DC Comics sue Valencia CF over ‘bat’ logo on badge

SPANISH football outfit Valencia have been sued by DC Comics - for allegedly copying the American firm’s Batman logo.

Valencia's logo at the Mestalla stadium, complete with bat. Picture: Getty

Reports in Spain suggest that the comic book publisher has sued Valencia, who compete in Spain’s La Liga, after the club tried to register an image of a bat as an official trademark.

DC Comics claim the football club’s logo is too similar to two Batman logos and filed a complaint with the OHIC - the EU’s trademark registration body - pushing for Valencia to alter their logo.

Documents reportedly show that the legal claim was initially launched in May 2013.

This is despite Valencia being formed in 1919, and DC Comics in 1934.

Along with Batman - created in 1939 by Bill Finger and Bob Kane - the company owns the likes of Superman and Wonder Woman.

The heraldic use of the bat in Valencia, Catalonia and the Balearic islands seems to originate with the winged dragon, or Wyrm, used to crown the helmet of the Kings of Aragon.

Additionally, one of the creatures reportedly landed on the flag of James I of Aragon, when he re-took the city of Valencia from the Moors in 1238.

Other prominent Spanish logos or crests featuring bats include the Coats of Arms of Novallas, Albacete, Teruel, Fraga, Palma de Mallorca, Catarroja and Munera.

An early badge of FC Barcelona also featured a small bat, between 1899 and 1910.

Bats can also be found on the coats of arms of Fiefbergen in Germany, Montchauvet in France; Pácora in Colombia (which features a whopping eight individual bats) and the RAF No. 9 Squadron.