The Watchmen case is not the only comics-related lawsuit that has been heating up. Lawyers on both sides of the Siegel case have also been filing a number of documents, although without a settlement in sight.
The primary focus of attention for the past few weeks has been the relationship between DC and Warner Bros. In a nutshell, the Siegels allege that the various deals between DC and Warner Bros. do not represent fair market value. Rather, the Siegels claim, because of the close corporate relationship between the two companies DC received substantially less than an unrelated company would have paid–which could affect the amount the Siegels might receive from the apportionment of profits derived from their copyright interest in Superman.
We’ll be covering the specifics in more detail as the case unfolds. For now, for those of who don’t want to wade through several thousand pages of depositions and corporate documents, here’s one interesting bit of history entered into evidence as part of the dispute: unproduced scripts written over the course of developing the latest Superman movie.
January 17th, 2009 at 3:05 am
This is incredible!
I tracked this movie’s journey through development hell for many years, starting back in high school when the Kevin Smith draft appeared online, and finally getting to read the Wisher and Lemkin scripts is a big big deal for me. I didn’t even have to pay a fortune for them on eBay! You’re the man for posting these, Jeff.
January 22nd, 2009 at 4:32 pm
IT MADE YOU WONDER HOW LONG THIS LAWSUIT WILL GOES ON. THE WIDOW AND THE DAUGHTER KEEP FORGETTING ABOUT THERE IS TWO NAMES THAT CREATING BOTH SUPERBOY AND SUPERMAN. NOW THEY ARE TRYING TO SUES BOTH DC COMICS AND WARNER BROS IN TWO DIFFER LAWSUIT. BOTH DC COMICS AND WARNER BROS CAN WAIT UNTIL BOTH SUPERBOY AND SUPERMAN ENTER PUBLIC DOMAIN.IT WILL BE GREAT TO KNOW WHERE THIS LAWSUIT WILL GO. GO LUCK TO BOTH SIDE OF THE LAWSUIT. YOUR TRULY CHARLES DAVID HASKELL
February 14th, 2009 at 8:48 pm
Haskell, please proof read before you post – you write like a 12 year old immigrant. Superman will never become public domain because the lawyers keep finding ways to keep the copyrights alive. If it ever became public domain DC, Warner Bros and the Siegels will all lose all claim and all monies, so there would be no winner.