A New Animated Series?

[Sawyer]

I certainly hope so. Numerous film releases (specifically comic book movies) have been accompanied by animated series', and I hope the new Superman reboot will be accompanied by one as well. And hopefully all that Superman lawsuit nonsense doesn't get in the way.

[Webhead2006]

would be great to have a new animated series. But i dont think their will be another for a long time. At least not to all the legal issues are probably settled out for the character. Heck i think even that brave and the bold has issues to showing a full on superman/ww in episodes, sure they been mentioned and shown a little bit. But i doubt we will see one for awhile. Which sucks, i would love to see another series.

[Sawyer]

It's been much too long since we've had a Superman solo animated series on the air. :csad:

[Webhead2006]

yea i know, hopefully we will have another in a few yrs.

[batlovescatDC]

I can definitely see one premiering the fall of 2012. But definitely not anytime before then.

[Webhead2006]

i still doubt we will see one that soon. if any thing it will be like 2014 or so. Once all the legal issues are settled and all that.

[Mace Dolex]

What legal issues are going on with Superman?

[Webhead2006]

the on going copyright stuff with the heirs of the creators.

[NotFadeAway]

Won't be able to touch what Timm/Dini did with Superman: The Animated Series.

[Mace Dolex]

the on going copyright stuff with the heirs of the creators.
But then are was Superman Returns and Smallville able to get made?

[batlovescatDC]

^ If they can do an animated DTV film with Superman in it then they can do an animated series. The legal issues never end with Superman and the lawsuits are mostly about the heirs wanting money anyways, they don't really even care about the copyright.

There's no way in hell DC is about to wait until 2014. If they want a series then they'll get it going when they think it's going to make them the most money.

[The ?ion]

But then are was Superman Returns and Smallville able to get made?

Here is a run down;

Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster created Superman and sold the rights to National Comics/Detective Comics, Inc (now known as DC Comics). This was not a problem for a very long time until copyright law was changed to heavily favor creators rather than holders of a copyright (this affects works prior to 1978). Essentially, if you transfer copyright ownership to an other individual or entity, you can wait 56 years after the transfer and then call for revenue from the last 36 years of profit from the license. This of course excludes "work-for-hire" material that is acknowledged as being created for an entity and not for yourself.

Superman falls into that pre-1978 category. Even though Siegel and Shuster were paid when they sold the character, and again paid (I believe $30,000 per year starting in the mid to late 1960s) on an annual basis for their work on Superman, the Siegel family has once again stepped in and decided that they want to claim lost revenue on the copyright (and part of the law of terminating a copyright transfer, allows heirs of an estate to lay claim as well).

DC does own the majority of the trademarks and copyrights associated with Superman. For instance, the S Shield, Metropolis, the Daily Planet. These are all trademarks that DC owns (as those ideas and names came long after Siegel and Shuster, who had a different S design, an unnamed metropolitan city and an unnamed, major metropolitan newspaper). DC even owns all of the noteworthy Superman rogues, including Lex Luthor. What they do not own is Superman's origin story. A court order has determined that the Siegel family are the co-owners. So for DC to use the origin, means they have to share profits with the Siegel family.

Superboy is the most recent victim of this litigation. Siegel went off to serve in World War II. Prior to this, he had proposed a Superboy backstory, which DC declined at the time. Upon returning from service, Siegel discovered that DC went ahead and used the Superboy back-story anyways. Now there are those who argue that Superboy is already Superman and thus, should not count as a separate idea that can be copyrighted. The current courts disagree however. So using the name Superboy has pretty much been monkey wrenched (which is why the recent animated series was called Superman and the Legion of Super Heroes, even though it should have been Superboy and the Legion of Super Heroes).

Currently, DC is required to create a Superman movie by 2011, or else they will have to pay the Siegel family damages and lose the entire Superman copyright to the Siegel family. As for Smallville and Superman Returns, they are mostly unaffected because they were created prior to any of this legal mess, much like the on-going books that involve Superman. We will see how things pan out over the next two years or so.

[Sawyer]

Won't be able to touch what Timm/Dini did with Superman: The Animated Series.

Eh. Debatable. I mean, dont get me wrong, I love STAS and all, but I dont think it would be too hard to make a series with the same quality, if not better, than STAS. As long as they have a good creative team on board. Warner Animation seems to have wooed Greg Weisman over to their side since Marvel/Disney/Sony screwed over Spectacular Spider-Man, if they could put him on board a new Superman series, that would be fantastic.

[Webhead2006]

well smallville started up prior to the more recent court stuff going on so it doesnt fall under the same ruling for things. As for SR i dont know where it fits. But its all legal stuff i dont really know, and i still say personally the whole copyright stuff is just one huge dam mess i wish would just be settled already for all parties invovled.

As for a new show, who knows maybe it could be better then STAS or it could be wrost. Its all about how it looks, who is in its cast, its writers/producers and other stuff. So i would hope if there was another they would get a solid team behind it.

[Sawyer]

well smallville started up prior to the more recent court stuff going on so it doesnt fall under the same ruling for things. As for SR i dont know where it fits. But its all legal stuff i dont really know, and i still say personally the whole copyright stuff is just one huge dam mess i wish would just be settled already for all parties invovled.

