2011 Merchandise & Miscellaneous News Archives
March 29, 2011: Joanne Siegel's Letter to Time Warner Boss
In December 2010, two months before her passing, Joanne Siegel, the widow of Superman's co-creator Jerry Siegel, wrote the following letter to Time Warner's CEO Jeffrey Bewkes. The letter was released online by Deadline.com three days ago, but I wanted to contact Joanne's daughter Laura to confirm its legitimacy before posting it here.
- December 10, 2010
Jeffrey L. Bewkes
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Time Warner Inc.
Dear Jeff,
I am Joanne Siegel widow of Jerry Siegel, creator of Superboy and co-creator of Superman with Joe Shuster. It has always been my policy to be in touch with the Chairmen of the Board of your company going back to when Steve Ross formed Warner Communications.
Steve Ross knew how to take care of large vexing problems. He paid the price, whatever it was, then went on, and the company prospered. He was gracious and friendly when my late husband Jerry and I met him at a stockholders meeting after he sent Jerry, Joe, my daughter Laura and me company stock. He also phoned me to say if we needed anything I should just pick up the phone and call him. He said if he could not be reached for some reason, one of the top officers in the company, Deane Johnson, would handle things personally. Laura and I believe if Steve were alive our copyright ownership matter would have been successfully resolved long ago.
Jerry Levin was also reachable and thoughtful. He sent my husband and later me, cases of grapefruit at the holiday season. He remembered Jerry's birthday with a Superman sculpture. When my Jerry passed away, Jerry Levin told Laura and me that we are part of the Time Warner family, part of its history. Unfortunately he retired before our rights issues were resolved. He had given his attorneys too much power so that negotiations were unsatisfactory and a settlement was impossible. Dick Parsons, on the other hand, was not friendly and, under him, the attorneys hired by the company were arrogant and pro-litigation.
Now you are Chairman and CEO. Because we are in litigation I held off writing to you. I now believe had we had contact early on, things might not have gone so far off track.
My daughter Laura and I, as well as the Shuster estate, have done nothing more than exercise our rights under the Copyright Act. Yet, your company has chosen to sue us and our long-time attorney for protecting our rights.
On December 1st I turned 93. I am old enough to be your mother. I have grown grandchildren. Unfortunately I am not in the best of health. My cardiologist provided a letter to your attorneys informing them that I suffer from a serious heart condition and that forcing me to go through yet another stressful deposition could put me in danger of a heart attack or stroke. I am also on medications that have side effects which force me to stay close to home and restrooms. Nonetheless your attorneys are forcing me to endure a second deposition even though I have already undergone a deposition for a full day in this matter. As clearly they would be covering the same ground, their intention is to harass me.
My dear daughter Laura too has painful medical conditions including multiple sclerosis, arthritis, glaucoma, spine disorders, and fibromyalgia. She has already had her deposition taken twice by your attorneys while in pain. Her doctors have given written statements saying she should not be subjected to a third deposition, yet your attorneys are insisting on re-taking her deposition in an effort to harass her as well.
So I ask you to please consider - do these mean spirited tactics meet with your approval? Do you really think the families of Superman's creators should be treated this way?
As you know, DC and Warner Bros. have profited enormously from 72 years of exploiting Jerry and Joe's wonderful creation. Superman is now a billion dollar franchise and has been DC's flagship property for all this time.
As for this letter, the purpose is three-fold:
To protest harassment of us that will gain you nothing but bad blood and a continued fight.
To protest harassment of our attorney by falsely accusing him of improper conduct in an attempt to deprive us of legal counsel.
To make you aware that in reality this is a business matter and that continuing with litigation for many more years will only benefit your attorneys.
This is not just another case. The public and press are interested in Superman and us and are aware of our and your litigations.
The solution to saving time, trouble, and expense is a change of viewpoint. Laura and I are legally owed our share of Superman profits since 1999. By paying the owed bill in full, as you pay other business bills, it would be handled as a business matter, instead of a lawsuit going into its 5th year.
Even though you will no doubt pass this letter on to your attorneys, the final decision is yours. Your image as well as the company's reputation rests on a respectable and acceptable outcome, and I hope you will get personally involved to insure this matter is handled properly.
The courtesy of a friendly and meaningful reply from you will be most appreciated.
