Do Marvel and DC own the idea of superheroes?

[lundie]

I'm an animator and artist and i am currently working on a few ideas. I was wondering, do Marvel and DC comics own the idea of superheroes? I read somewhere that Super Heroes are trademarked by those companies and i don't really know whats that's suppose to mean? And now that i think about it, i don't know any superhero that is not owned by Marvel or DC?

[madison86]

I'm an animator and artist and i am currently working on a few ideas. I was wondering, do Marvel and DC comics own the idea of superheroes? I read somewhere that Super Heroes are trademarked by those companies and i don't really know whats that's suppose to mean? And now that i think about it, i don't know any superhero that is not owned by Marvel or DC?

Yes but it's kind off unsure. For example if you create a superhero that's so alike with superman then dc can sue you. But if you make a hero have some or all of supermans powers but has a whole different story and a different personality then you are not breaking the law. For example marvel own spiderman but dc has a villain that is so alike with spiderman that the villains name is crawler and can shot off like metall robes that look like webs and even has incredible agility but he does not have superpowers.

[sylvester37]

no. Image comics have Invincible, Dark Horse has Hellboy, IDW has the Ninja Turtles. But they do own the likeness, so you can't make one that's too similar to any they've already made.

[ailwyn]

No.

DC and Marvel own the rights to THEIR heroes. DC owns Batman and Marvel owns Spiderman. You can't just recreate them.

BUT- if you are going to make your own hero, new story line, new name, new powers, then you're free to do that.