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Post by MDG on Sept 13, 2017 14:43:33 GMT -5
I'd be interested to know what version(s) of the Spidey and Bats logos are actually trademarked, or if there are several. During the Batmania days of the 60s, dime stores and gum machines were full of bootleg bat rings and bat tattoos. I think that happened after the first Burton movie as well. One thing about the Superman shield is it's unique enough to be vigorously protected. Remember the original logo for Shelter Records?  After the lawsuit, my copy of Leon Live had this:  |
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Post by Icctrombone on Sept 14, 2017 4:55:00 GMT -5
People feel more empowered wearing it   |
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shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Sept 14, 2017 6:19:28 GMT -5
I'd actually argue that the Flash symbol is the least recognizable because it so closely resembles symbols belonging to the original Captain Marvel, Doc Samson. and (I think) several others. There's probably less than a dozen people who aren't comic fans who know who Doc Samson is. And if you're less than 40 years old you're not very likely to know who Captain Marvel is. True, but then that only exascerbates their confusion if/when folks encounter those properties. I know I was confused when I first got into comics. I distinctly recall the first time I saw Doc Samson, assuming from the symbol that he was that "Flash Thompson" I'd heard mentioned somewhere. Then again, I was also an idiot. Zot! too, by the way. |
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Post by Icctrombone on Sept 14, 2017 6:24:32 GMT -5
The lightning symbol has no single owner.
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Post by Nowhere Man on Sept 14, 2017 7:22:36 GMT -5
The lightning symbol has no single owner. There is also Flash Gordon, who predates them all. |
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Post by Nowhere Man on Sept 14, 2017 7:26:04 GMT -5
... It's interesting because even though Batman and Spider-Man have equaled, or even surpassed, Superman in certain ways in terms of character popularity, even their symbols lag far behind in terms of iconic status. Probably because the Superman insignia is its own unique thing and, even with modifications over the years, stays that way. The bat and spider are their own things out of context and could just as well be Halloween decorations. And as used as symbols of the characters, have changed more than Supes' shield. (Granted, I don't read any new superhero comics and haven't for years, but if you asked me to draw the Spider-Man symbol, I wouldn't come up with anything remotely like the one above.) I think that's true. I also think that it has sometime to do with the fact that, compared to those two totemic symbols, the Superman symbol isn't directly based on nature, coming more directly from human imagination and symbology. I view it sort of like the coat-of-arms for human empowerment. |
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shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Sept 14, 2017 9:52:51 GMT -5
I'd be interested to know what version(s) of the Spidey and Bats logos are actually trademarked, or if there are several. During the Batmania days of the 60s, dime stores and gum machines were full of bootleg bat rings and bat tattoos. I think that happened after the first Burton movie as well. One thing about the Superman shield is it's unique enough to be vigorously protected. Remember the original logo for Shelter Records? After the lawsuit, my copy of Leon Live had this: And that prompts a whole new level of discussion -- if the Superman symbol is the most recognized one in the world, both because of its originality and (as discussed throughout this thread) because it has come to be a cultural institution, representing more than just the trademarked character, is it still appropriate to protect it under copyright? |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 14, 2017 16:49:04 GMT -5
I'd be interested to know what version(s) of the Spidey and Bats logos are actually trademarked, or if there are several. During the Batmania days of the 60s, dime stores and gum machines were full of bootleg bat rings and bat tattoos. I think that happened after the first Burton movie as well. One thing about the Superman shield is it's unique enough to be vigorously protected. Remember the original logo for Shelter Records? After the lawsuit, my copy of Leon Live had this: And that prompts a whole new level of discussion -- if the Superman symbol is the most recognized one in the world, both because of its originality and (as discussed throughout this thread) because it has come to be a cultural institution, representing more than just the trademarked character, is it still appropriate to protect it under copyright? can correct me if I am wrong, but the symbol itself is trademarked, not copyrighted, and the whole purpose of trademarks is to protect symbols, labels, terms, etc. associated with a product to keep others form infringing on it and profiting from it. The more popular it is, the more need there is for a trademark and the more appropriate it is to have it. Trademarks don't expire, they are abandoned but as long as they are in use and the owner keeps renewing the paperwork they remain in effect for as long as those two conditions are met. It's precisely because others have tried to appropriate it that it is protected by trademarks. -M |
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Post by Slam_Bradley on Sept 14, 2017 17:05:23 GMT -5
And that prompts a whole new level of discussion -- if the Superman symbol is the most recognized one in the world, both because of its originality and (as discussed throughout this thread) because it has come to be a cultural institution, representing more than just the trademarked character, is it still appropriate to protect it under copyright? can correct me if I am wrong, but the symbol itself is trademarked, not copyrighted, and the whole purpose of trademarks is to protect symbols, labels, terms, etc. associated with a product to keep others form infringing on it and profiting from it. The more popular it is, the more need there is for a trademark and the more appropriate it is to have it. Trademarks don't expire, they are abandoned but as long as they are in use and the owner keeps renewing the paperwork they remain in effect for as long as those two conditions are met. It's precisely because others have tried to appropriate it that it is protected by trademarks. -M It's actually both trademarked and copyrighted. Copyright doesn't protect names, colors or simple logos. However, if a logo is sufficiently ornate it can be subject to copyright. In this case the copyright for Superman's symbol attached when it was designed and used in the comic books. However when it was used as an advertising piece it became subject to also being a trademark that symbolizes Superman. |
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Post by berkley on Sept 14, 2017 18:18:52 GMT -5
To me, these are pretty recognizable. Superman is definitely number 1 and I feel like most people, comic fans or not, would pick it out. After that, might be a toss up between the Bat and Spider-Man.  I wouldn't have known that was the Spider-man logo just seeing it in isolation like that. The Spider-Man costume I'd recognise, of course, but not that spidery silhouette. |
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Post by Icctrombone on Sept 14, 2017 19:00:57 GMT -5
It's all over the place  |
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Post by Outrajs on Sept 27, 2017 10:39:20 GMT -5
That's a good question but I would say it is a toss up between Superman and Batman for most recognizable. I would also say that when it comes to most liked...Batman probably takes it. (Thank you Adam West.) Marvel doesn't seem to really do symbols the way DC does. I mean there is Spiderman and Captain America, but off the top of my head that is all I can think of. DC...Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern...I could go on and on.
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Post by Dizzy D on Sept 28, 2017 10:56:59 GMT -5
To me, these are pretty recognizable. Superman is definitely number 1 and I feel like most people, comic fans or not, would pick it out. After that, might be a toss up between the Bat and Spider-Man. I wouldn't have known that was the Spider-man logo just seeing it in isolation like that. The Spider-Man costume I'd recognise, of course, but not that spidery silhouette. Agreed, especially as that logo has changed quite a lot over the years as well (Ditko's version is a lot simpler than that) and the logo lacks any colours that would make it recognisable like Superman and most of Batman's logo's. Spider-Man's belt lamp that shows a logo that resembles his mask is probably more recognisable. Not to say that Superman and Batman's logos haven't changed. In case of Batman I think the yellow circle with black bat inside logo is the most recognisable, even if he hasn't had it on his costume for years now. Superman's S has also changed from the original which had a regular letter S to the more stylized version that we usually see. |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 29, 2017 16:02:28 GMT -5
Batman Logo Gif Superman Logo Gif
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