MADISON, WIS. ? A federal jury has upheld writer Neil Gaiman’s claim that he co-authored two characters in the “Spawn” comic books.

Following Thursday’s decision, arbitrators must decide how much money series creator Todd McFarlane owes Gaiman for co-creating the characters Medieval Spawn and Cogliostro in an early “Spawn” issue.

They also will decide how much McFarlane must pay Gaiman for not crediting him with writing part of another “Spawn” issue.

Gaiman lives in Menomonie in central Wisconsin.