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NYCC 2024: Atlas Comics celebrates 50 years and relaunches. Jon Voight to Attend Booth and Judge Devilina Costume Contest

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Steven Paul’s SP Media Group announced that it will relaunch Atlas Comics, a legacy comic book publisher founded by Martin Goodman (who also founded Marvel Comics), at New York Comic Con (NYCC) on the 50th anniversary of its original debut. The new title of the brand will be Atlas/Seaboard, and as part of the relaunch, it has entered an exclusive partnership with Walmart to distribute classic merchandise of the Atlas comic book characters. Atlas/Seaboard has also developed a line of collectible action figures with Mego Toys, a line of apparel with Mad Engine, and is in development with Paramount Pictures for a live-action film.

The relaunch of Atlas Comics is being led by Steven Paul, entertainment industry veteran and chairman of SP Media Group/Atlas Comics. A first look at the new collectibles made available by Walmart will be featured at a 1,200-square-foot booth on the main strip of NYCC, showcasing Atlas/Seaboard’s relaunch. It will include giveaways, reprinted comic issues, and limited-edition clothing based on its most popular creative assets.

Helping lead the relaunch is Scott Karol, President of SP Media Group/Atlas Comics which is headquartered on the Paramount Pictures lot in Hollywood. Other key partners include Jason Goodman, publisher and grandson of Martin Goodman, and Jeff Rovin, Atlas/Seaboard’s former editor-in-chief and writer of the best-selling Tom Clancy’s Op-Center novels. Rovin and Goodman will be present to sign giveaway merchandise alongside Mego Toys president Marty Abrams, award-winning comic writer and artist Larry Hama, and Atlas/Seaboard’s assistant editor and writer Ric Meyers. 

One of Atlas/Seaboard’s most popular characters, Devilina, will be reprised in a live-action film that is in development with Paramount Pictures, drawing from the original story about the sister of Satan who must confront her demonic powers and banish her brother back to hell. In addition to Devilina, Atlas/Seaboard plans to leverage its unique legacy to renew other key titles, including Phoenix, Grim Ghost, and Hands of the Dragon as the brand sets the stage for a new wave of creativity for the industry.

In 2019, the return of Atlas Comics was announced along with its first-look deal with Paramount Pictures. It was announced that Steven Paul had acquired a majority interest in the library from its owner Nemesis Group and principal Jason Goodman. At that time, it was announced that Goodman would head up the publishing and be involved in film and television projects. Goodman took possession of the company in 2010 which initially resulted in false starts and lawsuits.

Dynamite is Disputing the Atlas Comics Purchase, Sort Of

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We’ve been researching this one since the announcement was made. but Dynamite Entertainment is disputing the relaunch of Atlas Comics. Well, at least the use of the name “Atlas Comics.”

Last week, Steven Paul revealed he had purchased a majority stake in Atlas Comics, the 1970s comic publisher, with plans to launch movie franchises. In our research for that announcement, we noticed there was a dispute over the trademark of Atlas Comics. Dynamite Entertainment claims that it owns the trademark.

Atlas Comics launched in 1974 as an imprint of Seaboard Publishing. Martin Goodman founded it after a dispute with Marvel Comics, which he founded. Jason Goodman, Martin Goodman’s grandson, is in control of Atlas Comics and its character through Nemesis Group. Paul purchased a stake to the character library from Nemesis Group.

Dynamite Entertainment is claiming they own the name “Atlas Comics” but do not own the characters.

In a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, Dynamite said:

We have no clue why Martin Goodman, or anyone associated with him, feels that they can use the ‘Atlas Comics’ brand name. Any trademark rights the original Goodman’s Seaboard Publishing group may have owned in the ‘Atlas Comics’ name was abandoned decades ago. Because of that abandonment, the trademark ATLAS COMICS was adopted in 2002 by Jeffrey Stevens, who then registered the trademark in 2005, and Dynamite now owns all rights in the ATLAS COMICS trademark, having purchased it from Mr. Stevens in 2014. We have been actively using the mark ever since.

