Sci-Fi Bulletin: Exploring the Universes of SF, Fantasy, Horror and Spy-fi!

Only a few days before the litigation was due to be set before the Supreme Court, the long-running battle between Marvel and the heirs of writer and artist Jack Kirby has been settled.

A joint statement noted that “Marvel and the family of Jack Kirby have amicably resolved their legal disputes, and are looking forward to advancing their shared goal of honoring Mr. Kirby’s significant role in Marvel’s history.” The details of the settlement remain confidential.

The family had served forty-five termination notices on those who had made movies based on 262 works created by Kirby, which could affect many current hits including The Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy (whose Groot was created by Stan Lee, Kirby and Dick Ayers for Tales to Astonish, right).