Posted on 03/19/2007 3:39:30 PM PDT by doug from upland
Noel Hillman, chief of the Public Integrity unit at Justice, was responsible for charging David Rosen instead of Hillary and Andrew Grossman. He was rewarded with a judgeship and is now about to be named to the Alito seat. He also is the guy who let Sandy Burglar off the hook.
March 20, 2007 06:34 AM Eastern Daylight Time
The Al Ahli Group & Marvel Entertainment Announce Partnership to Bring Marvel’s Renowned Super Heroes to Major New Theme Park in Dubai
NEW YORK & DUBAI, UAE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--United Arab Emirate-based Al Ahli Group and Marvel Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: MVL) announced today a partnership that will bring Marvel’s full library of Super Heroes -- including Spider-Man, Iron Man, The X-Men, Incredible Hulk, The Fantastic Four and Silver Surfer -- to Dubai for a major new theme park destination being developed by AAG. The development is in line with the vision set by HH Shk. Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, through his innovative entertainment and hospitality driven expansion projects for Dubai and the UAE.
The Al Ahli Group, under the leadership of Chairman Nasser Ali Khammas and driven by the idea and dedication of CEO Mohamed Khammas, is poised to bring the region’s first and only global theme park destination directly to the heart of the Emirates. AAG and Marvel are also in initial stages of discussions about additional projects throughout the greater Pan Arabia region.
AAG has been in discussions for more than two years with the owners of the world’s top intellectual properties in the entertainment arena and is extremely proud of its new long-term partnership with the world renowned Marvel brand. The Project will open in 2011 with a direct investment of over $1 billion USD. The creative team, which consists of some of the most spectacular creative minds from around the globe, will be based in Hollywood, Orlando and Dubai throughout the four year development process. New technology and unparalleled visitor experiences will be the hallmark of the theme park, creating a new standard for theme parks around the world.
David Maisel, Chairman of Marvel Studios and a member of the Office of the Chief Executive, Marvel Entertainment, said, “We are launching a long term relationship with the Al Ahli Group to bring the Marvel Universe to Dubai with this exciting new theme park development. Al Ahli Group has both an impressive team of theme park, entertainment and hospitality executives and the financial strength to leverage that expertise into a world-class destination resort experience unparalleled in the region. We are very pleased to be a part of this exciting initiative and look forward to a successful partnership with Mohamed Khammas and the Al Ahli Group.”
Mohamed Khammas, CEO of Al Ahli Group commented “Al Ali Group’s partnership with Marvel Entertainment serves a long pursued quest of creating the ultimate entertainment destination for families and children of the region and the world, a destination where they can live their childhood fantasies and create new memories for the entire family to cherish and remember. Family destinations have not evolved in Pan Arabia and thus it’s time that we cater to that demand and make the investment required for global tourism.
“Marvel is a brand that is recognized globally via its ever expanding list of ‘Super Hero’ characters. Now, it won’t be much longer until the children in Pan Arabia and the world can experience new and exciting rides with Marvel’s Spider-Man, the Incredible Hulk, the Fantastic Four and many other Super Heroes right here in the UAE.
“This partnership is a result of the appreciation and loyalty that Marvel has internationally, and was realized through the dedication and management of the Marvel team led by my friend David Maisel. Without his personal efforts and dedication, it would have been a long time before the world would be able to experience the Marvel Super Heroes in what we aim to be the best entertainment destination in the world. In 2011, Spider-Man and the rest of the Marvel Super Heroes will set their first steps in Dubai.”
About the Al Ahli Group
The Al Ahli Group established its first activity in late 1960’s and, throughout its 39 years of operation, AAG has become the region’s most dynamic, innovative and multi-disciplined business entities. The Al Ahli Group has been instrumental in steering the cement industry throughout the region to unprecedented levels of production and sales. Other industries and services that the Al Ahli Group is involved in range from the largest plastic film manufacturing factory in the region, to printing and publishing, to an extensive transportation division, turnkey construction, engineering products, factories, their partnership with the Dubai Shopping Festival via the first ever Dubai Hot Air Balloon Festival imported from Albuquerque New Mexico to their latest 10 million sq. ft. real estate mix-use development within Dubailand containing the region’s first ever factory-outlet stores in a premium mall setting, never before seen boutique hotels, office towers, lifestyle developments and themed restaurants and entertainment promenade with the US$1 billion Dubai Outlet City Project, (phase one mall opens May 1st, 2007).
About Marvel Entertainment, Inc.
With a library of over 5,000 characters, Marvel Entertainment, Inc. is one of the world's most prominent character-based entertainment companies. Marvel's operations are focused on utilizing its character franchises in licensing, entertainment, publishing and toys. Areas of emphasis include feature films, DVD/home video, consumer products, video games, action figures and role-playing toys, television and promotions. Rooted in the creative success of over sixty years of comic book publishing, Marvel's strategy is to leverage its character franchises in a growing array of opportunities around the world. More information about Marvel can be found on the company's World Wide Web site, which is located at www.marvel.com.
