As a long-time comic book enthusiast and moviegoer who has witnessed the evolution of Marvel Cinematic Universe, it’s disheartening to see the ongoing issue of creators not being fairly compensated for their groundbreaking work. The recent revelation that Donny Cates and Ryan Stegman, the creators of Knull, were left out in the cold when it comes to their character’s appearance in Venom: The Last Dance, is just another example of this unfortunate trend.
In the thrilling trailer for “Venom: The Last Dance,” viewers were taken aback to discover the emergence of Knull, the enigmatic figure recognized as the King in Black and the deity of Symbiotes, in the upcoming third installment featuring Tom Hardy as Venom. Even the creators of this intriguing character, Donny Cates and Ryan Stegman, expressed surprise upon witnessing Knull’s appearance in the trailer. It seems they were not fully compensated for their groundbreaking creation’s involvement in the movie.
As a devoted movie enthusiast, I jumped at the chance to share some exciting insights. Recently, Donny Cates and Ryan Stegman, two industry legends, spoke up on their former platform, Twitter. They were discussing Knull’s appearance in the Venom: The Last Dance trailer.
Simultaneously, Cates opted for a straightforward approach, answering with just “lol” and an image of the word “Money”, styled after the font used in the Venom movie, suggesting that he felt Marvel and Sony had not adequately compensated him for his character’s inclusion in Venom: The Last Dance.
Knull, a character initially featured in issue #3 of Venom Vol. 4, which was published in August 2018, has been reintroduced as an unnamed figure from Jason Aaron’s Thor series in 2013. Check out the creators’ original post below for more details:
Marvel’s Past Treatment of Comic Creators Has Not Been Kind
Although Marvel films tend to generate significant revenue at the box office, the publishing company has frequently faced accusations of underpaying or not adequately compensating creators. Marvel often defends itself by stating that the artists and writers were hired as independent contractors on a commission basis for their original work. As a result, they argue that they are not legally obligated to provide compensation because they own the creations.
Despite occasionally receiving small payments, it can no longer be overlooked that the inventors of these renowned characters, who appear in billion-dollar blockbusters, often receive minimal rewards. The amount and terms of payment when a character is adapted into different media are determined by individual publishers and their contracts, but there are numerous instances of creators criticizing Marvel for its allegedly meager compensation scheme.
Ed Brubaker, a significant writer in the chronicles of Captain America comics, transformed the character Bucky Barnes into the Winter Soldier, a figure Marvel Studios turned into a pop culture sensation, with leading roles in movies like Captain America: The Winter Soldier and TV series such as The Falcon and the Winter Soldier on Disney+, and the upcoming Thunderbolts. However, Brubaker’s creative contributions to The Winter Soldier are often overlooked, receiving only a “Thank You” credit in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Marvel argues that Bucky Barnes is not Brubaker’s original creation, and The Winter Soldier is an extension of a pre-existing Marvel superhero. Interestingly, Brubaker earned more money from residuals for his minor appearance in Captain America: The Winter Soldier than he did for creating The Winter Soldier himself.
On numerous occasions, creators have expressed dissatisfaction with the compensation they receive from Marvel Comics. For instance, in 2017, Jim Starlin disclosed that he earned more from DC and Warner Bros. for his character KGBeast’s appearance as a henchman in Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice than he did from Marvel and Disney for characters like Thanos, Gamora, and Drax in Guardians of the Galaxy. Even though America Chavez was a central character in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, which made over $955 million at the global box office, her co-creator Joe Casey referred to what Marvel offered him as a meager amount and stated it was “pittance.
I’m not primarily motivated by money or respect, especially from corporations. If I find myself in a situation where I can turn down an offer that doesn’t meet my worth, and share my experience, then perhaps the next person might have a chance at receiving fair compensation. This is just how things work sometimes, but it’s important to speak up about it to bring about change. I’m content and not resentful because I understand this system, and I know that change happens through conversation.
Venom: The Last Dance
opens in theaters on October 25, 2024.
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2024-09-15 00:03