Marvel Comics and the estate of Steve Ditko have filed paperwork indicating they intend to settle their court case, Deadline reports.  The estate had filed termination notices in 2021 asserting it held the rights to Spider-Man, Iron Man, and Doctor Strange; Marvel (and parent company Disney) claim the characters were created as works for hire and responded by suing the estate (see “Marvel Files Suits in New Rights Battle”).  On December 6, lawyers for Disney and Ditko’s estate notified the court that they intend to settle. The terms of the settlement are confidential.

In June 2023, Marvel settled four similar lawsuits against writer Larry Lieber and the estates of Don Heck, Gene Colan, and Don Rico (see “Marvel Drops Lawsuits Against Four Creators/Estates”).