It appears you are destined to live longer than most who tried.
That really is the plan, LB.
But not Captain America, seeing as how they just killed him off.
After reading this: I wonder if this deal had anything to do with them killing off Captain America?
http://www.hollywoodreporteresq.com/thresq/litigation/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003559965
Claim Against Marvel Alleges Co-Ownership of Superheroes
March 19, 2007
By Eriq Gardner
NEW YORK -- The battle for control of superhero characters created by Stan Lee is heating up, with the company formerly run by the comic book legend suing Marvel Entertainment for billions of dollars, claiming co-ownership of characters such as Spider-Man, the Incredible Hulk and X-Men.
The suit, filed last week in New York District Court on behalf of Stan Lee Media Inc., claims that Lee, who was terminated in 1998 by Marvel, set up a company and signed an "Employment Agreement/Rights Assignment" contract that gave the co-creative interests in his characters to his new company.
According to the complaint, filed by Goodwin Proctor partner Ethan Horwitz, the "assignment has never been terminated and continues to be in full force and effect."
Lee is no longer in control of SLMI, and the new suit against Marvel is the latest development in the acrimonious relationship between Lee and the company that bears his name.
After Lee formed SLMI in 1998 with the stated purpose of bringing his superheroes to the digital age, the company suffered a dot-com meltdown. In 2001, it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, and during bankruptcy proceedings, shareholders installed new executives, including James Nesfield as its new chairman and president.
Earlier this year, Lee sued SLMI's new executives, accusing them of having conspired to fraudulently gain control of the company and having "misappropriated, infringed and interfered with copyrights, trademarks, publicity rights and contract rights owned exclusively by Stan Lee and his companies."
The suit filed last week appears to be the company's counterattack against Lee. In recent years, Lee and Marvel have made amends, with Lee now serving as president emeritus of Marvel Comics. Marvel maintains that it has full ownership over the characters at issue and has issued a statement by Lee that reads, "I do not support this action and believe the suit to be baseless."
The plaintiffs allege causes of action for accounting, declaratory relief, constructive trust and two counts of interference with the right of publicity. They are demanding 50% of all income, proceeds and profits derived from Marvel's use, marketing, licensing, merchandising, promotion, advertising and exploitation of the Lee characters, which have been the basis for films that have grossed billions in total boxoffice.
Nesfield said SLMI might force Lee to testify in court.
"Stan Lee is no longer with the company," Nesfield said. "But the contract remains intact. He has signed it, and the contract is still in force."
The case is Stan Lee Media Inc. v. Marvel Entertainment, 07CV2238.
READ THE FULL COMPLAINT: http://www.hollywoodreporteresq.com/thresq/photos/StanLee_suit.pdf
Stan Lee Media to Sue Stan Lee
Revitalized comic book group plans countersuit against founder.
March 20, 2007
By Michael Cohn
The new Stan Lee Media is preparing to file a countersuit against its legendary founder and his new company, POW Entertainment, as early as this week, the chief executive of Stan Lee Media told Red Herring on Tuesday.
The countersuit would be the latest blow traded in a brewing battle for control over trademarks and copyrights to Marvel Comics characters including Spider-Man, the Incredible Hulk, the Fantastic Four, and X-Men.
The seeds of the dispute date back to the dot-com era, when Mr. Lee set up Stan Lee Media to bring his comic book characters to the Internet. The company went public in early 2000, reached a market cap of $350 million and then went bankrupt in 2001. Along the way, it was beset by accusations of stock manipulation schemes and fraud, although Mr. Lee was not directly implicated.
Enter Jim Nesfield, who last year gathered a group of former Stan Lee Media investors and revived the company. That prompted Mr. Lee in January to sue Stan Lee Media’s new management, alleging it illegally took over his former company and infringed on his trademarks and copyrights.
Legitimacy Challenged
Now Mr. Nesfield plans to countersue Mr. Lee’s new company, POW Entertainment, arguing that the complaint filed by Mr. Lee and POW in January against his company is based on a fraud committed on the bankrupt estate of the company.
The suit, he added, will probably be filed either later this week or next. No amount has been set yet. However, the transferred assets were recognized during the bankruptcy proceedings as being worth between $4 million to $7 million over a five-year period.
“He’s calling me a rogue opportunist,” said Mr. Nesfield. “He’s a rogue employee.”
Mr. Lee declined to comment when reached at his office.
Last Thursday, in a story first reported by Red Herring, Mr. Nesfield filed a $5-billion lawsuit in the U.S. Southern District Court of New York against comic book publisher Marvel Entertainment, asserting co-ownership of Mr. Lee’s characters and claiming half the revenues derived from them (see Stan Lee Media Sues Marvel: $5B).
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