Marvel And Estate Of Steve Ditko Reach Mutually Agreeable Settlement

Marvel's legal battle over the rights to Spider-Man and Doctor Strange seems to be coming to an end. Attorneys representing the company and the estate of Steve Ditko have informed the court that they have reached a mutually agreeable settlement. They anticipate filing a stipulation of dismissal with prejudice in the upcoming weeks.

This dispute originated in 2021 when Marvel faced copyright termination notices from Larry Lieber and the estates of Gene Colan, Steve Ditko, Don Heck, and Don Rico. Numerous characters, including Iron Man, Captain America, Black Widow, Hulk, and Thor, were involved in the lawsuits. By June, all but one of the cases had been resolved.

The final disagreement centered around the rights of Ditko's heirs, who co-created Spider-Man and Doctor Strange. The estate sought to reclaim rights to comics such as Amazing Fantasy (which featured Spider-Man's debut in 1962) and Strange Tales (which marked Doctor Strange's first appearance in 1963). The termination notices also encompassed any associated characters, story elements, or indicia related to the works.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter