Comic Book Copyright Case Leaves Questions On Pre-1976 Freelancer Rights

The Supreme Court will not weigh in on a case that involves superheroes and asks whether freelancers can retain copyrights to work they sold before the Copyright Act of 1976 took effect. The case, pitting the estate of Jack Kirby – an artist who worked for Marvel and was key to developing the X Men, Thor, the Hulk, and other massively successful properties – versus the comic book brand’s parent company, Walt Disney. The settlement came just days before the Supreme Court was set to discuss taking up the case, and because its terms are undisclosed, many questions continue to linger on decades-old copyright.