Jack Kirby’s Estate prepares to sue Disney/Marvel.
Comics Rumormonger-In-Chief, Rich Johnston reports that holders of Jack Kirby’s Estate are preparing to sue Disney in reaction to the Mouse House’s acquisition of Marvel.
The legal action Kirby’s Estate has taken is serving notice that the blockbuster deal terminates copyright of all of Kirby’s creations with Marvel. Those creations being pretty obvious: the Fantastic Four, Captain America, The X-Men, Iron Man, Hulk, Thor and, well, you get the idea.
The Estate is using the same group of lawyers as the Siegels, Toberoff & Associates, who I would say has been fairly successful. Though Johnston, theorizes that if the lawsuit goes the family’s way the effects of it won’t be felt until 2014, when the Kirby’s could enter in negotiations to discuss the further use of the characters Jack worked on. Including all movie properties involving them. Which always struck me whenever Stan Lee would get an executive producer credit for his movies and Kirby did not.
Kirby has fought for years over the rights for his original creations, which he signed away when he was younger. One of those battles, was co-creating a series with Steve Gerber called Destroyer Duck to benefit Gerber’s legal fight with Marvel with regards to Howard the Duck.
Currently, Dynamite is preparing to publish a series of “Kirbyverse” books that the Estate has okay’d, featuring characters that Mr. Kirby worked on independently from Marvel and DC.
LOOK AT THIS: Ben Templesmith’s Wolverine.
We’re big fans of Ben Templesmith here. He does a frequent thing at his blog, where he’ll post a bit of art and describe his process with it. If you’re a budding artist I don’t think I could recommend a better site. Also, its probably the best source to see all things Choker.
Dr. Horrible hijacks the Emmys.
I was waiting with baited breath last night in hopes that Neil Patrick Harris’s evil counterpart, Dr. Horrible, would make an appearance at last night’s Emmys.
Just as I was suspected Joss Whedon’s creation did show up, and so did the entire cast of Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog, politely interrupting us from a bunch of boring accountants talking about how they tabulated the Emmy votes. Giving an acceptance speech, for an award that was apparently created just for him.
In other scifi related/Emmy news, Michael Emerson, who plays Benjamin Linus on Lost, won as well. He deserved the award, he is especially creepy and fantastic.