Alex Ross' new series Superpowers

[StrangeVisitor]

Has anyone seen this? Alex Ross' upcoming series Superpowers will be using a lot of Golden Age characters like the Black Terror, the Leav Gleason version of Daredevil (here called 'Devil),& the Green Lama among others. A little before my time but I always like to see the GA charcters gets brought back in new stories (or even homages like Terra Obscura by America's Best Comics).



http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=121397

[The Toyroom]

Looks interesting! I've been thinking about quite a few of these old GA guys lately as a matter of fact...

[kingdom warrior]

Looks right up his Alley...I'm a Huge Golden Age fan so I can't wait!

http://www.newsarama.com/dynamitenew/Superpowers/Superpowers.jpg

[The Toyroom]

I hope this project doesn't get bogged down with tons of confusion like "Justice" had a tendency to do....

I wonder who the public domain villains are for this?

[thunderbolt]

looks interesting, I just hope it has better pacing than Justice. AC Comics is going to be mad, like they were when Alan Moore used a bunch of those characters in Tom Strong.

[Earth 2 Chris]

wonder who the public domain villains are for this?

There's the Claw to the left of Green Lama.

Chris

[brineb]

looks interesting, I just hope it has better pacing than Justice. AC Comics is going to be mad, like they were when Alan Moore used a bunch of those characters in Tom Strong.

That's the first thing I thought. I have my comic shop order every AC title for me, it does get confusing to people to have different companies using the same characters. Having said that, I am looking forward to Ross' take on them.

[EMCE Hammer]

That's the first thing I thought. I have my comic shop order every AC title for me, it does get confusing to people to have different companies using the same characters. Having said that, I am looking forward to Ross' take on them.

Alex Ross could make Foilman look beautiful. I have been out of the details of comics for the most part - how is it that other companies besides AC can use the characters? Did they lapse into public domain, and that's how AC got them in this first place?

[Sandlantern]

I'm looking forward to this! Should be interesting what comes out...

[Cosmicman]

I hope this project doesn't get bogged down with tons of confusion like "Justice" had a tendency to do....

I wonder who the public domain villains are for this?

OMG! That Justice book lost my interest after issue number 8. It had a really good start and the art seemed to be ok. Too bad it went to suckville so fast. I had high hopes for that book.

[Airdave817]

There were a couple of things (to start) with Justice that I'm still scratching my head over. Including nearly every Silver Age hero possible - where was Deadman, Captain Comet, or Adam Strange? If it had just focused on the League, that would have been fine, gut including the Metal Men, the Doom Patrol, the Teen Titans, and all of the League supporting characters was just a little overwhelming.

Unless of course there is a Justice Teen Titans figure set. Then I'm okay with the whole story.

And what was that the Joker was doing over the last couple of issues, and what did it have to do with anything?

[The Toyroom]

^ Yeah me too...I stuck with it through the whole thing but it ended up being a gigantic mess by the end...

[Earth 2 Chris]

Unless of course there is a Justice Teen Titans figure set. Then I'm okay with the whole story.

Amen! We need a 6" Teen Wonder Robin!

I haven't got issue #12 in yet, but I'm guessing I'll be scratching my head too. I'm thinking in the end Justice will be a print comic version of all of these fan-made comic movies. Fanfic with some great visuals.

Chris

[samurainoir]

Looks right up his Alley...I'm a Huge Golden Age fan so I can't wait!

http://www.newsarama.com/dynamitenew/Superpowers/Superpowers.jpg

I recognize the characters like American Crusader, Miss Masque, Pyroman, Black Terror etc that appeared in the ABC Terra Obscura comics, and the newsarama article identified Fox Feature's Samson and The Green Lama I know is from pulps and radio.

Who is the Fire-guy to the left and the Blue Moth looking guy (kind of looks like the offspring of The Tick and his sidekick Arthur!).
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looks interesting, I just hope it has better pacing than Justice. AC Comics is going to be mad, like they were when Alan Moore used a bunch of those characters in Tom Strong.

I'm just curious where AC Comics expressed that the were mad that Alan Moore used these characters in his ABC line.

It seems rather ridiculous given the fact that they nicked them from the Public Domain as well. It would be like Disney being upset that Fables is using Pinoccio, Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, Snow White, etc.

I think this really does make for an interesting landscape with the wide use of Public Domain Superheroes. Black Terror was used by Eclipse in the post-Dark Knight eighties, and Alan Moore had such a unique take on the character in Terra Obscura. It looks like Ross and co are going for a different take on BT than the other two.

[ZICA]

I'm a huge fan of Alex Ross but looking at the artwork I'm starting to notice that most of his male characters have a similar facial structure. For example, the guy in flames looks like Superman from Justice, only in a different costume.

[Earth 2 Chris]

I'm a huge fan of Alex Ross but looking at the artwork I'm starting to notice that most of his male characters have a similar facial structure. For example, the guy in flames looks like Superman from Justice, only in a different costume.

