The New York Times talks with Joe Simon, at 94 one of the last of the Golden Age creators. Simon, who once sued for ownership of Captain America, the character he co-created for Timely, has a few comments on the recent developments in the Siegel/Superman case:
“That’s great,” the bespectacled Mr. Simon said. “Jerry Siegel started it,” he added, referring to the effort by Mr. Siegel’s wife and daughter in 1997 to secure the copyright to Superman. (Under a 1976 law, heirs can recover the rights to their relatives’ creations under certain circumstances. Mr. Siegel died in 1996 without major compensation for his character.) That family’s stand inspired Mr. Simon’s own claim to Captain America in 1999.
“We always felt ‘we wuz robbed,’ as Joe Jacobs, the boxing promoter, used to say,” Mr. Simon said of his dispute over the ownership of Captain America, which he settled out of court with Marvel in 2003. He said his royalties for merchandising and licensing use of the hero now help pay his legal bills from the case.
Does anybody else find it strange that it’s Todd McFarlane that talks about rapacious publishers in this article?
God, that headline scared the hell out of me. I thought it was a lead-in to another RIP. We’ve already had too many of those this year.
I want a closer look at that painting he’s holding in the photo.
Ed, I thought it was odd that they interviewed McFarlane at all, and that they went off on that tangent promo for his supposed new series.
that’s sad. So all the money he won in his lawsuit, ultimately went towards…..paying for his lawsuit? O.o
I am happy that Mr. Simon is still with us.
I read a fascinating and detailed interview with Simon in a very recent issue of Alter Ego. He has street smarts, and a really good attitude. Worth picking up a copy of issue 76 or the pdf version from TwoMorrows. http://twomorrows.com
David and I swung out with him a couple of weeks ago….well, we actually just kicked back in his apt. He is ALIVE and well but he also told us he was very tired.
He is the best! He reflected upon the past and had some awesome stories to tell about working with Jack and Stan….Oh sooo funny.
He is very approachable, loves to talk and has a larger than life sense of humor!
Hugs, Kisses and BIG LOVE to you Joe!