Jason Goodman attempted to relaunch Atlas Comics in 2010. He found out that Jeffrey Stevens had registered the trademark for comic books in 2005. That led to a lawsuit being filed by Nemesis against Stevens. Their argument was that Stevens hadn’t used the trademark. In March 2012 the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board allowed the case to proceed. In the end, the board ruled against Goodman in August 2014. Stevens’ trademark was then assigned to Dynamite Characters LLC, aka Dynamite Entertainment. In February 2016 Nemesis Group filed a new Atlas Comics logo with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Dynamite claims they have used the “Atlas Comics” branding. They use it to denote “limited-edition signed copies of high-profile titles.” Those copies feature a visible cover banner. You can see examples of that above.

It is possible that the Atlas Comics announcement was just about the characters and intellectual property. Atlas Comics as a publisher is dead and the name was just used for the announcement with no intention on further use. That still remains unclear and this is a story we’ll continue to follow.

Atlas Comics Returns! Ghost Rider Producer Steven Paul Acquires a Majority Interest in Atlas Comics Library

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At Cannes, Ghost Rider producer Steven Paul announced he has acquired a majority interest in the Atlas Comics library. He’s also signed a co-production and co-financing first-look deal with Paramount Pictures. The goal is to develop, produce, and release superhero films based on the classic comic books.

A writer’s room of nine individuals is being put together and overseen by Akiva Goldsman and his Weed Road Pictures.

Production is set to begin in the second quarter of 2020 with the first film to be released in 2021. The goal is to release one superhero project each year after.

Paul acquired the stake from its owner Nemesis Group and principal Jason Goodman, grandson of Martin Goodman. Goodman was the founder of Marvel Comics, which was later run by Martin’s cousin Stan Lee.

The actual character count is going on but from the initial announcement it sounds like publishing will be included. Jason Goodman who is taking a stake in the new Atlas company will head up publishing and be involved in the film and television projects.

Atlas has a long history in comics. Martin Goodman founded Timely Productions in 1939. He then created the division of Atlas Comics in the 1950s which was the original home to Marvel‘s characters. In the 1960s, that became Marvel Comics. Due to a bad deal, in 1974 Goodman and his son Charles “Chip” Goodman “re-launched” Atlas Comics.

Upon Martin Goodman’s death, the company remained untouched. In 2010 when Jason Goodman, Martin’s grandson, took possession. That resulted in a false start in an attempt to relaunch the publishing brand with Ardden Entertainment. Subsequent lawsuits over trademarks were launched as well.

Atlas Comics Returns

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Jason Goodman, the grandson of Marvel founder Martin Goodman, is bringing back Atlas Comics.  The comic company was originally launched in the 1970’s by his grandfather to compete with Marvel.

From ICV2:

According to industry legends Martin Goodman sold Marvel to Cadence Publications in the early 1970s with the understanding that Goodman’s son Chip would stay on as editorial director of Marvel.  When Stan Lee, with Cadence’s backing, showed Chip the door, Martin Goodman launched what historians now refer to as Atlas/Seaboard Comics to distinguish it from the 1950s Atlas Comics, which was one of the precursor companies to Marvel Comics.  When Goodman sold Marvel, he kept the rights to the Atlas name, and dusted it off in the mid-1970s to compete with Marvel and DC.

It is believed a formal announcement will occur at New York Comic Con, but the company claims to have the rights to hundreds of characters.

Deadline Hollywood is reporting that Brendan Deneen, a former development executive for Scott Rudin and Harvey Weinstein, who is now an editor at St. Martin’s Press/Macmillan, is “spearheading the relaunch,’ and comics industry veteran, J.M. DeMatteis will be the new company’s EIC.

The first two titles that the new company are Phoenix and The Grim Ghost.