Sincerely,
Joanne Siegel
2011 Merchandise & Miscellaneous News
Listed below are all the Merchandise & Miscellaneous News items archived for 2011.- January 5, 2011: DCUO - Battle of the Legends
- January 7, 2011: Capstone Kids DC Super Pets Contest
- January 7, 2011: Superman Items in Ripley's Believe It or Not
- January 9, 2011: DCUO - TV Spot and Bludhaven Alert
- January 11, 2011: DC Universe Online Game Guide
- January 12, 2011: Humor - Conan Joins the Justice League
- January 13, 2011: Six Flags Magic Mountain Superman Coaster Reopens in March
- January 17, 2011: Superman Painting Adorns Thailand Buddhist Temple
- January 24, 2011: Wizard Magazine Ends Printing To Go Digital
- January 24, 2011: Mike Kelley Brings Kandor to Los Angeles
- January 24, 2011: Jonathan Ross Becomes Buzz Superhero
- January 25, 2011: DC Universe Online Voice Actors
- January 25, 2011: Superhero Jewellery Now Available in Australia
- January 28, 2011: 33rd Annual Superman Celebration
- January 28, 2011: Jerry Siegel's Death Remembered
- January 31, 2011: Argentina Newspaper Reprints Superman Comic Strips
- February 2, 2011: DC Universe Online - In Lex We Trust
- February 3, 2011: DC Universe Mini Mezits From Mezco Toys
- February 7, 2011: Man Dies After Comic Book Collection Stolen
- February 13, 2011: Siegel and Shuster Street Signs Installed
- February 14, 2011: Joanne Siegel Dies
- February 15, 2011: First DC Universe Online Game Update
- February 15, 2011: Mattel Announces Young Justice Action Figures
- February 16, 2011: Quad-Core Mobile Chip Named Kal-El
- February 23, 2011: Armageddon Expo 2011 in Australia
- February 24, 2011: Short Superman Profile Video
- February 28, 2011: Kryptonite Men's Grooming Kit from Planet Earth
- March 1, 2011: McDonalds to Offer Young Justice Happy Meal Toys
- March 2, 2011: Superman Play Amongst Finalists for ATCA Award
- March 6, 2011: Superhero Month at Chicago Children's Museum
- March 8, 2011: Rich Superman Content in Google News Archives
- March 10, 2011: Superman Old Time Radio Interview
- March 11, 2011: McDonalds Young Justice Happy Meal Toys
- March 13, 2011: Superman Celebration Fan Film Competition
- March 15, 2011: DC Universe Online - Tech Mentors
- March 16, 2011: Next Year's Man of Steel Theatre Production
- March 16, 2011: Saturday Night Live Krypton Survives Skit
- March 17, 2011: Superman: Escape from Krypton at Six Flags Magic Mountain
- March 20, 2011: Benefit Fund for Injured Superman Fan
- March 22, 2011: Get Superman Homepage Updates via SMS
- March 23, 2011: DC Universe Online Available to Download
- March 24, 2011: Update on Superman Legal Battle
- March 29, 2011: Joanne Siegel's Letter to Time Warner Boss
- March 31, 2011: Conan O'Brien Returns as The Flaming C
- April 1, 2011: Superman Homepage April Fools Day Pranks
- April 4, 2011: Nominate Joe Shuster for Canada's Walk of Fame
- April 4, 2011: Sydney Royal Easter Show Showbags
- April 6, 2011: DC Universe Online: The Batcave: Brainiac Sub-Construct
- April 6, 2011: DC Showcase Soundtrack CD
- April 6, 2011: Superman Celebration Celebrities Announced
- April 8, 2011: New Superman Homepage Theme
- April 11, 2011: Nicolas Cage's Stolen Action Comics #1 Found
- April 11, 2011: Jamie Reigle Talks Siegel & Shuster Society
- April 11, 2011: Philippines Ride Lets You Fly Like Superman
- April 11, 2011: Superman Fan Kaman Stowell
- April 12, 2011: Your 2nd Childhood Memorabilia Show
- April 13, 2011: New Setback for Warner Bros. in Superman Legal Battle
- April 18, 2011: Picture Window Books Announces Super-Pet Contest Winner
- April 18, 2011: Steve Younis on Comic Book Late Night
- April 18, 2011: Superman Runs Marathon for Guinness World Record
- April 26, 2011: Humorous Article on What Super Power Superman Wants
- April 27, 2011: Superman Plaque Stolen from Cleveland, Ohio
- May 3, 2011: Stolen Superman Plaque Found
- May 4, 2011: Metropolis, Illinois Under Water
- May 4, 2011: George Reeves' Birth Place Torn Down
- May 6, 2011: Venus Williams Loves Superman
- May 10, 2011: Superman Celebration Update
- May 11, 2011: Brandon Routh to Attend Superman Celebration
- May 17, 2011: Superman Homepage Meet & Greet in Metropolis, Illinois
- May 20, 2011: Hot Toys Sneak Peek at Superman Figure
- May 24, 2011: More Images of Hot Toys Superman Figure
- May 24, 2011: Superman: 2050 Production Playing in Chicago
- May 26, 2011: Judge Rules for Release of Superman Documents
- May 26, 2011: Hot Toys Superman: The Movie Figure
- May 26, 2011: Superman Tribute Fence Damaged by Car
- May 27, 2011: Pre-Order the Hot Toys Superman Figure
- May 28, 2011: Could Superman Be Split in Two?
