Escape from 1700 Broadway, NY, NY

Scott Dunbier's editor gig with DC has expired, allowing him to finally edit again! Confusing? That's the nature of modern corporate politics.

You can read about DCs twisted Dilbert thinking here and here. He wasn't fired, he was just told to stay away from the office while he continued to get paid. He'll now be at IDW. It'll be good to have him back in comics again.

As most of the real comics geeks already know, DC had to give partial ownership of Superman to the Siegel family. People who think this is unjust are plain wrong.

When Siegel and Shuster created Superman in the 1930s, copyright on a character could only continue for 56 years, maximum. So by the rules of the game, DC was going to lose their ownership in 1995.

Siegel and Shuster did sign a release giving the company Superman "to have and hold forever," but this doesn't supersede copyright law. DC still couldn't own the character past 1995.

In the 70s, revised copyright laws allowed people and companies to extend their copyrights beyond 56 years. In fairness to creators who had sold off their rights, they were given a chance to claim ownership on the extended copyright. That's what Jerry Siegel's heirs did.

So don't complain that the Siegels shouldn't get a share of Superman. By the rules of 1939, DC shouldn't have a share either.

Anyhow, congratulations to the Dunbiers and the Siegels! I declare today Scott Free day!