A recent court ruling has decided to revoke Marvel and DC’s joint ownership of the trademarked phrase “SUPER HERO.”
The ruling was the result of an objection by independent comic artist SJ Richold and the company Superbabies Limited. Recently the Superbabies comic faced opposition from DC comics for their use of the word superhero, prompting a review of the phrase’s trademark status.
Thanks to the work of law firm Reichman Jorgensen Lehman & Feldbergthe court decided to remove the trademark. Especially since Marvel and DC spared no effort to defend their property.
Richold’s argument was that the term “SUPER HERO” has become genre-defining, and that Marvel and DC’s ownership has been used to suppress independent creators and eliminate competition.
You can read the full statement here.
While the superhero genre has done a great job of avoiding the trademark, this will ideally allow creators to use the term freely without fear of repercussions from DC or Disney.