As for a new show, who knows maybe it could be better then STAS or it could be wrost. Its all about how it looks, who is in its cast, its writers/producers and other stuff. So i would hope if there was another they would get a solid team behind it.

Greg Weisman. :up: He'd be perfect.

[The ?ion]

Eh. Debatable. I mean, dont get me wrong, I love STAS and all, but I dont think it would be too hard to make a series with the same quality, if not better, than STAS. As long as they have a good creative team on board. Warner Animation seems to have wooed Greg Weisman over to their side since Marvel/Disney/Sony screwed over Spectacular Spider-Man, if they could put him on board a new Superman series, that would be fantastic.

Not to put Bruce Timm and Paul Dini on a pedestal, but their work has produced some of the most memorable and classic cartoons, not only in the superhero genre, but in terms of American animation. There is a reason why shows like The Batman or Krypto or Superman and the Legion of Superheroes, never compared to the success, popularity and enduring admiration of the Timmverse cartoons.

The only way I see a new Superman series doing anything even comparable, is to convince Bruce Timm to stop doing the new line of DTV films and return to television producing. Bruce Timm is to DC animation what Geoff Johns is to DC comic writing (or Gail Simmone. Take your pick).

[akfj]

Not to put Bruce Timm and Paul Dini on a pedestal, but their work has produced some of the most memorable and class cartoons, not only in the superhero genre, but in terms of American animation. There is a reason why shows like The Batman or Krypto or Superman and the Legion of Superheroes, never compared to the success, popularity and enduring admiration of the Timmverse cartoons.

The only way I see a new Superman series doing anything even comparable, is to convince Bruce Timm to stop doing the new line of DTV films and return to television producing. Bruce Timm is to DC animation what Geoff Johns is to DC comic writing (or Gail Simmone. Take your pick).

Unfortunately, I don't think Timm would consider doing another Superman animated series when he already did one before. I believe he's the kind of person that likes to move on to other projects.

[NotFadeAway]

Eh. Debatable. I mean, dont get me wrong, I love STAS and all, but I dont think it would be too hard to make a series with the same quality, if not better, than STAS. As long as they have a good creative team on board. Warner Animation seems to have wooed Greg Weisman over to their side since Marvel/Disney/Sony screwed over Spectacular Spider-Man, if they could put him on board a new Superman series, that would be fantastic.

You do have a point.

It would also be interesting if you brought in comic writers like Mark Waid and Jeph Loeb to help pit a guy like Weisman and help bring For All Seasons and/or Birthright to life in animated form.

[Sawyer]

Not to put Bruce Timm and Paul Dini on a pedestal, but their work has produced some of the most memorable and classic cartoons, not only in the superhero genre, but in terms of American animation. There is a reason why shows like The Batman or Krypto or Superman and the Legion of Superheroes, never compared to the success, popularity and enduring admiration of the Timmverse cartoons.

The only way I see a new Superman series doing anything even comparable, is to convince Bruce Timm to stop doing the new line of DTV films and return to television producing. Bruce Timm is to DC animation what Geoff Johns is to DC comic writing (or Gail Simmone. Take your pick).

Yes, but look at Batman: The Brave and the Bold. That's been pretty damn successful. And Young Justice and the Green Lantern animated series have a chance of being successful too, if they're done well (which as far as I'm concerned, none of those three, except possibly Legion of Superheroes, were). Some are just going to work and some aren't.

[The ?ion]

If GL is as good as First Flight, then it will have no problem gaining fans. I am not against an new animated series by any means. I just don't know if it can live up to the legacy. But I suppose one can't remain preoccupied by the past. A new Superman series could prove me wrong.

[Webhead2006]

i think there is plently of wonderful producers and writers out there that could do something as great of the tim/dini era stuff for dcu shows.

[Sawyer]

It'd be awesome to have a show that eventually gets into full-on Death of Superman/Funeral for a Friend/Return of Superman territory.

[Webhead2006]

that would be cool to see.

[\S/]

I always thought the style of The Batman was better suited to other superheroes, and the episodes with Superman were great.

I'd love a series in that style and with those writers, as I think they could do some cool new stuff with the characters, and the action would be epic.

Still, getting S:TAS back would be best, but it won't happen.

\S/

[Man of Steel]

My Cast-
Kal-El/Clark Kent/Superman-Tim Daly
Lois Lane-Dana Delany
Jimmy Olsen-Adam Wylie
Lex Luthor-Clancy Brown
Supergirl-Nicole Tom
Superboy-Yuri Lowenthul
Steel-Michael Dorn
Braniac-Corey Burton(Peter Jessop for special events)
Bruc Wayne/Batman(Guest appearences)-Kevin Conroy

[The Executioner]

I always thought the style of The Batman was better suited to other superheroes, and the episodes with Superman were great.

I'd love a series in that style and with those writers, as I think they could do some cool new stuff with the characters, and the action would be epic.

Still, getting S:TAS back would be best, but it won't happen.

\S/

Yeah I agree The Batman tone is what a new Superman animated show should use. Be good fun episdes and loved the character designs from that show minus a few characters.

[mrajan]

I just came in my superman!!! Looks fantastic. I hope the theme tune is as effective.