- May 30, 2011: Superman Celebration Schedule of Events
- June 2, 2011: Rare Superman Items in Hake's Auction
- June 2, 2011: Superman Celebration Artists' Alley & Writers' Way Schedule of Events
- June 5, 2011: DCUO Game Update 4 - Fortress of Solitude
- June 6, 2011: Metropolis Walk of Heroes Project
- June 8, 2011: Warner Bros. Lays Down 3-Year Superhero Licensing Plan
- June 8, 2011: Young Justice Superboy in Cloning Chamber Action Figure
- June 10, 2011: Unveiling of Walk of Heroes Project in Metropolis, Illinois
- June 10, 2011: Superman Celebration Helps Flood Victims
- June 10, 2011: Geek vs. Geek Online Game Show
- June 14, 2011: Review of Superman: 2050
- June 16, 2011: Metropolis, Illinois - 2011 Superman Celebration Photos
- June 16, 2011: Tied to a Cause - The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation
- June 18, 2011: Grafitti Artist Transforms Monument into Superman
- June 20, 2011: Details on DC Universe Online Update 4
- June 21, 2011: Superman Celebration - WGBS TV Report (Day 1)
- June 22, 2011: Super Saturday at Fort Worth Museum
- June 23, 2011: Superman Celebration - WGBS TV Report (Day 2)
- June 23, 2011: Superman Celebration - WGBS TV Report (Day 2)
- June 23, 2011: Indonesian Fans Celebrate Superman
- June 26, 2011: Toon Tumblers Reveal Full Justice League Image
- June 27, 2011: Superman Celebration - WGBS TV Report (Day 2)
- June 30, 2011: Superman Celebration - WGBS TV Report (Day 3)
- July 1, 2011: Senior Citizens Celebrate Superman
- July 3, 2011: Examining the Superman Legal Battle
- July 3, 2011: Mattel Offers Bizarro vs. Faker Action Figures
- July 4, 2011: Superman Celebration - WGBS TV Report (Day 3)
- July 10, 2011: Amputee War Vet Dies on Ride of Steel Rollercoaster
- July 12, 2011: Grab a Justice League Tote Bag at SDCC
- July 12, 2011: DC Comics Premium Statues and Busts Announced
- July 12, 2011: Superman Celebration - WGBS TV Report (Day 3)
- July 20, 2011: Warner Bros. Teams With Lego
- July 23, 2011: New Content at SupermanBobHoliday.com
- July 25, 2011: Superheroes v Supervillains A-Z
- July 27, 2011: Superman Most Popular Superhero Amongst Men
- July 27, 2011: Ohio Wants Superman License Plates
- July 28, 2011: Virtual Reality Kinect Superman
- July 28, 2011: Superman Celebration - WGBS TV Report (Day 3)
- July 29, 2011: Superman Mod for "Grand Theft Auto IV"
- July 31, 2011: 99 Interviews with Lost Stars of Superhero Pop Culture
- August 2, 2011: Fortress of Solitude Game Update for "DC Universe Online"
- August 2, 2011: Get Your Character in the "DC Universe Online Legends" Comic
- August 3, 2011: Superman Celebration - WGBS TV Report (Day 4)
- August 5, 2011: Pop Pilgrims Visit Jerry Siegel's Home in Cleveland
- August 11, 2011: WizKids Announces Sell-Out of DC HeroClix: Superman
- August 11, 2011: Superman Statue in Colombia, South America
- August 14, 2011: Kryptonian Memory Crystals Could Become Reality
- August 18, 2011: Fans Petition Mattel to Save DC Universe Classics
- September 1, 2011: Six Flags Announces New Superman-Theme Rides
- September 6, 2011: Superman Fan Robbed in Callous Act
- September 7, 2011: The Life and Career of Scott Cranford
- September 8, 2011: Superman Feature in SciFiNow Magazine
- September 8, 2011: Superman Edition of Comic Heroes Magazine
- September 11, 2011: Superfriends Help Mentally Disabled Superman Fan
- September 14, 2011: After Nearly Six Decades... Superman Finally Gets His PEZ
- September 17, 2011: Man Arrested Over Stolen Superman Memorabilia
- September 19, 2011: DC Universe Online Goes Free-To-Play
- September 23, 2011: Fortress of Solitude Inspired House
- September 28, 2011: Super Friends and Justice League Board Games Coming
- September 28, 2011: Nexen Employees Break Superman Costume Record
- September 28, 2011: Brandon Routh Calls Mentally Disabled Theft Victim
- September 28, 2011: Seinfeld Superman Video Humor
