Jan 26, 2009 by Brian Gallagher

$750 Million Lawsuit Filed Against Marvel Entertainment

Martin Garbus, Esq., has filed a shareholder derivative suit Monday, January 26, against Marvel Entertainment and its chairman Isaac Perlmutter, as well as Stan Lee, the creator of Marvel's major superhero characters and former Marvel Studio head, Avi Arad. Garbus is suing for recovery in excess of $750 million representing one-half of the proceeds from such blockbuster films as Spider-Man, Iron Man and X-Men franchises.

The suit accuses Perlmutter, Arad, Marvel and Stan Lee of denying Stan Lee Media, Inc. (SLMI) shareholders their rights in ownership of 50% of both the legendary superhero characters and intellectual properties created by Stan Lee, which have become among the top entertainment franchises in the world.

SLMI was placed into Chapter 11 Reorganization in Bankruptcy by Stan Lee in 2001 after the dot-com bust and emerged in November 2006, beginning a titanic battle between shareholders and the company's founder, Lee.

SLMI shareholders contend that Lee and Perlmutter, along with Lee's partner Arthur Lieberman and former Marvel Studios president Avi Arad, improperly colluded to hide and misappropriate financial interests in Lee's creations assigned to Stan Lee Media in 1998 and reaffirmed in 1999.

Mr. Garbus will answer questions on the lawsuit at a press conference Tuesday.

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Comments (25)

  1. Ryan Moran

    stupied the should not sue marvel

    3 years agoby @nightwing18Flag

  2. Dani83

    If you work as an arquitect for a construction firm, the buildings you disegn are property of your employer, not yours! It's the same here, Stan Lee (who is nothing short of a genius, by the way) was a Marvel employee, and as part of his work he created those characters for them. I think this idiot just wants to settle for like 2 million or something like that, because there's no way in hell he can win this...

    3 years agoby @dani83Flag

  3. The Narrator: The Better Man

    Well, they have a point, but they are going about it all wrong. So f*ck em.

    3 years agoby @narratorFlag

  4. Buriblazing

    hater!

    3 years agoby @buriblazingFlag

  5. Diaigma

    Wow. Another Watchmen controversy, have we? Find a reason to claim money from another's hard work and they exploit them. Freak'en vultures!

    3 years agoby @diaigmaFlag

  6. Orionbolt

    Well That Sucks. I hope that Martin Garbus doesn't mess things up for marvel fans.

    3 years agoby @orionboltFlag

  7. ChuChi

    THE MAN!! always wanna get a piece of something... good luck stan lol

    3 years agoby @josedrosaFlag

  8. killerman200

    If this doesn't effect Spider Man 4, who gives a sh*t. Btw, Lock and Stock please don't use my line. And it's Nough said. Not Nuff. At least use it right.

    3 years agoby @killerman200Flag

  9. ButteredToast

    act ur age oscarass!!!

    3 years agoby @butteredtoastFlag

  10. Lock and Stock

    Piece of sh*t, muther f*cker....ass wipe....basterd....arse....he will never win he can't.
    NUFF SAID.

    3 years agoby @m-man360Flag

  11. T.Clark

    Kick his ass, Stan! Excelsior!

    3 years agoby @insertusernamehereFlag

  12. ikilledbill2wice

    the man who should make money off these movies is stan lee for creating all this. anyone else is just a gold digger

    3 years agoby @ikilledbill2wiceFlag

  13. Raoul Duke

    Good logic

    3 years agoby @raoulduke33Flag

  14. Avian

    He's not going to win. If Marvel has the balls to replace Samuel Jackson, then they're affraid of nothing.

    3 years agoby @avian005Flag

  15. Chad Vital

    Wait, why now after all this time? I bet you this guy will drop the lawsuit, then try to sue them again after the next Marvel movie, like after Wolverine or Iron Man 2 lol. And another thing, why would you sue Stan Lee, he f*cking MADE THEM. It's his, I don't give a f*ck who legally owns the rights, if he made them, he made them. Plain and simple. This guy must be a real doucher to pull this crap. "Even though I did not create any of these legendary characters, I am trying to get profit from somebody else's creation". F*ck this piece of sh*t.

    3 years agoby @chad-vitalFlag

  16. fanboy

    gay ass sh*t, f*ck this guy. if you want money just get a job like the rest of us, dumbass. dont sue when you wont get anywhere. jeez

    3 years agoby @fanboyFlag

  17. shankanizer88

    this is so f*cken stupid

    3 years agoby @shankanizer88Flag

  18. JonSpidey07

    oh no
    now Marvel's in trouble
    what's wrong with H-Wood now?
    it's all about $$$ money now

    3 years agoby @jonspidey07Flag

  19. Dani83

    Marvel owns the characters, not Stan Lee! This lawsuit is absurd... You should put the Sentry, Venom and Bullseye in that pit too Raoul Duke!

    3 years agoby @dani83Flag

  20. Raoul Duke

    Now we know why Marvels tentative on shelling out the big bucks for Sam Jackson. Because of this disaster. Take Garbus and throw him in a pit with Magneto, Hulk and Thor. That should be punishment enough.

    3 years agoby @raoulduke33Flag

  21. MOVIE MAGE

    People will do anything for money.

    3 years agoby @moviemageFlag

  22. ZanyZap

    That's a lot of money.
    "Dummy heads..." Really. Thanks for acting your age.

    3 years agoby @zanyzapFlag

  23. Vamp

    Wow ButteredToast. That was insightful. On a side note, this is the dumbest thing I've ever heard of.

    3 years agoby @vampire2000Flag

  24. PUNISHER

    $750 million? Somebody just kill Garbus so everyone cant get on with their lives.

    3 years agoby @cerealkillerFlag

  25. ButteredToast

    dumb Dumb Dumb DumbDumb Dumb!!! Dummy heads. DUMB!

    3 years agoby @butteredtoastFlag

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