Superman heirs lose copyright battle to DC Comics

Superman was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster in 1933. They sold the copyright to Superman to Detective Comics (which became DC Comics) back in 1938 for $130 and other considerations.

In 1978, copyright law was changed to allow copyright owners to revert their copyrights back after 35 years. Siegel and Shuster’s families traveled a long legal road in an attempt to do just that. But that road just ended last week, when the Supreme Court declined to hear their appeal.

This is a complex and fascinating story.