Superman in the Marvel Universe (a purely theoretical discussion)

[Franklin Richards]

Recent speculation about the Siegels selling Superman to Marvel,

Newsarama.

have me thinking about his presence in the 616.


Who would Superman face first?

Would he join the Avengers?

Would he clash regularly with Ultron, Thanos, Dr. Doom and others regularly?

Would some of his rogue's gallery cross over? Which ones? Bizarro? Myxy?

Where would Clark Kent work? Daily Bugle?

Lois? She comin'? Jimmy too?


All interesting subjects. Discuss

[spideyboy_1111]

wow, if that happened that might be the ultimate blow to DC.....

[moraldeficiency]

It won't, this is a can of worms no company wants opened.

[Darthphere]

The Siegels own the copyright, not the trademark. This is one ginat lawsuit waiting to happen if it ever went down, which it won't so there's no reason to discuss this.

Closing....

[DBM]

The trademark issue is no big deal really.

DC's been dealing with it for years with Captain Marvel. Marvel had the trademark to the name Captain Marvel and DC has copyright to the original. All Marvel would have to do is put him in a book and title it something that didn't infringe on any of DC's trademarks. Call it Marvel Presents: and be done with it.

The real reason that Marvel will never buy the rights is because their not worth it. The Siegels so far have only received the copyright to Superman as he appeared in Action Comics #1, which is so far from the modern Superman that he's not that big a deal. The real questions will come up when DC and the Siegels either settle or when the courts decide if the current, modern Superman is a derivative (in the legal sense, not comic world sense) of the Superman in Action Comics #1. If they rule he is, then the Siegels will own not only half of Superman from Action Comics #1 but of all Superman stories and merchandise (since 1999).

Even then, I don't think Marvel would be interested because since DC would continue to own 50% (until 2013 when the Schuster heirs could potential get back their half), Marvel would be required to pay half of the money they earned on Superman to DC. And paying your competitors just isn't good business.

[Darthphere]

Also add the fact that Superman will enter publiuc domain in about 20 years.

[LexCorp]

Wow

This really would be the end for Superman if that happens

[DBM]

Originally Posted by Darthphere

Also add the fact that Superman will enter publiuc domain in about 20 years.

Assuming Disney doesn't convince Congress to extend copyright lengths again.

[moraldeficiency]

Originally Posted by DBM

Assuming Disney doesn't convince Congress to extend copyright lengths again.

Which they almost certianly will.

[spideyboy_1111]

i dunno, i think there should be a industry copy right on all character based things, from mickey mouse, to superman...

movies and music imo arn't the same thing as a companies figure head. Or the option to renew that character's rights would be good too

[DBM]

Originally Posted by spideyboy_1111

i dunno, i think there should be a industry copy right on all character based things, from mickey mouse, to superman...

movies and music imo arn't the same thing as a companies figure head. Or the option to renew that character's rights would be good too

I'm going to guess you're young and I don't want to take the time to explain the intricacies of copyright and trademark, but what you're talking about with a character being a companies figurehead is trademark and not copyright, and no company ever loses that as long as they continue to use it.

[spideyboy_1111]

Originally Posted by DBM

I'm going to guess you're young and I don't want to take the time to explain the intricacies of copyright and trademark, but what you're talking about with a character being a companies figurehead is trademark and not copyright, and no company ever loses that as long as they continue to use it.

im 22 and am aware of basic copyrighting... and i kinda mean a little bit of both, I don't think some boob in jersey should be allowed to open "superman used cars" and use supes in his logo.

im aware companies can keep using there trademarks, but i don't believe those trade marks should lose there copyright either

[Superunknown]

I thought the lawsuit only had to do with the Superboy trademark and not actually Superman?

[The Major]

Why would they sell it to Marvel?

I can see a cross-over or two but not selling all the rights.

It would put them in the same position again after dealing with WB/DC.

[fifthfiend]

Originally Posted by Franklin Richards

Recent speculation about the Siegels selling Superman to Marvel,

Newsarama.

have me thinking about his presence in the 616.


Who would Superman face first?

Would he join the Avengers?

Would he clash regularly with Ultron, Thanos, Dr. Doom and others regularly?

Would some of his rogue's gallery cross over? Which ones? Bizarro? Myxy?

Where would Clark Kent work? Daily Bugle?

Lois? She comin'? Jimmy too?


All interesting subjects. Discuss

He would job to Thor. Then to the Hulk, then to Sentry. And then they'd get mean.

They would job him like Darkseid jobs to Superman now.

By the time they got done he'd be getting his ass handed to him by the Black Cat and asking politely for more.

[Xofenroht]

Darkseid doesn't job to anyone now, I mean, there IS Final Crisis.

Besides, Superman would never fit in at Marvel and if he did, I'd suspect that he would have to prove himself before any of the other heroes trusted him, unless Marvel went the other route and had him honored like he is in the DCU right off the back.

Hawkeye: "Damn, you're good, but face it, you're no Steve Rogers."

Superman: "Who's Steven Rogers?"

[DBM]

Originally Posted by Superunknown

I thought the lawsuit only had to do with the Superboy trademark and not actually Superman?

That's a separate lawsuit.

[The Geek Vault]

It would be interesting for one issue, but I reallydon't want superman on marvel, just becasue I don't like superman!

[BrianWilly]

HEY GUYS DID YOU KNOW THAT BATMAN IS GOING TO DIE

Christ, people. This is obviously never going to ever happen. They even mention in that article, if you even read it, that the ultimate chance of this is pretty unlikely.

[fifthfiend]

Yeah but it's Thursday afternoon on the Internet, what the **** else have we got goin' on?

Seriously they would job him like a pimp jobs his least-favorite trick.

[Anubis]

Originally Posted by marvelman418

It would be interesting for one issue, but I reallydon't want superman on marvel, just becasue I don't like superman!

Why?

[iloveclones]

What's funny to me is that no-one even mentioned whether Marvel could even afford an endeavor like this. They made it through bankruptcy, owing in large part due to liscensing from the movies(which initially was a fraction of what they could have gotten if not for some hasty past deals), and they are now going to step into the world of producing their own movies. Which is going to take a little bit of capital. I don't see how they could blow large sums of cash on something that will probably return them very little in the short term.

Besides all that, I would hate to see it happen because I think a healthy rivalry between these two companies is a good, good thing. A death blow to DC would be bad for the industry. If anything, Marvel should pitch in to help pay DC's lawyers.

[TheCorpulent1]

Superman's comics don't sell all that well, to be honest. If DC keeps pumping out event comics and weeklies, I think they'd be all right even without him.

Granted, that doesn't account for dumb fanboys who'd quit reading all their comics because Superman's gone.

[LexCorp]

Anyone here see that comic where they merged Superman and Captain America?

[iloveclones]

Originally Posted by TheCorpulent1

Superman's comics don't sell all that well, to be honest. If DC keeps pumping out event comics and weeklies, I think they'd be all right even without him.

Granted, that doesn't account for dumb fanboys who'd quit reading all their comics because Superman's gone.

But at the level of Superman, Batman, Spider-Man, the game is merchandising, not publishing. You go after something like this if you think it gives you a claim to any merchandising rights (I read through the article, and what DBM wrote, and I'm still scratching my head.....which is why I still work for a living.) Publishing is just the venue that they use to keep their characters out in the public eye (along with movies, cartoons, video games).

You're right that DC would still keep cranking it out, but it would be a blow to their psyches, and stature.