DC Comics’ New Superman Credit: “By Special Arrangement With The Jerry Siegel Family”

Out this week is Justice League #19, an issue that officially debuts new members of the team while beginning to lay the groundwork for DC Comics' upcoming Trinity War storyline. As such, it's a significant issue in the series, but more significant is the noticeable change in the credits, one likely pertaining to the ongoing legal battle over the rights to Superman.After the story title and creator and editorial credits, the following bit has been added:"Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, by Special Arrangement with the Jerry Siegel Family"

While Siegel and Shuster's creator credits have been in place consistently since the 1970s, the reference to Siegel's family was not in any previous issue of Justice League, nor in any previous Superman-starring comic books, to this point. Its appearance in the credits of this issue stands out even more than it otherwise would, given the timing of its arrival: Justice League #19 debuted in stores and online the day before the 75th Anniversary of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster's Action Comics #1.

When contacted, DC Comics had no comment.

UPDATE: The new credit appears to be a condition of a 2001 document a federal judge has determined to be legally binding, which obliges DC Comics to use the language in any and all Superman related issues going forward.