CBR: Warner Brothers Sues "Superman" Lawyer

[CBR News]

The entertainment giant files suit against Mark Toberoff, the lawyer who's been representing the heirs of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, in a bid to keep the rights to Superman


Full article here.

[WorstThingUS]

Well, at least we know why they're too busy to sue that Batman porno...

[dumbstruck]

The entertainment giant files suit against Mark Toberoff, the lawyer who's been representing the heirs of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, in a bid to keep the rights to Superman


Full article here.

I have to wonder how much more money WB has spent in lawsuits than if they had actually settled and paid up.

[Judge-Dredd]

If Warner loses the rights (which i doubt they will) will anything happen to the current Superman comics?

[Leocomix]

This kind of strong-arm tactic seems more adequate to their gangster origins.

[saidestroyer]

Get a job, Siegels!

[Den]

You stay classy, Warner Brothers.*








*Yes, that's sarcasm.

[KevinTBrown]

Going off topic for a sec...

Well, at least we know why they're too busy to sue that Batman porno...

Warner Bros. is probably waiting until they're 100% done with it and spent all the money making it before blocking its release.


Back on topic.

This is a RISKY move by WB. After reading the article at Deadline.com, it seems as if WB has something huge to hold over Toberoff. It may be a "classless move", but apparently, unless a judge says otherwise, a legal one.

[vitruvian]

Going off topic for a sec...
Warner Bros. is probably waiting until they're 100% done with it and spent all the money making it before blocking its release.


Back on topic.

This is a RISKY move by WB. After reading the article at Deadline.com, it seems as if WB has something huge to hold over Toberoff. It may be a "classless move", but apparently, unless a judge says otherwise, a legal one.

It sounds like they're claiming that Toberoff is getting paid for working this case, not in direct fees or a percentage of any damages the Siegel and Shuster heirs may obtain, but rather in a percentage interest in the reverted copyrights. Even if that is the case, though, I'm not sure that it would constitute a conflict of interest between Toberoff as a lawyer and his clients, since winning is still in both their interests financially, and without continuing the suit the heirs would not stand to gain anything.

And even if it constitutes a conflict of interest between Toberoff and the heirs for some reason I can't fathom at this point, I don't see where it touches the underlying merits of the copyright case itself or prevents the heirs from just hiring another lawyer. It seems doubtful that there's just nobody else in the same class as Toberoff when it comes to this sort of litigation.

[dewey412]

Going off topic for a sec...
Warner Bros. is probably waiting until they're 100% done with it and spent all the money making it before blocking its release.


Back on topic.

This is a RISKY move by WB. After reading the article at Deadline.com, it seems as if WB has something huge to hold over Toberoff. It may be a "classless move", but apparently, unless a judge says otherwise, a legal one.

The movie is done, and is released next week....I heard pre-order sells are solid....

[Shurato2099]

It isn't so much that Toberhoff has a conflict of interests, which he doesn't have per se, but that by becoming a stakeholder in the case he has become an un-named litigant which is a pretty good-sized no-no in civil proceedings.

[Hromovlad]

If Warner loses the rights (which i doubt they will) will anything happen to the current Superman comics?

most likely cancelled

unless Warner would buy the rights back (which they most likely would)

[GozertheGozarian]

The movie is done, and is released next week....I heard pre-order sells are solid....

They couldn't stop the movie even if they wanted to. Parody is fair use.

[Thok]

Even if that is the case, though, I'm not sure that it would constitute a conflict of interest between Toberoff as a lawyer and his clients, since winning is still in both their interests financially, and without continuing the suit the heirs would not stand to gain anything.

If Toberoff is getting a cut of the royalties, it's possible that he's advising the Siegels to avoid a settlement out of his own self-interest (that is, if he was getting a fixed fee he might have advised the Siegels to settle already.)

[dewey412]

They couldn't stop the movie even if they wanted to. Parody is fair use.

Exactly...Heck, the comic companies do it all the time!!!

I am interested in the movie, but have no intention of going into an adult store for it!