Spiderman creator nets multimillion payday

By Larry McShane
New York

January 21, 2005
Spider-Man creator and <i>Spider-Man II</i> executive producer Stan Lee could become a multimillionaire after this week's court decision.

Spider-Man creator and Spider-Man II executive producer Stan Lee could become a multimillionaire after this week's court decision.
Photo: AP

Stan Lee, the legendary comic creator who gave Spider-Man his powerful "spidey-sense", is feeling a tingling of his own - in his wallet.

A Manhattan federal judge has ruled that Lee is entitled to a potential multimillion-dollar payout from Marvel Enterprises, part of the profits the company's TV and movie productions have generated.

This includes the box office smash Spider-Man, which earned more than $US800 million ($A1.1 billion) worldwide, and its sequel.

"It could be tens of millions of dollars," Lee's lawyer, Howard Graff, said.

The ruling from US District Court Judge Robert Sweet found Lee was entitled to 10 per cent of the profits generated since November 1998 by Marvel productions involving the company's characters, including those the prolific cartoonist created.

Marvel lawyer John Turitzin said the company would appeal. He said the judge had ruled that Lee, 82, was not entitled to money from some movie-based merchandise, and that the court withheld judgement on money from joint-venture merchandise sales linked to the Spider-Man and Hulk movies.

These issues could go before a jury if the two sides fail to agree on a settlement.

The lawsuit marks an acrimonious final chapter in the long and productive relationship between Marvel and Lee, who worked for the company for the past six decades.

Lee created indelible Marvel fixtures such as the X-Men, the Incredible Hulk, Daredevil and the Fantastic Four.

"Mr Lee did not begin this lawsuit without a lot of thought and reservation," Mr Graff said. "He was not pleased to do it. He was saddened by the fact that things came to the point where he had to actually start a lawsuit against Marvel."

- AP