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Topic: DC retains rights to Superman (Topic Closed Topic Closed) Post ReplyPost New Topic
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Peter Martin
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Posted: 18 October 2012 at 5:44am | IP Logged | 1  

LINK

Thoughts?


Moronic comment from Snyder at the end.
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Thomas Moudry
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Posted: 18 October 2012 at 6:22am | IP Logged | 2  

Well, that comment from Zach Snyder illustrates that he doesn't "get" the
character.
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Kevin Brown
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Posted: 18 October 2012 at 6:50am | IP Logged | 3  

First of all, I don't think the comment is moronic, it's just him trying to push his vision of the fim.  And personally speaking, I've always disliked the "boy scout" comparison.

 

Anyway, my reaction to this?  Good.  If it prevents Toberoff from gaining a "piece of the pie", that's always a very good thing. 

As for the Siegels and Shusters, it's now been proven there was a previous settlement done with the Shuster heirs, so that settles that finally.  And the Siegels blew it by allowing Toberoff to talk them out of that settlement offer years ago that was rumored to be in the tens of millions. 

Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster had many bites of this apple over the years.  And while I agree it was a bad business deal for them originally, they went into with eyes wide open.  They were not children when they signed it.  But DC re-negotiated numerous times with them, when they really had no legal obligation to do so, and paid them additional money, of which this Shuster settlement was one.  Did they get what they were REALLY owed?  No.  But they got a lot more than many others in their position have gotten over the years.

DC didn't re-write the copyright laws over the years, so they're rightfuly using them to their benefit.  They legally own the character until such time the law says otherwise.

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Brad Wilders
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Posted: 18 October 2012 at 7:30am | IP Logged | 4  

"They legally own the character until such time the law says otherwise."

Actually, since 1999 when Joanne Siegel terminated the transfer of copyright made by Siegel to DC, the Siegel family owns 50% of the copyright to the Superman character and all elements that appeared in that Action #1.  For the past 13 years, DC has been fighting to regain the control of that copyright and to avoid disgorging to the Siegel's their share of profits.

The difference between the Shuster's case and the Siegel's case is that the Shuster's accepted a settlement with DC after Congress created the right to terminate, thus, in effect, transfering their right to terminate to DC.  The same court that declared the Shuster's transfer invalid, has already declared the Siegel's transfer valid.  Ultimately, an appeals court, and possibly the Supreme Court, will decide whether the court got both decisions right.  Until then, expect DC to keep fighting.

 

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Brad Krawchuk
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Posted: 18 October 2012 at 7:57am | IP Logged | 5  

Antonin Scalia was on Piers Morgan a few nights ago, and when Morgan asked what Scalia's most difficult case was, Scalia basically refused to answer. When pressed, Scalia said (and I paraphrase here) "it's a boring case you wouldn't be interested in, no one's interested in the details," which of course got Piers Morgan more excited. What could possibly be boring about Antonin Scalia's most difficult case to decide? 

"It was a copyright case," Scalia replied. 
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Bill Guerra
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Posted: 18 October 2012 at 8:06am | IP Logged | 6  

Wasn't the rumors of The New 52 being done because DC was trying to change up Superman for legal reasons? If so, maybe everything will go back to "normal"?
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John Byrne
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Posted: 18 October 2012 at 8:22am | IP Logged | 7  

For some reason I'm getting a sense of this as Warner Brothers the movie company, viewed as a separate entity form Warner Brothers the owners of DC Comics.

And Snyder should take note that the "boy scout" reference is most often used by villains in the stories, and ennui engorged fanboy elsewhere.

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Dave Kopperman
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Posted: 18 October 2012 at 8:43am | IP Logged | 8  

 Kevin Brown wrote:
 DC didn't re-write the copyright laws over the years, so they're rightfuly using them to their benefit.

While I agree that WB/DC are well within their rights in this case, I'd argue that large corporations did, in effect, write contemporary copyright law.
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Erin Anna Leach
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Posted: 18 October 2012 at 9:05am | IP Logged | 9  

I am curious what this now means for the Siegal and Shuster heirs. I bet they are all wishing that their grandfathers had gotten a lawyer as Bob Kane did.
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Stephen Churay
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Posted: 18 October 2012 at 9:20am | IP Logged | 10  

Ok, now when then the film is released and had it's run, can we
PLEASE get back to a Superman costume that makes sense. I still
don't understand why a guy who is virtually invulnerable needs body
armor.
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Dave Kopperman
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Posted: 18 October 2012 at 9:36am | IP Logged | 11  

It's to protect the rest of us from his deadly UV rays, of course...
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John Byrne
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Posted: 18 October 2012 at 9:41am | IP Logged | 12  

It's to protect the rest of us from his deadly UV rays, of course...

••

Oh, NOW you've done it!

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