Re: "Superman" Termination rulings?

http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=7054 "In addition, here's an even trickier situation - DC currently still owns a trademark on Superboy, so no one can publish a comic using the name Superboy, even if they owned the copyright to the character!"

Is this correct? what's the point of copyright if a trademark is a stronger legal entity. You can trademark a word and an image design, so surely that leaves copyright impotent

Does this mean that a trademark protects Infringer's? Is there anyway that this could be overturned in a court or will DC comics have the last say on this? surely this cant be right

Regards

Jake

Can someone please explain how a trademark can stop a copyright that predates it? ----- Original Message -----
From: "Terry Carroll" <carroll[_at_]tjc.com>
To: "CNI-COPYRIGHT -- Copyright & Intellectual Property" <CNI-COPYRIGHT[_at_]cni.org> Sent: Thursday, April 20, 2006 10:55 PM
Subject: [CNI-(C)] "Superman" Termination rulings?

> Does anyone by any chance have a copy of the recent ruling on the Siegel
> family's efforts to terminate the transfer of the "Superman" copyright?
>
> Some recent news articles:
>
> http://www.localtechwire.com/article.cfm?u=13782
> http://news.awn.com/index.php?ltype=top&newsitem_no=16613
> http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=7054
>
> The order reportedly was issued March 23 by Judge Harold S. Lew (referred
> to in one article as a judge of the "Ninth Circuit District Court").
>
>
> #############################################################
> This message is sent to you because you are subscribed to
> the mailing list <CNI-COPYRIGHT[_at_]cni.org>.
> To unsubscribe, E-mail to: <CNI-COPYRIGHT-off[_at_]cni.org>
> To switch to the DIGEST mode, E-mail to <CNI-COPYRIGHT-digest[_at_]cni.org>
> To switch to the INDEX mode, E-mail to <CNI-COPYRIGHT-index[_at_]cni.org>
> To postpone your subscription, E-mail to <CNI-COPYRIGHT-null[_at_]cni.org>
> To resume mail list message delivery from postpone mode, E-mail to <CNI-COPYRIGHT-feed[_at_]cni.org>
> Send administrative queries to <CNI-COPYRIGHT-request[_at_]cni.org>
>
> Visit the CNI-COPYRIGHT e-mail list archive at <https://mail2.cni.org/Lists/CNI-COPYRIGHT/>.
>
>
>
> --
> No virus found in this incoming message.
> Checked by AVG Free Edition.
> Version: 7.1.385 / Virus Database: 268.4.4/319 - Release Date: 19/04/2006
>
>
Received on Sat Apr 22 2006 - 04:15:01 GMT