What Rights Did Stan Lee Actually Give Away?

On October 15, 1998, Stan Lee entered an employment agreement with Stan Lee Entertainment, Inc. (SLE). The extremely broad assignment clause in this agreement is crucial to the plaintiff's claims for co-ownership in key Marvel comic book copyrights that was filed on January 20, 2009. The clause, which was pulled directly from the complaint with all original emphases, is as follows:

I [Stan Lee] assign, convey and grant to [Stan Lee Entertainment, Inc.] forever, all right, title and interest I may have or control, now or in the future, in the following: Any and all ideas, names, titles, characters, symbols, logos, designs, likenesses, visual representations, artwork, stories, plots, scripts, episodes, literary property, and the conceptual universe thereto, including my name and likeness (the 'Property') which will or have been in whole or in part disclosed in writing to, published, merchandised, advertised, and/or licensed by [Stan Lee Entertainment, Inc.] its affiliates and successors in interest and licensees (which by agreement iures to [Stan Lee Entertainment, Inc.'s] benefit) or any of them and my copyrights, trademarks, statutory rights, common law, goodwill, moral rights and any other rights whatsoever in the Property in any and all media and/or fields, including all rights to renewal or extensions of copyright and make applications or institute suits therefore (the 'Rights').

1. Stan Lee Media, Inc. complaint