Ruling That Heirs of Superman Creators Signed Away Termination Rights Affirmed

A federal district court did not err in ruling that the heirs of the creators of Superman had signed away their termination rights in a 1992 agreement and thus could not seek to recapture ownership of rights assigned to DC Comics, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled Nov. 21 in an opinion designated as not for publication (DC Comics v. Pac. Pictures Corp., 9th Cir., 12-57245, 11/21/13).

Affirming summary judgment in favor of the comic book publisher, the court said that any termination rights that might have existed prior to 1978 had been extinguished ...