4. Marvel Finally Gave Jack Kirby's Family Some Money
What it was: Stan Lee is most often credited as the soul architect of all our your favourite Marvel characters, when nothing could be further from the truth. In most cases he collaborated with artists who actually designed the looks of the superheroes, not to mention plotting most of the early stories they starred in as well. Perhaps the most slighted of these collaborators is Jack Kirby, who frequently protested the lack of credit and money he got as remuneration for co-creating Captain America, Iron Man, the X-Men...anybody who's anybody in the Marvel Universe. He never got that credit/money during his lifetime, so his family took up the fight. And eventually won. What it changed: Lisa Kirby, Neal Kirby, Susan Kirby and Barbara Kirby are now, presumably, a great deal better off than before Marvel was giving them any money. It mainly heralds a sea change in how the publisher's creative rights work, too, with this case setting a precedent for future disputes of a similar nature. Plus: Kirby gets credits now!
Tom Baker is the Comics Editor at WhatCulture! He's heard all the Doctor Who jokes, but not many about Randall and Hopkirk. He also blogs at http://communibearsilostate.wordpress.com/
