Marvel Gets The Ghost

A judge has ruled for Marvel and against Gary Friedrich on the question of who owns the Ghost Rider character. Friedrich filed suit in 2007, alleging that he had ownership interests in the character. This ruling was on that issue; the parties were ordered to meet with the judge in January to review any open claims and/or counter-claims. Federal District Judge Katherine B. Forrest ruled that even if the original work (the origin of the new Ghost Rider character was in Marvel Spotlight #5, published in 1971), was not “work for hire,” Freidrich transferred his rights in the character on two subsequent occasions in 1971 and 1978. The 1971 transfer was accomplished when Friedrich endorsed his freelancer checks, which carried an “assignment legend” on the back assigning Marvel any rights in return for the check. The 1978 transfer was in the form of a contract, in which Friedrich relinquished any past rights in exchange for future freelance work.