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Trademark FAQs

Can I Use the Superman’s Chest Shield Design on T-shirts?

No, not without a license from DC COMICS according to a complaint that DC COMICS filed in United States District Court against Mad Engine, in 2015, Case 2:15-cv-05492, in the CENTRAL DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA, WESTERN DIVISION.
DC Comics is the publisher of comic books and magazines, including those featuring the world-famous Superman character. DC also engages in a substantial licensing program for Superman.
DC Comics claimed intellectual property rights in its Superman character, his associates, his world, and other indicia associated with him, such as the red and yellow five-sided shield that appears on Superman’s chest (the “Shield Design”). The Shield Design has undergone several transformations over the years.
In this case, Mad Engine produced and sold t-shirts with a red and yellow five-sided shield that embedded the word DAD.
These points of authority do not necessarily reflect the views of the writer. This blog is not legal advice. These posts are just notes.