- September 29, 2011: Another Superhero World Record Set in Melbourne, Australia
- September 29, 2011: Super Costumes Examined in Back Issue Magazine #51
- October 1, 2011: Lex Luthor - Drop of Doom
- October 4, 2011: DC Universe Online - Game Update 5
- October 5, 2011: Fan Goes Under the Knife to Look Like Superman
- October 9, 2011: Rocksteady Eyes Superman for Future Game Release
- October 9, 2011: Barnes & Noble to Pull DC Graphic Novels in Protest
- October 10, 2011: Hot Toys Release Packaging Image of Superman Figure
- October 11, 2011: Josh Boultinghouse Plays Superman in Church Video
- October 12, 2011: Rob Kardashian Dances to Superman Theme
- October 13, 2011: Superman Game Coming to iOS Devices
- October 13, 2011: Mentally Disabled Robbery Victim Donates Toys to Sick Kids
- October 14, 2011: General Mills and DC Comics Bringing Comics to Cereal Boxes
- October 14, 2011: Superhero License Plates Coming to Australia
- October 16, 2011: Toy News from New York Comic Con
- October 19, 2011: Rare Superman Items Auction in November
- October 24, 2011: Animaserra 2011 - Brazilian Festival of Comics
- October 25, 2011: The Infamous Check That Purchased Superman
- October 25, 2011: You Could Own a Clump of Jerry Siegel's Hair!
- October 26, 2011: Superman Lawsuit Continues
- October 31, 2011: Justice League Products and Promotions
- November 1, 2011: Warner Bros. Extends Deal with Mattel
- November 1, 2011: Superman Villains as Drawn by Jon Morris
- November 1, 2011: Elliot S! Maggin on Clark Kent vs Superman
- November 2, 2011: Super Costumes Examined
- November 3, 2011: New Superman Homepage Online Store
- November 3, 2011: DC Universe Online Now Free to Play
- November 7, 2011: Author Les Daniels Dies
- November 7, 2011: Pterodactyl's Superman: The Movie Music Video Parody
- November 8, 2011: Superman Homepage - Poll Position: Halloween
- November 9, 2011: Patriotic Superman T-Shirts
- November 10, 2011: The Night That Superman Crashed on Broadway
- November 15, 2011: DC Universe Online - Game Update 6: Zod
- November 15, 2011: Superman Memorabilia Thief Gets Six Years in Prison
- November 15, 2011: Mentally Disabled Superman Fan Visits Siegel House
- November 16, 2011: Brainiac Attacks the Daily Planet in LEGO Form
- November 16, 2011: Superman Product for Apple Users
- November 17, 2011: Superman Game Released for iOS Devices
- November 17, 2011: Superman Cover and Dock for iPhone
- November 18, 2011: Max Landis Goes Viral with Death and Return of Superman
- November 18, 2011: Superman Amongst Worst Passwords of 2011
- November 23, 2011: Mondo Announces DC Comics Posters
- November 25, 2011: Talking Superman on PSN-Radio
- November 28, 2011: Superman to Join Batman in Up-Coming Lego Game
- November 30, 2011: Product of the Week - Superman Snuggie
- December 1, 2011: Lego Super Heroes Line Coming in 2012
- December 5, 2011: WizKids Brings DC Comics to HeroClix Online
- December 6, 2011: iOS Superman Game - Poll Position
- December 7, 2011: Decorating Christmas with Superman
- December 7, 2011: Christmas Shopping at Our Online Store!
- December 8, 2011: DC Loses Claim Against New Zealand Finance Company
- December 8, 2011: Jerry Robinson Dies Aged 89
- December 9, 2011: Doctor Superman Saves Accident Victim
- December 12, 2011: Fan Animation - Superman vs Destructor
- December 13, 2011: Pre-Order Lego Superman vs. Power Armor Lex Playset
- December 14, 2011: Shopping - Superman Oddities
- December 15, 2011: The 2011 SHIELD Awards Winners!
- December 15, 2011: Virgin Casino Launches New Superman Slot Game
- December 20, 2011: Superman Christmas Decorations - Poll Position
- December 21, 2011: Superheroes Plunge into Icy Water for Special Olympics
- December 23, 2011: Last Minute Christmas Gift
- December 29, 2011: New Superman Ride for Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
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