It’s an interesting take to say that the Superboy character is significantly different enough from his grown counterpart that DC/Time Warner may own the rights to one but not the other, but that’s what a judge has said in his initial ruling in a dispute between the media giant and Jerry Siegel’s widow. Forget the legal ramifications that this would have on “Smallville” if the original ruling is upheld - this would throw a whole new bit of meta-weirdness on the character’s involvement in “Infinite Crisis.”

A federal judge in Los Angeles has ruled that the WB’s SMALLVILLE may be infringing on the copyrights held on the Superboy character by the widow and daughter of Jerome Siegel, creator of the comicbook series, reports VARIETY. The March 23 summary judgment by Judge Ronald S.W. Lew also found that Joanne Siegel and Laura Siegel Larson had successfully recaptured the Superboy rights as of Nov. 17, 2004.

Lew’s rulings against Time Warner, Warner Bros. and DC Comics throw the ownership of SMALLVILLE episodes that have run since November 2004 in limbo. Lew denied a request by the defendants for a ruling that SMALLVILLE did not infringe on the Superboy copyrights.

Warner Bros. said that it “respectfully disagrees” with the rulings and will file an appeal.

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