I don't think it's a prank. I actually believe Marvel and DC are playing this game.

I believe Marvel purchased DC a couple of years ago, but I don't recall the whole story right now. This gives the newer entity full power over the trademark, whereas two companies needed to share the term previously.

So why now, all of a sudden?

Here is an answer to chew on a bit...

I was at the NY Comic Con back in February of this year. It was absolutely huge. It was held at the Jacob Javits Convention Center, where they also hold the NY Auto Show every year. The place was packed, so much so that tickets were actually selling out. We are talking tens of thousands of people here. Imagine a football game crowd all looking at comics.

So, what does this have to do with the topic right? Well, Marvel had a setup at the show. It was about the same size as most other companies' setups, roughly 15x20 feet, in my guesstimation. Okay, so the biggest fish is held in the same size net? Hmmm. Okay, well their station must have been packed, with a constant trailer for X-Men 3 playing, or their artists signing autographs, right? Well...not exactly. The most people I saw there at any point was around 25, maybe 30 people. In contrast, the famous McFarlane was signing autographs, in the basement, and the line was over 2 HOURS long. Hmmm...

Let me tell you, I was a big comic fan as a kid. I loved Captain America, Batman, and Green Lantern. I would read any comic available to me though. At one point, I knew every single current Marvel Universe hero/villian. I had NO IDEA there are literally HUNDREDS of comic companies in business today! The comic con definitely opened my eyes.

I knew there was competition. I was a huge Spawn fan when Image was fledgling. (Speaking of which, when considering the "caring corporations" that are the Marvel properties, let's remember why Image was started. Marvel ripped off it's own artists, such as McFarlane, whom some consider the best artist to ever draw a certain web-slinger. Original ideas became property of Marvel, and were outright taken from artists. With the lack of creative freedom they were willing to use, for fear of losing their IP, they jumped ship, and started a new company, based on the ideals of free thought, and personal ownership. So please don't give me this stuff about "responsible" or "caring" or even ethical company stuff. Marvel has no sense of corporate responsibility, and never has, it's has always been about profit.)

So given that there is so much competition, should Marvel be worried? I mean, household names such as X-Men, or Spider-Man, or The Avengers should be easily more attractive to the consumer than other products, right? I don't think so. Given the attention I saw at the Con for all of the other publishers, and the lack thereof for Marvel, I would say the playing field has been levelled quite significantly.

Marvel is hoping to cut some of the competition out. That can be the only reason they want to play their TM card now. I doubt it will work. Do you blow your nose with Kleenex? Do you have a coke when you are thirsty? Companies have spent billions in selling their trademarks to the public, then when it backfires, and supports the competition, they immediately want to cash in and break the competition. Let Marvel try their hand in court. Yes, they may beat a small publishing house or two. But eventually, those other publishers will start getting together a group and hiring lawyers to defend the group. Don't be surprised if a birdie named McFarlane has a hand in that. Then, Marvel has bad PR, and still nothing to show for it.