Omni-Man’s Original Name and Design: The Legal Challenges Behind ‘Supra-Man’

In the early development of Invincible, creator Robert Kirkman envisioned Omni-Man as ‘Supra-Man,’ complete with an ‘S’ emblem and a costume reminiscent of DC Comics’ Superman.

However, concerns over potential legal conflicts with DC Comics prompted a reimagining of the character. The name ‘Supra-Man’ was phonetically similar to ‘Superman,’ raising the possibility of trademark infringement.

Historically, DC had taken legal action to protect its intellectual property, notably in the case against Fawcett Comics’ Captain Marvel in the 1940s.

To avoid such disputes, Kirkman renamed the character ‘Omni-Man’ and altered his appearance, including a new red and blue color scheme and a distinctive mustache.

This change not only sidestepped legal issues but also added depth to Omni-Man’s identity, distinguishing him from Superman while still allowing for thematic parallels.

The evolution of Omni-Man‘s character design underscores the complexities creators face in developing new superheroes within a landscape dominated by established icons.

Initially, Omni-Man from Invincible was meant to be called Supra-Man, even having an S on his costume’s chest.

When combined with a more classic-style suit, it made his allusions to DC Comics’ iconic Superman even more obvious.

Of course, this ended up being changed, and the potential legal issues that the original name could have caused have a certain historical precedent.

Thanks to the animated adaptation, Robert Kirkman’s Invincible is now a much bigger deal than ever before.

Legions of fans are now familiar with not only the adventures of Mark Grayson but also his father, Nolan Grayson, a.k.a. Omni-Man. Ironically, this villain’s history goes back longer than many understand, and his original name made his concept even more obvious.

Source: CBR