NY Post: 'The billion-dollar Spider-Man ‘cover up’

Paulo · 29 May 2012

Interesting story (though I don't think there's a cover up involved):

Quote:

None of this might have happened were it not for one unfortunate Spider-Man fan whose boiler broke down.

Back in 2006, comic book and toy dealer John Cimino bought a collection from a seller who needed money for a new hot-water heater. Within the assortment of pop-culture oddities for which Cimino paid $500 was a cheap, rayon-and-cotton Halloween costume from the 1960s featuring Spider-Man.

“I didn’t think twice about it,” Cimino tells The Post. He tossed it in his basement.

But Cimino would later give that costume a closer look, and what he discovered has led to one of the more puzzling mysteries in the superhero world, and might muddy the origin story of one of the world’s most well-known — and lucrative — characters.

http://nypost.com/2015/07/14/did-stan-l ... tume-shop/

Hanzo the Razor · 24 Jun 2007

It's a coincidence but as Batman and the Black Bat have shown, they do happen.

Night Owl · 26 Dec 2006

Various quotes from interviews with Lee, Ditko, Simon & Kirby about Spider-Man's creation. Interesting contradictions.

http://ohdannyboy.blogspot.com/2013/04/ ... azing.html

TSmithPage · **Joined:** 20 Sep 2006 **Posts:** 3671

I read it. I think the article highlights a problem with the way our intellectual property system works. Even if Kirby/Ditko/Lee were inspired by the moniker "Spider-Man" and some of the stylistic elements in the earlier costume (although can one say webs on a spider character is particularly novel?), is there anyone that thinks that Spider-Man became such a success is because of the name of those elements? Every critic credits Stan's writing in those early issues as well as Ditko's renderings. There have been tons of better named comic characters with better designed costumes that have flopped because the stories were not well-written or the concept poorly developed. Heck, Spider-Man created as a DC character in the 60s would have been long forgotten by now. Yet, the suggestion is that a Halloween costume design shop should get all of Marvel's profits for Spider-Man (assuming that the name and stylistic elements were ripped off)? Ridiculous.

In this particular case, the costume company's records were apparently destroyed at some point, so I don't think there is really a realistic threat to Marvel on this issue, but the mere suggestion is absurd.

Hanzo the Razor · 24 Jun 2007

TSmithPage wrote:

There have been tons of better named comic characters with better designed costumes that have flopped because the stories were not well-written or the concept poorly developed.

I agree with what you're saying but would like to see some of these better names and costumes you mention...

RobertSwanderson · 01 Jan 2007

That first Ben Cooper licensed Spider-Man costume was my first, and only store-bought Halloween costume.

NY Post: 'The billion-dollar Spider-Man ‘cover up’

Who is WANline