Superhero™
I’m surprised I didn’t know this: Marvel and DC hold a joint trademark registration on the term “Super Heroes” and variations thereof. The link above includes an interesting discussion on the topic, and this article clarifies the situation somewhat. I do think that the term has become the generic term for costumed heroes, and I am surprised that no one challenged the original registration, since the term was generic by then as well.
Since I am discussing comics, I would just like to throw in an unrelated comics complaint (to DC, anyway, since I’m a longtime DCU fan). Bring back the damned lettercols. Thank you.
Alas, I fear the lettercol has gone the way of Red Kryptonite. For DC, at least, it seems like the messageboards are the thing.
Message boards are great, but not in place of the lettercols. They were always part of the ritual of reading the comic; read the story, then complete the experience with the note from the editor, and the messages from other readers. Every time I read a comic now I miss those lettercols dreadfully. And of course, when you go back to reread your comics in a few years, there won’t be the fun experience of reading the old letters with them. Message boards are just… different.