Kirby Heirs File Copyright Claims
In the wake of the announcement of Disney's upcoming acquisition of Marvel Comics, the descendants of legendary comics creator Jack Kirby have sent notices of copyright termination on a wide array of Marvel characters created and co-created by Kirby. The move is the first step in an attempt to officially reclaim the copyright to some of Kirby's most famous creations, which are some of Marvel's most profitable characters. If successful, Kirby's heirs could regain rights in four to ten years and then choose to be paid a share of the profits or wrest the characters away from Marvel entirely. However, the Kirbys are up against a formidable opponent. The Walt Disney Company is notorious in copyright law and creators rights circles as a nearly unbeatable legal machine, and its lobbyists are considered heavily responsible for the Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act which has frozen the addition of works created after 1923 into the public domain until at least 2019. Without it, Mickey Mouse and Winnie the Pooh, two of Disney's most profitable characters, would have entered the public domain by now. More information on this issue is available at The Beat and in this article from the New York Times.

Yen Press To Publish ‘The Clique’ Manga-style
Yen Press, publisher of such manga as The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzimaya and such licensed-property based manga as Maximum Ride, has announced that they will be publishing a manga adaptation of Lisi Harrison's bestselling YA novel series The Clique. The Clique is the story of a group of middle school girls, and the newcomer who eventually comes to befriend them. The manga will be illustrated by manga creator Yishan Li, and will hit the shelves in July of 2010.

Fingeroth To Direct Education MoCCA
Comics creator and former Marvel Comics group editor Danny Fingeroth has been appointed senior v-p of education at the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art. MoCCA will be adding an educational component to their mission, offering two courses this year, a writing course in October with Fingeroth and a storytelling for comics artists course with comics creator Klaus Janson in December, with more slated for the future. Fingeroth has taught courses on comics writing at New York University and The New School. More information is available at the museum's website, MoCCAny.org.

Rebellion Buys Solaris
Rebellion Developments, game developer and owner of the famed British comics company 2000 AD has announced their acquisition of science fiction publisher Solaris from Games Workshop. Solaris is and will remain distributed by Simon & Schuster.

Video Tour of Marvel Offices
Now anyone can see into the fabled Marvel Offices with a free online video tour courtesy of Slate Video's online program Cubez.

Crumb’s 'Genesis' Excerpted on Boing Boing
Popular group blog/ internet phenomenon BoingBoing has an exclusive free online excerpt of The Book of Genesis Illustrated by R. Crumb — it covers the story of Lot and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. The Book of Genesis Illustrated by R. Crumb, in which famed underground comics creator R. Crumb renders the Book of Genesis in graphic novel form, will be available from W.W. Norton & Co on October 19.

Marvel/Guiding Light Comic
Guiding Light, the soap opera which was the longest running television program of all time, ended its run of over 70 years last Friday. In commemoration of this venerable show, Marvel Comics is releasing a free online digital edition of the 2006 Marvel/Guiding Light crossover comic. In 2006, Marvel Comics created a Guiding Light crossover comic, while Guiding Light had a Marvel crossover episode, both featuring a Guiding Light character who gained and eventually lost superpowers, operating for a time under the superhero name The Guiding Light. Now you too can see this example of cross-promotional nostalgia here.

This Week @ Good Comics for Kids

This week School Library Journal’s blog Good Comics for Kids has reviews of Wolverine: Prodigal Sonand Beasts of Burden, the 9/16 listing of comics suitable for all ages, and a Wedding Bells (for Archie and Veronica) links roundup by Brigid Alverson.