That's because Ross uses essentially the same models for every project. But it does seem it's getting more obvious to spot the same model from project to project. I think he used to alter their faces more or something. He used most of the same models for Marvels and Kingdom Come, but I didn't notice such blaring similarities.


Chris

[aquatroy]

Who is the Fire-guy to the left and the Blue Moth looking guy (kind of looks like the offspring of The Tick and his sidekick Arthur!).

The yellow cat in flames is ... The Flame. He's another Fox character. I'm guessing that the blue armored "moth" looking character is a new take on the Blue Beetle. BB is one of those characters with really screwed up copyright histories.

I can't identify the purple guy in the upper right hand corner. Could he be the Black Owl or The Fantom of the Fair?

[StrangeVisitor]

I'm guessing that the blue armored "moth" looking character is a new take on the Blue Beetle. BB is one of those characters with really screwed up copyright histories.

He might be, Ross used the armor design for BB in some sketches for Kingdom Come (or a proposed sequel, can't recall). He could also be a redesign of Better comics the Scarab. I'm not sure of this because Ross seems to be sticking fairly close to the charcter's original costume design.


I can't identify the purple guy in the upper right hand corner. Could he be the Black Owl or The Fantom of the Fair?

My guess is Dell comics - the Owl. The guy between him and the Green Lama is The Face by Columbia comics. Beside Samson is The Arrow - by Centaur comics.

[The Toyroom]

When does this debut? How many issues is it?

[thunderbolt]

AC had something planned with some of the same characters Moore used. If AC would take advantage of stuff like this and print some nice COLOR collections of the original books, maybe they would make some money. The black and white and ever shrinking in size while growing in price AC books turned me off a while ago.
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The yellow cat in flames is ... The Flame. He's another Fox character. I'm guessing that the blue armored "moth" looking character is a new take on the Blue Beetle. BB is one of those characters with really screwed up copyright histories.

I can't identify the purple guy in the upper right hand corner. Could he be the Black Owl or The Fantom of the Fair?

On the beetle looking guy, Nedor/Better hd a character named the Scarab, could be a rework of him.

[Captain]

As some of you have surmised, AC --who have legally owned the trademarks to most of these characters since the early eighties--are not happy!...nuff said for now.

I do agree with you on the color bit too TBolt. Seeing this artwork really makes one think of what AC could do with these characters.

The flying blue guy in the top corner is definately the Owl---check out his chest logo---dont know where his plane is though? Shiny Blue fellar does appear to be a rework of the Scarab, who was a very close rip off of the Blue Beetle anyways...or did Beetle rip him off....either way, they are the same flavor of soda in slightly different cans.

[thunderbolt]

^^^ AC could really benefit from this if they were smart, but their marketing doesn't seem to want to take adavantage of these sort of opportunities. Sure, its expensive to do color, but it would be worth the risk, and I really think there is a market for non DC/Marvel Archive type material.

[samurainoir]

So an example of a trademark would be like Marvel owning the trademark to the title Captain Marvel, which does not stop DC from publishing a comic book featuring the Original Captain Marvel under Shazam, only the use of the CM title?

So Miss Masque being in the public domain, AC owns the trademark to the Miss Masque comic book title since they last published that title, which does not prevent Dynamite from publishing a comic featuring the public domain Miss Masque character as long as it's not under the a comic book titled Miss Masque?

Does this mean MacFarlane owns the trademark to the title Black Terror in the Eclipse buyout?


As some of you have surmised, AC --who have legally owned the trademarks to most of these characters since the early eighties--are not happy!...nuff said for now.

I do agree with you on the color bit too TBolt. Seeing this artwork really makes one think of what AC could do with these characters.

The flying blue guy in the top corner is definately the Owl---check out his chest logo---dont know where his plane is though? Shiny Blue fellar does appear to be a rework of the Scarab, who was a very close rip off of the Blue Beetle anyways...or did Beetle rip him off....either way, they are the same flavor of soda in slightly different cans.

[brineb]

Alex Ross could make Foilman look beautiful. I have been out of the details of comics for the most part - how is it that other companies besides AC can use the characters? Did they lapse into public domain, and that's how AC got them in this first place?

They are in public domain, but AC has been using them for years. I know it's 100% legal to do this, but I just feel bad for small publishers. Bill Black really loves the characters, that is his motivation, he really isn't getting rich off of it.

[Captain]

Some of these characters, AC just publishes reprints of (and they pop up in the odd story here and there). Others, like Black Terror, Fighting Yank, Green Lama, and Miss Masque were legally trademarked by AC back in the eighties.

I'm not 100% sure just how that all works in the USA, as it seems everybody and their dog has just decided to run all over the trademark laws and publish the characters anyways?

On another front, I understand DC may be just as unhappy about the swiping of their Superpowers copyright. AC is a small, almost literally, mom and pop organization....a small threat to Dynamite. DC is massive, and could wipe the floor with Dynamite before the Dynamite folks know what hit them!

This book may get toasted before it sees the light of day!

