'Ghost Rider' lawsuit against Marvel rejected by federal judge

Ghost Rider is to remain under Marvel Comics ownership following an unsuccessful lawsuit by co-creator Gary Friedrich.

A federal judge on Wednesday rejected Friedrich's four-year-old complaint, ruling that he handed over the rights to the character when he endorsed cheques from the publisher, The AP reports.

Friedrich, who filed a lawsuit against Columbia Pictures, Marvel and Hasbro in 2007, claims to have created Johnny Blaze and his alter ego Ghost Rider in 1968, agreeing to publish the title with Marvel precursor Magazine Management.

The writer later alleged that Marvel failed to register its Ghost Rider publications with the US Copyright Office, and reclaimed the rights to the character in 2001.

However, district judge Katherine Forrest has now ruled that Friedrich relinquished those rights when he endorsed cheques containing language that handed the rights over to Magazine Management.

"Either of those contractual transfers would be sufficient to resolve the question of ownership," Forrest wrote. "Together, they provide redundancy to the answer that leaves no doubt as to its correctness. The law is clear that when an individual endorses a check subject to a condition, he accepts that condition."

Charles S. Kramer, Friedrich's lawyer, told Bleeding Cool that the writer intends to appeal against the ruling at the earliest opportunity.

"We are limited in our ability to comment because the litigation continues, but will say that it is our intention to appeal the Court's adverse ruling at the soonest opportunity."

Johnny Blaze will make his second cinematic outing in February with Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance.

Watch a trailer for Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance below: