RJLF Triumphs Over Comic Giants: SUPER HERO Trademarks Open to Public Use
Reichman Jorgensen Lehman & Feldberg (RJLF) announced a landmark victory in their trademark case against comic industry giants Marvel and DC Comics. The firm obtained an order from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office canceling Marvel and DC’s SUPER HERO trademarks, and allowing their clients, S.J. Richold and Superbabies Limited, to freely use the term SUPER HERO.
This judgment marks a transformative moment, as SUPER HERO now enters the public domain, free from corporate ownership. This outcome empowers creators and companies worldwide to harness a term that has for generations been synonymous with heroism and creativity.
RJLF challenged the exclusivity of the SUPER HERO trademarks after DC attempted to block Richold’s efforts to promote The Super Babies—a team of superpowered superhero babies. In its blockbuster cancellation petition, RJLF charted the history of the SUPER HERO trademarks and showed how Marvel and DC used the marks to stifle competition and oust small and independent comic creators.
Adam Adler, lead counsel for Superbabies, stated: “Securing this result is not just a win for our client but a victory for creativity and innovation. By establishing SUPER HEROES’ place in the public domain, we safeguard it as a symbol of heroism available to all storytellers.”
Reflecting on the victory, RJLF client S.J. Richold explained, “Superhero stories teach us to stick up for the little guy, so it’s only fitting that the liberation of SUPER HEROES would come at the hands of The Super Babies—the littlest of them all. My hope is that this victory will encourage smaller companies to share their stories with the world.”
About Reichman Jorgensen Lehman & Feldberg LLP
Reichman Jorgensen Lehman & Feldberg LLP (RJLF) is an elite national trial firm that handles high-stakes commercial, intellectual property, and white collar disputes. The firm is majority women-owned, reinventing the practice of law without the billable hour in favor of fee arrangements that align client interests. RJLF’s attorneys are diverse, exceptionally credentialed, and passionate about trial advocacy. From offices in Silicon Valley, New York, Washington, D.C., Austin, and Atlanta, the firm tries cases and argues appeals throughout the country. Visit reichmanjorgensen.com to learn more.
