Warner Brothers Keeps Superman
It should come as no surprise to anyone that the courts ruled to let Warner Brothers keep their hold over Superman.
The 2001 agreement made with the with the Siegels convinced the Court of Appeals that the family had already reached an agreement to keep Superman in the hands of DC Comics/Warner Brothers.
Warner Brothers made this statement:
“Today’s ruling vindicates DC Comics’ long-held position that it entered into a binding agreement with the Jerry Siegel family in 2001. The Court’s decision paves the way for the Siegels finally to receive the compensation they negotiated for and which DC has been prepared to pay for over a decade. We are extremely pleased that Superman’s adventures can continue to be enjoyed across all media platforms worldwide for generations to come. “
I suppose that’s up for interpretation. My personal thoughts, which a very select few ever agree with, is that Superman’s future was in doubt regardless of who won the case. The Siegel and Shuster estates wanted the character in their hands because they felt that the elder creators were cheated. It also would have given them the ability to shop around however much of the character they gained back to other comic houses for lots of cash, should DC/WB not give them a sufficient payout. Where as Warner Brothers has allowed Superman to become angst-ridden to match more with current times. Have I become too cynical about this? Yes, I have. I’ve also had damn good reason to. I’ve got to agree with Agent Coulson (from the Avengers) when he said:
With everything that’s happening, the things that are about to come to light, people might just need a little old fashioned.
I realize this was in reference to Captain America’s costume, but with the way the world is right now, I think it’s still appropriate.
Tying all this up, the case will likely hit the appeals court again as both the Siegels and Shusters will likely not let this go. In honesty, I think it’s pretty much a shut case now, and they will be throwing themselves against a wall trying to make something happen that’s never meant to be. For me, I don’t care about which of these parties gets ownership, because I think they have all thrown away their rights to the character. I care about the icon himself, and who will do justice to the legacy that was brought forth. Bring back someone that the world can look up to versus someone who is far more imposing than heroic. People want to see the roots of the character, then there are tons of cheap graphic novels out there filled with old Superman stories, have at it. In a way, people are telling me to do the same thing. However, I think it’s been proven that there is plenty of room for different interpretations of many of the characters without having to bastardize them into fitting into a new mold. Some say its progress, I say regression.
In the meantime, expect the celebration at Warner Brothers to pick up steam the closer the world gets to Man of Steel being released.
Other post you may like:
Warner Brothers Wins Court Case Against Shuster Estate
Warner Brothers to Stop Selling Harry Potter DVDs/Blu-rays
EXCLUSIVE: ‘Superman’ Lawsuit Delay Lifted; Depositions of Siegel and Shuster Families to Begin Immediately
Editorial: Orson Scott Card Writes for Superman, Stirs Controversy
