With the release of the much-anticipated live action superhero
movie starring Gal Gadot, Wonder Woman is in the limelight as never
before. DC's iconic heroine has never been difficult to find in
comics, having been continually published since 1941, however, if
you open up a Wonder Woman comic, you will notice the words
"WONDER WOMAN is a trademark of DC COMICS".
Trade marks are an important part of comic books. In terms of
the current South African Trade Marks Act, a trade mark can consist
of any sign that is capable of being represented graphically,
including a word, name, letter, number, device, signature, shape,
pattern, configuration, container for goods, ornamentation, colour
or any combination of these signs. Examples of where trade marks
are found in comic books could include obvious names like
"Superman" or "Justice League", whereas other
examples could include the actual Justice League logo or the
stylized font of Superman.
