Sunday, September 29, 2024

US Trademark Office Cancels Marvel, DC's 'Super Hero' Marks

A U.S. Trademark Office tribunal has canceled a set of "Super Hero" trademarks jointly owned by comic giants Marvel and DC at the request of a London-based comic book artist, according to a Thursday order.

Posted by LampLighter at 01:32 PM | 6 COMMENTS | permalink

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... The USPTO's Trademark Trial and Appeal Board ruled for S.J. Richold's Superbabies Ltd, opens new tab after Disney's (DIS.N), opens new tab Marvel and Warner Bros' (WBD.O), opens new tab DC did not file an answer to Superbabies' request to invalidate the marks.

Spokespeople and attorneys for Marvel and DC did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Superbabies attorney Adam Adler of Reichman Jorgensen Lehman & Feldberg said in a statement that the ruling was "not just a win for our client but a victory for creativity and innovation."

"By establishing SUPER HEROES' place in the public domain, we safeguard it as a symbol of heroism available to all storytellers," Adler said.

Rivals Marvel and DC jointly own four federal trademarks covering the terms "Super Hero" and "Super Heroes," the oldest of which dates back to 1967. ...


#1 | Posted by LampLighter at 2024-09-28 06:49 PM

OK, I'll admit that I did not read the legal stuff behind this decision, but based upon the article, it seems to me that DC/Marvel may have gotten a bit too aggressive in claiming trademark infringement with any character descriptions starting with the word "super" and, as a result lost their "Super Hero" trademark(s).

fwiw, I am not a lawyer...



#2 | Posted by LampLighter at 2024-09-28 06:53 PM

We really need a rule that no trademark may consist solely of English words. You want a trademark, you get to make up something stupid-sounding, not try to steal words from the rest of us.

In any case, this is another one that should never have been granted in the first place.

#3 | Posted by DarkVader at 2024-09-29 02:49 PM

"The" Ohio State

#4 | Posted by LegallyYourDead at 2024-09-30 03:09 AM

"The" Ohio State

#4 | Posted by LegallyYourDead

Do you or anyone else know why the need to qualify it as "The" Ohio State.

Was there an identically named institution vying to be the preeminent Ohio State? LOL

#5 | Posted by AMERICANUNITY at 2024-09-30 04:09 AM

All I know is they tried to trademark "The".

Ridiculous.

#6 | Posted by LegallyYourDead at 2024-09-30 05:37 AM

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