Nonetheless, an outcome affirming the Siegel claim is not a slam-dunk. Getting appellate validation for the Siegel termination claim would be a quick, high-profile way to shift momentum back to the heirs–ostensibly to increase DC’s incentive to settle, but perhaps also to renew Siegel Larson’s own commitment to a seemingly neverending courtroom battle. Besides the fallout from this lawsuit, a prolonged and expensive war of attrition over the unresolved issues in apportioning profits also tends to the favor DC. The Siegel and Shuster heirs taken some serious PR and legal hits in the separate DC lawsuit challenging Toberoff’s financial interest in the disputed properties, and Toberoff’s argument for an appeal includes a direct reference to a desire to resolve certain issues raised in the case–in particular, arguments concerning the Shuster heir’s purported stake in Superman. The decision to move forward so quickly reflects a court strategy discussed in this case document, which provides the legal arguments for having the appellate court determine (a) whether the termination of copyright was indeed valid and (b) which Superman works the Siegels recaptured.įrom the Siegel perspective, triggering an appeal on these select issues is a counterstrike to a revitalized DC offensive. What may seem even more surprising is the party that called for an expedited review before all of the issues in the case were resolved: none other than the remaining Siegel heir, Laura Siegel Larson herself. The timing of this appeal is somewhat unusual, given the fact that a number of issues in the case remain unresolved. An appeal of the Siegel’s recapture of the copyright is now on the docket of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, with briefing set for November through January. The landmark federal district court decisions awarding the Siegel heirs half of the copyright in early Superman material were indeed historic, but they were not the end of the story. A mysterious appeal, Joe Shuster’s super-swastika and the final crisis of the legal multiverse–this one has it all.
For an explanation and a sneak preview of Morrison’s new book, click below. Morrison’s upcoming Supergods holds the key to understanding why.
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