to in 2006.More about the lawsuits — and Superman’s adventures in television and movies — are explored in Jake Rossen’s “Superman vs. Hollywood.”
Rossen has created an excellent overview to Superman in the mass media, from the animated shorts of the 1940s to “Superman Returns” in 2006. There are many tidbits that even dedicated Superman fans won’t have heard, and Rossen keeps the narrative moving and compelling.
The abortive “Superman Reborn” of the 1990s, to have starred Nicolas Cage and been directed by Tim Burton, has fueled screenwriter Kevin Smith’s college tours for years, but Rossen finds even more dirt on the plagued production. In addition, the dozens of unusual casting ideas for various Superman projects will have even casual fans scratching their heads — Ashton Kutcher and Neil Diamond were considered as possible Men of Steel; Tim Allen came very close to becoming Lex Luthor.
As the Superman case continues to wind through the legal system — Time Warner is expected to appeal — “Superman vs. Hollywood” is an entertaining, yet at times sobering, reminder of the labyrinthine process the character has already charted.
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