DC Comics is the oldest and largest comic book companies in the United States, owning over 1,000 well-known characters — mostly superheroes. This includes the popular cultural icon, Superman! DC Comics went through a lot to solidify the image of Superman in the DC universe. Needless to say, with all the movies about him, the battle over Superman’s intellectual property has been a fascinating one.
| About DC Comics Origin: Started with the publishing of Detective Comics, Inc. Founded: 1934 as National Allied Publications IP Assets include: Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, the Flash, Green Lantern Parent Company: Warner Bros Entertainment Inc. (Time Warner) |
Superman is back! Now, with a new cast and new story, get ready to experience the next level. But, hey… Notice something different? They lost his signature red undies! Why?
Because of intellect property rights, of course. The battle for Superman’s copyrights has been an on-going subject since the character’s birth. In 2011 the court ruled that the creator’s family will own the rights to Superman. Its impact is apparent in this year’s latest Superman movie: Man of Steel. Not only is the red underwear missing, his cape is the longest ever seen on screen: You can hear the fans’ uproar a mile away. Well, let’s take a trip down memory lane and recap on the history of the superman.
The “Not-so-Super” First Man of Steel
The concept and prototype of Superman was introduced by writer Jerry Siegel and comic artist Joe Shuster. The first Superman did not fly. It had no “S” on his chest, and did not have X-ray vision. The pair initially sold the rights to National Comics (later known as DC Comics) and agreed to be paid a fraction of the product’s profits. The super-human abilities that we know now were mostly established by DC.
▲ Superman’s debut in the issue of June 1938.
Bad Boy Redeemed: The Creation of Superman
We can say that Superman was created as a reflection to the Great Depression Era. The hero took on the role of a social activist, fighting the businessmen “bad guys” and crooked politicians. Superman’s image was then changed from its original set-up as a telepathic villain into one with no resemblance to the former.
Showdown: League of the Super Powers
As the universe expanded, DC Comics introduced other heroes: Batman, Wonder Woman, the Flash… etc. Both DC and Marvel intended to have their characters exist under the same universe (hence DC’s Justice League and Marvel’s Avengers). They knew each other, and fought hand-in-hand against world threatening villains. Seriously, what is a better way to unite all fans, with favorites each to their own?
▲ Marvel’s The Avengers is one of the most successful superhero franchises in history.
▲ The Justice League formed by DC characters rose during the Golden Age of American comics. Superman’s powers were buffed to max during this period.
On-going Copyright Issues
Though DC Comics decided to adjust the image of Superman several times, and legally speaking the new Superman has its own rights preserved, the battle was a messy one. Siegel and Shuster sued DC Comics for their contract in 1946 and fought for the re-establishment of their ownership. In 1975, the pair launched a public suit claiming Superman, and as a result, Warner Communications gave Sigel and Shuster lifetime pensions of $20,000 per year, plus being credited for all Superman comics, TV shows and films. This act of creators taking on a powerful company later became textbook material for those enrolled in legal license and copyright battles.
▲ The evolution of Superman’s appearance on a movie timeline.
▲ The “S” mark varied from era to era since 1938.
The 2011 court verdict was in the favor of Sigel’s family, and they owned Superman’s licensing rights shortly after. This was around the time David S. Goyer was hired to write the script of Man of Steel. As it seems, there’s much more story behind the simple answer of “taking on a new trend” when asked about the new Superman appearance. Still, it comes down to the fans. The ultimate question is: Will this new and improved Superman win over the hearts of the DC hardcores out there? Let’s wait and see.
Reference:
http: //focus. hebei. com. cn
http: //www. baike. com
http: //creativecommons. tw
http: //www. superherotalk. com
Source:
http: //image. worldscreen. com. tw
http: //dailynews. sina. com
http: //www. shortboxpodcast. com
http: //k36. kn3. net
http: //www. fanpop. com
http: //www. metropolisplus. com/superman/
