Disney's Marvel Ends Legal Battle With Family Of Superhero Creator

(RTTNews) - Marvel Entertainment, a wholly-owned unit of The Walt Disney Co. (DIS) on Friday said it has resolved its copyright dispute with the family of artist Jack Kirby, the creator of legendary superheroes such as Spider-Man, Iron Man and the Incredible Hulk. The settlement was reached, ahead of the case's review by the Supreme Court.

Both the parties released a joint statement revealing that a settlement has been made:

"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 copyright battle began in 2009, when the heirs of the late comic book artist wanted to terminate Marvel's license renewals for the characters in comics published from 1958 to 1963. Marvel filed a case in January 2010 and argued that Kirby's drawings were work-for-hire and hence belonged to the company.

Later, the family appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court in March to review their case, following an unfavorable ruling from both a federal judge in New York and a federal appeals court.

Kirby, who died in 1994 was also the co-creator of Fantastic Four and the Avengers.