DC Comics, the parent company of Batman, has won a legal battle in the European Union against an Italian retailer. Reuters reported that the General Court, Europe’s second-top court, ruled in favor of the company more than 20 years after its Batman logo was registered with the European Union Intellectual Property Office. Commerciale Italiana Srl had filed a challenge to the logo in 2019 stating that it lacked a distinct character and should be permitted for usage on clothing and carnival items.
The court ruled that: “The evidence submitted to the General Court is not sufficient to show that the EU trade mark representing a bat in an oval surround was devoid of distinctive character on the date of filing of the application for registration.” This means the logo is distinct and recognizable by the public and can be associated with DC Comics. Commerciale Italiana Srl has a chance to appeal the ruling to the EU Court of Justice.
The legal battle win comes just before “The Flash,” which features Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton playing Batman, is in cinemas from June 16.
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