Jack Kirby Estate Update: Marvel To Settle Lawsuit

For years, there has been an ongoing legal battle between the estate (heirs) of comics LEGEND Jack Kirby and Marvel Comics.  Apparently this morning, just a few days before this battle was to be waged in the Supreme Court, both sides have come to an agreement.

“Marvel and the family of Jack Kirby have amicably resolved their legal disputes, and are looking forward to advancing their shared goal of honoring Mr. Kirby’s significant role in Marvel’s history.”

The initial legal case was surrounding the heir’s rights to issue termination notices for 262 works that the comic legend helped create between 1958 and 1963.  These 45 notices went out to Marvel (Disney now owns the Comics company), Fox, Sony, Universal and Paramount Pictures and others who’ve made films based on the artist’s characters under the provisions of the 1976 Copyright Act. Marvel sued in 2010, after failing to reach an agreement back then with the Kirby family to invalidate the termination notices. Jack passed away in 1994.

(Deadline actually has a really good write up on all this, with more details pertaining to the specifics of the case.)  DL goes on to say that SCOTUS agreed to take the case into conference to consider if they would actually hear it. That conference, where the nine Justices would ostensibly be sitting around talking about comic as well as copyright, was scheduled for September 29. The Kirby family and their legal point had a lot of support and not just among the fanboys.  SAG-AFTRA, the WGA and the DGA back in June submitted an amicus brief to the High Court in favor of having the Kirbys’ petition granted.