National Comics Publications, Inc. v. Fawcett Publications, Inc.

Error creating thumbnail:

Shazam-no-1

National Comics Publications, Inc. v. Fawcett Publications, Inc. was a landmark legal case in the history of comic books and intellectual property law. The case was decided in 1951 and involved a dispute between National Comics Publications, the predecessor of DC Comics, and Fawcett Publications, the publisher of Captain Marvel.

Background

National Comics Publications was the publisher of Superman, one of the most popular and influential comic book characters of all time. Fawcett Publications published Captain Marvel, a character who bore some similarities to Superman. National Comics Publications claimed that Captain Marvel was an infringement on their copyright and trademark of Superman.

Legal Proceedings

The case was first filed in 1941, but it took a decade to reach a conclusion. National Comics Publications argued that Captain Marvel was a direct copy of Superman, citing similarities in their powers, costumes, and storylines. Fawcett Publications countered that the similarities were superficial and that Captain Marvel was a distinct character.

Court Decision

In 1951, the court ruled in favor of National Comics Publications. The court found that Captain Marvel was indeed an infringement on Superman's copyright. As a result, Fawcett Publications was ordered to cease publication of Captain Marvel comics.

Impact

The decision had a significant impact on the comic book industry. Fawcett Publications eventually stopped publishing comic books altogether. The case also set a precedent for future intellectual property disputes in the comic book industry.

Related Pages

• DC Comics
• Superman (comic book)
• Captain Marvel (DC Comics)
• Copyright
• Trademark
• Intellectual property law