[saildog]

I've started and stopped on many new titles. I kinda gave up and decided to settle on just collecting Bronze Age Comics. However, I will give this a try. Thanks for the heads up, it looks like it has a lot of promise!

[The Toyroom]

On another front, I understand DC may be just as unhappy about the swiping of their Superpowers copyright. AC is a small, almost literally, mom and pop organization....a small threat to Dynamite. DC is massive, and could wipe the floor with Dynamite before the Dynamite folks know what hit them!

This book may get toasted before it sees the light of day!


I was wondering myself how the title was going to fly by DC unnoticed...:smiley1: I think the phrases "super powers" and "super-heroes" are so closely identified with DC (and Marvel) that I'm a little surprised that Ross wouldn't have come up with some thing else. Since these are Golden Age characters I think "Mystery Men" or something along those lines would have been more appropriate. To tell the truth, when I saw the title of this post I assumed that Ross was tackling the old Super Powers mini-series done by Jack Kirby!

[samurainoir]

Some of these characters, AC just publishes reprints of (and they pop up in the odd story here and there). Others, like Black Terror, Fighting Yank, Green Lama, and Miss Masque were legally trademarked by AC back in the eighties.

I'm not 100% sure just how that all works in the USA, as it seems everybody and their dog has just decided to run all over the trademark laws and publish the characters anyways?

On another front, I understand DC may be just as unhappy about the swiping of their Superpowers copyright. AC is a small, almost literally, mom and pop organization....a small threat to Dynamite. DC is massive, and could wipe the floor with Dynamite before the Dynamite folks know what hit them!

This book may get toasted before it sees the light of day!

Just seeing where you are getting your information on Trademark and Copyright (these are different things from my understanding). I'm assuming that it's speculation on your part that "DC isn't happy", or do you have a source?

If Black Terror was trademarked by AC back in the eighties, how did Eclipse publish this one...
http://www.flyingfistranch.com/images/brand/blackterror1.jpg

Did AC ever publish a Comic Book actually entitled "Black Terror" to establish a Trademark or were the reprints in another title? Americomics?

My understanding is that "SuperPowers" can't be copyrighted... it exists as a trademark. If that trademark isn't used or defended within a set time-frame, then that trade-mark is lapsed and up for grabs. Which is the situation when Marvel recently found themselves in when they tried to revive The Champions as a tittle... the trademark had gone over to someone else when Marvel did not bother to defend it, so the title announced as The Champions has become The Order.

http://image.milehighcomics.com/istore/images/fullsize/15851278838.1.GIF

http://image.milehighcomics.com/istore/images/fullsize/15857073140.1.GIF

When was the last time SuperPowers was used as a comic book? The eighties? How long does it take for a trademark to lapse?
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Since these are Golden Age characters I think "Mystery Men" or something along those lines would have been more appropriate.

Bob Burden has the Mystery Men trademark sewn up doesn't he? Particularly since it jumped over to a movie property?

http://www.flamingcarrot.com/MysteryMen/Mysterymen2_50.jpg

http://images.darkhorse.com/entertainment/projects/posters/mysterymen.jpg
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Let's look at it this way, Wizard of Oz is public domain.

ANYBODY can publish their version of Wizard of Oz and pretty much the only thing you are able to retain the rights for if you publish the original text is your own unique book design.

So just because you reprint public domain superheroes like Black Terror, Miss Masque etc, shouldn't mean you've gained the trademark. In theory anyone can reprint those exact same stories. "Love" does not give you any more right to it than anyone else. And who is to say that Alex Ross et al don't "Love" these characters as much as the owners of AC Comics? How do you even measure that?

[thunderbolt]

I'd have to think that a company like Dynamite, that is very used to copyrights due to all the liscensed stuff they publish, would have made sure this project was ok legally before going ahead with it.

[The Toyroom]

Interesting about Marvel's Champions...didn't know that.

As for "Mystery Men" I forgot about the Bob Burden characters. But I still think it's closer in description to the characters Ross is using rather than "Superpowers". Too bad DC already published under the title "The Golden Age"...that would have been appropriate here as well.

[kingdom warrior]

^^^ AC could really benefit from this if they were smart, but their marketing doesn't seem to want to take adavantage of these sort of opportunities. Sure, its expensive to do color, but it would be worth the risk, and I really think there is a market for non DC/Marvel Archive type material.

I've spoken to Bill Black over the years He's a great guy and Publishes what he wants to Publish most of it coming out of his own pocket. He Loves the Golden Age and it's easier and inexpensive to Publish this kind of stuff also light on the pocket I'd rather get B&W reprints than pay for an expensive hardcover book.

Plus if you wanted your kids to read these stories it won't cost much.

As for him cashing in on this He's not going to make a killing so he would just make available what he already has.

[Earth 2 Chris]

As far as DC and Super Powers, they are using that title and old logo again somewhat. My son has a pair of Super Powers pajamas he got at TRU a few months back. I don't know how that impacts comic publishing, but DC is still "defending it" in some arenas.

Chris