Superman that long copyright battle comes to a close

[frigidmagi]

blastr

Yesterday marked the 75th anniversary of Action Comics #1's release, but that wasn't the only major Superman milestone.

With Man of Steel so close to theatrical release, the ongoing copyright lawsuit between the Siegel estate and Warner Bros. was in desperate need of buttoning up. Whatever you were hoping for, there can be no quesiton -- the case is closed.

On Thursday, federal judge Otis Wright III concluded that "the 2001 settlement agreement between DC and the Siegels re-granted the Siegels’ Superman, Superboy, and a Superman advertisements that ran in the 1930s to DC in return for substantial advances and royalties."

That means that DC's continued assertion that the Siegel estate granted full rights to the character of Superman back in a 2001 agreement has ben upheld. There have been a number of appeals, but, according to Judge Wright, "The remainder of Defendants’ Motion is therefore Granted and this litigation of superhero proportions now draws to a close."

The only small (and we mean tiny) stipulation comes in the form of a change in how the credits will read from now on in any comic featuring Superman. The addition of the phrase, "By Special Arrangement with the Jerry Siegel Family" has been added and will remain until the expiration for the copyright of Action Comics #1 runs out.

We'd call that pretty cold comfort. But what do you think?

It sounds as if the Siegel family is being paid. I don't know how much. Anyone got any details?