DALLAS -- It's unclear if DC Comics will have to step into this dispute. But, for now, it's between Shaquille O'Neal and Dwight Howard.

Howard, the Orlando star center, has been calling himself Superman for years. But O'Neal, the Cleveland center who has used that moniker during his illustrious 18-year career, suddenly has decided now to file a copyright infringement case.

OK, so Shaq didn't go that far. But O'Neal, who long ago got a tattoo of the Superman logo on his bicep, did say Thursday he believes he's the real superhero with that name.

"You tell me who the real Superman is,'' O'Neal said. "Don't compare me to nobody. I'd rather not be mentioned. I'm offended. You're all giving away titles. It's crazy."

Howard, whose Magic lost 115-106 at Cleveland on Thursday, was taken a bit aback by O'Neal's comments. After all, he grew up admiring the big fellow and long has spoken well of him.


"I would say it doesn't feel good when a guy like Shaq is talking bad about you, about a nickname as simple as Superman,'' Howard, the starting center for the East in Sunday's All-Star Game, said Friday at an All-Star interview session. "But there's noting I can do about it. I'm not going to go back and forth with the issue.''

Howard, who two years ago wore a Superman cape in winning the NBA All-Star dunk contest, isn't about to stop using that name.

"He's going to say what he has to say,'' Howard said. "I don't have any personal problems against him. If he's mad about a nickname, a lot of people call themselves Superman. Not just me and Shaq. It's not something that I can be a part of.''

A dispute over the nickname also is rooted in the rivalry between the Cavaliers and Magic, who beat Cleveland in last spring's Eastern Conference finals. And it must be said O'Neal, not named an All-Star, can't be enthralled with Howard having taken away his claim as the NBA's most dominant center.

"I think it's being blown out of proportion,'' Cleveland star LeBron James said Friday. "Like the media tends to do. ... I think Dwight probably looked up to Shaq growing up, saying, 'I want to be just like Shaq. I want to be the next Superman. I want to dominate.' And that's what he's doing. To have these two guys in our league dominating the way they do, I think is good for the sport.''

James does admit it "bothers'' O'Neal that Howard has been calling himself Superman.

But what about James? Would it bother him if another player starting calling himself "The Chosen One'' or "King?''

"I'm a different guy,'' James said. "I don't have a problem with guys who want to follow in my footsteps and want to be great and have my nickname. I don't have a problem with that. As long as they perform under the name the right way. You can't take 'King James'' or 'The Chosen One'' if you don't go out and perform the right way.''

At least nobody can deny it's the NBA's top center who has taken O'Neal's nickname. If a second-round pick one day tries to take one of James' nicknames, he might not be too happy about it.

Source: Chris Tomasson, FanHouse