SDCC '18: Action Comics recognized as longest running superhero series by Guinness Book of World Records

Superman celebrates his 80th year of existence this year since he first appeared in the pages of "Action Comics #1" in 1938, and that iconic start presented by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster is recognized with a great honor presented to DC Comics co-publishers Dan DiDio and Jim Lee - who received from the Guinness World Records at the San Diego Comic Con the award for "longest running superhero series" of 80 years (As featured in the Superman Facebook page)

That is an impressive feat and a timely award for the Man Of Steel - who just got a new lease of comic life with a new "Superman" ongoing series by Brian Michael Bendis and Ivan Reis. Bendis is also writing "Action Comics" beginnining with issue #1001 coming next week.

Congratulations and Happy 80 years, Superman!

Report: Warner Bros./ DC Comics legally wins sole ownership of rights to Superman

After years of long court cases and discussions, Warner Bros. has won another major and possibly final decisive battle this November 21st, as Deadline reports that the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has affirmed earlier judgements that state that the company is the sole copyright owner to the character Superman and all of his derivatives, including the recently released film reboot helmed by Zack Snyder, Man Of Steel.

The case loomed in through a series of legal battles due to controversy surrounding the original deal made between WB/ DC Comics and the creators of the character, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. The deal gave Siegel and Shuster's heirs a lifetime sum in exchange for rights to the character, but those terms were challenged and brought to court over the years. Recently and almost a year ago, the court ruled in favor of WB/ DC over the Siegels. Now, the Shuster case has been decided similarly.

In what has certainly been a big year for the character thanks to his new movie and the celebration of his 75th Anniversary, now the world knows for certain that the rights are no longer challenged, and WB/ DC owns Superman legally.

For more information, visit the source post at Newsarama and Deadline.

Warner Bros. and DC Comics win big in latest Superman Rights case

The year of Man of Steel opens up in a big way for the movie's production studio Warner Bros., as the company and its own subsidiary DC Comics won big in the fight for the rights to the character Superman in the latest case against the heirs of one of the co-creators, Jerry Siegel.

Legal troubles threaten to divide Superman franchise...

This is both old and new news to hear about, and it will certainly affect the future of Superman in a big way.

As was reported by Variety, Slash Film, and Screen Rant, the ongoing legal battle between DC Comics and the estates of Superman's creators, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, may reach a point where both parties may have to split and retain certain rights and key elements to the character. What that basically means is that if things do not work out and both parties do not mutually agree to something, we may see the division of Superman entirely. He won't be wearing the iconic red, blue, and yellow costume everyone knew and grew up with due to copyright issues, and his origins may have to be changed somewhat, at least in the case of DC Universe that is. The phrase "Leaping Tall Buildings In A Single Bound" was coined by the creators, so that will go along with the costume baggage should a separation take place.

In essence, if all of this comes to pass where the respective rights revert back to their creators in 2013 (a year after Zack Snyder's Superman movie "Man of Steel" shows) we may see the birth of two distinctly different versions of "Superman". The Siegel and Shuster's estates own pretty much what makes up the original Superman when he debuted in the pages of Action Comics in 1938. DC still owns international rights, flying, and the villains attached to the character, so there may not be any obvious changes for the modern incarnation at least. However, anything new conjured up will set up grounds for another case again, and it limits both parties from exploring the alter ego of Kal-El/ Clark Kent in many other ways. For more on the story, you can visit Variety, Slash Film, or Screen Rant!