Disney Sues Comic Book Artists Over Marvel Superhero Rights (1)

Walt Disney Co. has targeted several legendary comic book artists with lawsuits seeking to decisively establish that it owns the rights to Marvel superheroes they helped create.

The media giant, which acquired Marvel in 2009, on Friday sued Larry Lieber, who helped create the characters Iron Man, Thor and Ant-Man, and the estates of several other artists, including Spider-Man co-creator Steve Ditko and Black Widow co-creator Donald L. Heck. Disney asked federal courts in New York and Los Angeles to issue declaratory judgments that it alone owns the rights to those characters.

According to Disney, Lieber, the brother of late ...