“I just reached a settlement with Marvel over a character rights issue from David (Michelinie) and my days on Iron Man. Thx, Gary (Friedrich) for paving the way!”
— Comics creator Bob Layton on Twitter (see original tweet below, or read it here). Taken with the Ghost Rider settlement between Gary Friedrich and Marvel mentioned in Layton’s tweet, does this indicate that Marvel and Disney are putting their house in order when it comes to intellectual property rights for creators?
Related articles
- Settlement reached in Marvel ‘Ghost Rider’ lawsuit (jsonline.com)
- Marvel Settles Copyright Case Over ‘Ghost Rider’ (variety.com)
- Marvel WON’T Lose The Rights To GHOST RIDER After Settling Lawsuit With Gary Friedrich (comicbookmovie.com)
- Ghost Rider legal battle settled (bbc.co.uk)
- Marvel, Gary Friedrich Agree to Ghost Rider Settlement (comicbookresources.com)
- Marvel Reaches Settlements with Gary Friedrich, Bob Layton (comicsbeat.com)
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Paul O'Connor
Kris (not Chris)
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Longbox Graveyard 
I think we’re seeing Disney trying to clean up ownership questions and royalty issues for the Marvel properties so they can avoid a legal battle with a couple dozen creators and not leave the question of work-for-hire to the mercy of the court system. I hope that Gary Friedrich and Bob Layton are just the first two on a long list. It’s too bad Blade and Howard the Duck were settled a while ago.
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It’s like one of those Westerns where a mystery bidder is buying up plots of desert all over the place, but no one can see that the railroad is coming to town!
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Dear Marvel,
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE solve the ownership issues involving ROM? I want reprints, at the least, and a big-budget movie at the most!
SIncerely,
Professor Alan
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We’re getting a Rocket Raccoon movie — anything is possible, Prof!
(Aside maybe from a decent big-screen version of Doctor Doom!)
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