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Author Topic: Siegel vs DC Comics.  (Read 7885 times)
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nightwing
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« Reply #8 on: March 09, 2005, 01:57:48 PM »

TELLE writes:


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I say if US law allows it, go for it heirs.



Certainly.  If National held out on the Seigels for decades because the law let 'em, it's only fair for the heirs to grab Supes back because the law let's 'em.  It works both ways.  But it's almost like that legend of the two mothers fighting over one baby.  The court's going to have to do a King Solomon and say, either I split this property up into a bunch of pieces that are worthless to both of you, or you guys are gonna have to work together and keep the character, and his value, intact.

It'll be interesting to see how that solution takes form.

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But then, I'm not a US citizen.


That's okay, the rest of the world thinks they can run our system better than we do, why should you be an exception?  Cheesy

Anyway, I am a citizen and I don't get a say in this, either, so we're on equal footing.

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And I reiterate, the intitial invention is worth all of the added stuff (which I almost love more). And Siegel added some of that, too: wasn't Superboy created in 1945 by S&S --and didn't National refuse them credit even then (Shuster was in the army when it saw print, I think)?


Seigel suggested a Superboy concept that was turned down flat.  It was different from the Superboy we grew to know, but it was the same in one important way: it was Superman as a kid (as opposed to a new character entirely).  While Seigel was away in the Army, DC decided to do a Superboy strip after all, and the courts decided that was a no-no.

Yes, some of the Superman mythos that was added in later years did come from Jerry, but it came after the transfer of rights.  What we're seeing now is the first major test of a recent law allowing the Seigel estate to cancel that 1938 transfer of rights.  If honored by the courts, this action will "take back" Jerry and Joe's surrender of all concepts presented in Action #1.  It would not, as I understand it, give them any claim to anything created later on by free-lancers (including Jerry and Joe).
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TELLE
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« Reply #9 on: March 10, 2005, 08:37:07 AM »

Right --the intial concept (the most valuable part) is what's on the table.  Like you, I am taking a mostly distanced, objective interest in it but I think most of me is rooting for the heirs.  It would be more interesting if was more heirs vs heirs, but I doubt many of the Donenfields and Liebowitz's are involved with Warner now.  Am I wrong?  It's been a while since I read a current DC comic indicia.

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That's okay, the rest of the world thinks they can run our system better than we do, why should you be an exception?


I don't have any such illusions.  I am more an amused bystander.  Canada has it's own very similar corporate-born legal morasses that I am equally powerless over (until the revolution, I guess). Smiley
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« Reply #10 on: March 10, 2005, 01:33:01 PM »

Irwin Donenfeld was involved with DC for a while after his dad's death, but if I'm remembering right, he hasn't been there for some time.  Anyway he wouldn't be named in the suit since he was a kid when the deal was made, and it's not like Jack took the rights for himself and his family.

I agree the temptation is to root for the heirs, but that's more an emotional reaction than a rational one.  I'm just trying to be pragmatic here...I dont' see this ending with one side getting everything and the other side nothing.  At most I see an arrangement where the heirs assume ownership of the character and agree to let the Warner machine continue to market and publish him.  

On the other hand, the heirs, if victorious, could always choose to deal with other conglomerates, maybe in piecemeal fashion.  Toy rights to Playmates, movie rights to Sony, and comic rights to...gasp!...Marvel?  Who knows...
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« Reply #11 on: March 10, 2005, 06:10:51 PM »

Quote from: "nightwing"
Certainly.  If National held out on the Seigels for decades because the law let 'em, it's only fair for the heirs to grab Supes back because the law let's 'em.  It works both ways.  But it's almost like that legend of the two mothers fighting over one baby.  The court's going to have to do a King Solomon and say, either I split this property up into a bunch of pieces that are worthless to both of you, or you guys are gonna have to work together and keep the character, and his value, intact.


Right there is the most reasonable solution I've seen in the whole deal! I vote Nightwing for Supreme Court Justice!!! :wink:
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