Marvel and DC writers complain about their paychecks after the films are released

In the last 20 years, American comics, in particular the Marvel Comics and DC Comics universes, have enjoyed cinematic transpositions that have in turn consecrated characters like Iron Man and, more than it already was, Batman to icons. It is particular that the admiration comes largely from those who did not know the comics on which heroes and villains were born even 60 years ago, thus not knowing the background and above all the authors who gave them life.

Just in recent days some authors have complained about how little credit and compensation are given to them by publishers for the exploitation of the characters they create. This is the case of Ed Brubake r: the screenwriter who gave birth to the Winter Soldier together with Steve Epting told in an interview on Kevin Smith's podcast how little he owed him following the 1 billion dollars in receipts between the various films he has also worked on, including Captain America Civil War.

“I got more from the SAG [Screen Actors Guild, ed] than I earned creating the character”.



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Months ago too Ta-Nehisi Coates, an American journalist and writer who recently lent his pen to a cycle of Black Panther stories and who also collaborated on the Marvel Studios film, complained about similar behavior, feeling lucky not to have to make a living by writing comics.

“I would love that the Marvel adopted a better method to reward those who made Black Panther, Black Panther ".

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Unfortunately, the history of American comics is by no means new to such unpleasant episodes. Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel, the authors who created Superman in 1938, sold his rights for just $ 130. The statements of Brubaker and Coates have only brought to light the problem of how much the publisher pays who writes and draws comics and above all the contractual obligations that the same should stipulate with those who years before created the characters that appear in cinema and television.

Those who work in Marvel and DC, by contract, assign the rights of their characters and stories to the publisher. Those who worked closely with Marvel, however, stated that these agreements, which recognize the author a fee for the creation of the character in the comics, however, become smoky when it comes to transpositions for the cinema, as there is no policy company in this regard.

As for DC Comics, some authors have stated that generally the compensation would be higher in these cases. The late Len Wein said he received more from the exploitation of Lucius Fox in Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy than FOX recognized him for the much more iconic Wolverine, played in the films by Hugh Jackman. Take Jim Starlin as a second example: the creator of Thanos was also the father of Anatoli Knyazev / KGBeast, a minor villain from the DC comics, who appears briefly in Batman V Superman.

Starlin stated that he was recognized as a more money from DC for exploiting this character than Marvel paid him for Gamora and Drax, two of the main characters in the Guardians of the Galaxy films. After this statement, Disney retracted the deals with Starlin for Thanos' appearances in Avengers Infinity Wa r and Avengers Endgame (the two films grossed $ 4.83 billion globally), and Starlin himself proved satisfied and happy. Starlin is also the creator of Shang-Chi, the protagonist of the Marvel Studios film to be released next September in theaters, although in China the film, together with the next Eternals, may not be released at all.

“It is said that when the wheel creaks it takes oil. The way these agreements are written is clear, Disney can be very generous when they want. It is clearly written that they can change these agreements to improve them. ”



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But this might seem like a way to settle the differences with those who are dissatisfied, thus avoiding any kind of bad publicity. Some Marvel authors have even defined them as "'shut-up' money".

For years many authors have turned to the most important publishers and once they have created their own notoriety they have "fired", bringing their own public to publishers who, on the other hand, completely leave the rights of their creations to the authors. Todd McFarlane, writer and illustrator who edited a series of Spider-Man still important today and in which Venom himself, now the protagonist of the SONY films, made his first appearance, is part of a group of authors who in the 90s founded Image Comics after years of working at Marvel.

“You're giving crumbs to writers. Whoever tells you that he will give you three times as much crumbs as he already pays you must necessarily look like a genius. I'm trying to write a contract myself that fixes this kind of problem [referring to the next film about his character Spawn, ed.] ".



But when it comes to authors who have created dozens and dozens of characters the situation becomes complicated, at least expecting that their paternity be recognized. The huge success of Loki's Disney + series, renewed for a second season already, has also led writer Roy Thomas, who for years was the chief editor of Marvel Comics, to complain about how the Guardians of Time that he created himself have been exploited. without being mentioned in the credits of the series. Thomas's manager, John Cimino, however, expressed satisfaction at seeing the author's name in the credits of the new Marvel Studios film, Black Widow. Red Guardian, played by David Harbor, was in fact also co-created by Thomas himself, a character loved to such an extent that he wanted a film of his own. These are the words of Cimino.

“A lot of people want money. I think this: wouldn't you prefer to see your name on something that will be eternal? "



In short, this is an eternal and thorny issue for the American comics industry. In 2017, a documentary was released, Batman and Bill, designed by Bill Finger's family and supporters to shed light on his co-authorship of Batman. In the documentary, Finger's granddaughter Athena said that in 2012 Warner Bros, on the occasion of the release of Batman The Dark Knight Rises, offered her money to stop the protests to credit her grandfather as the creator of the character along with Bob. Kane. The fight continued until 2015, when Finger's family finally gained recognition.