As far as American superhero comics are concerned, Marvel and DC Comics are certainly the biggest players on the market. The two publishing houses have been around for several decades now and have ...

In 1977, DC Comics and Marvel Comics' legal departments co-operated over the registration of the trademark "superhero" which they decided to share. It was granted by US authorities in 1979/1980.

A tribunal at the U.S. Trademark Office canceled Marvel and DC's joint trademark on the term "Super Hero," putting it in the public domain.