I was watching Family Guy, the Television show and the creator, a guy in his 30’s Seth MacFarlane happened to mention off-hand, how the show made him a millionaire.

I for some reason, probably because I’m reading some issues now, thought about Spider-Man’s creators, Stan Lee and Steve Ditko.

I was thinking: Family Guy is an animated show, that Seth MacFarlane started. And it is a hit show, and him being a millionaire is great. He earned it, cause he started and created all these characters and concepts.

Now I look at Spider-Man, who is a cultural icon. Yet, WHO makes all the money off this creation? The Marvel Comics corporation. NOT the men, Stand Lee and Steve Ditko who ONLY CREATED the character. Created the majority of his main villains. His supporting cast, and story lines that have been repeated again and again, and even in various media from animated to movies. Basically they created not only Spider-Man, but the world he operates in.

Let’s face it: It is a Billion Dollar idea and creation.

And while Lee, good for him, has made his millions. It’s cause of ALL his Marvel work and co-created characters. Not just Spider-Man. I think for Spidey alone he deserves more money.

But the real shame is Ditko, who gets NO residual income for Spider-Man, cause back then it was a “work for hire” agreement, and the company owns the character. And the creator has NO RIGHTS in terms of financial income, in making the character.

Its just a darn Shame.

In other media, from Animation, and Books, CREATORS are not treated this shabby.

Comic book history, in this respect, is a Shameful Disgrace. Creators, in a just world, Should Benefit FINANCIALLY, from their creative work. It’s only right.

Yet it didn’t happen in comics back then.

And yet, it was BACK THEN, that all the Truly Creative Works and characters appeared.
All the Icons.

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P.S. I know some will mention, creators now get a Financial Cut, and Royalty, of characters they make. I agree, but wonder, does anyone know, and can post statistics, and what percent a creator gets for his creation? And does it count for all other work and media outside comics?

From what I’ve read and tried to find, it seems from admittedly, little I know. It still seems like a Raw Deal. And compared to other creative media like Books, Animation, or Films. The creators of Comic Book Characters, in terms of Financial restitution, is still a Raw Deal where you get the financial shaft.

And I guess it shows in a way cause: Comic book companies are pretty notorious in being cheap, and not wanting to give financial royalties AT ALL. Much less, to a creator over and over again, for use of their character.

And if this is the case, Which it is. Then it’s pretty easy to assume, the Financial Cut and royalty you make, in comic books, is not much, for a new creation.

Also, it’s No Surprise, the big two, Marvel and DC Comics DO NOT publish titles, (or at least ones that last) with new characters. It’s a rarity, and something not usually done.

Instead, it’s the same old characters again and again recycled in a new comic book series every few years. I wonder why? It’s gotta be the fact that: They don’t have to pay a royalty for them. Cause those characters, are owned by the company and before the Royalty Plan was in place.

And as a creator: If you learned your history, and how past creators got screwed financially, and how you can’t even dictate the direction of your creation. (And editor can overrule you in terms of how the character should develop.) Why would you want to contribute that new character you made?

Makes no sense.

If you got a good idea, and thanks to diversity now in publishing, it’s better to go to a company like Image, and make a book where you own the rights to your creation.

Bottom Line: Spider-Man’s creators got financially screwed, as well as most of the Golden and Silver age creators. And from what I know, the compensation plan, still isn’t great in terms of your contributions creatively. So if you got a great character or idea, it’s probably best to think it over and publish it in a place where you own the rights.

And at the Very Least, read all contracts carefully and think Long, NOT short term, in regards of finances and if you will get your financial just due if you are working for Marvel, DC, or any other company, that would own your creative ideas.

In this day and age, if you don’t know your creative rights, you had better ask and check what is written in the contract. Lack of such foresight, can cost you financially, a million dollar idea.

I hear a lot of arguments about who created the Marvel Universe, was it Stan Lee or Jack Kirby who deserves all the credit?

And I’ve seen passionate Kirby fans argue that: Stan Lee only did dialogue. And Kirby made all the creative ideas.

Even though, it’s established fact Lee gave plot ideas in writing. Later on, over the phone in a conversation, and not a written script.

I don’t think it’s fare to Stan Lee had no real creative role at all, in Marvel Comics success. And that it’s all Kirby.

Here is why:

If it was a writer just making, one or two books. Giving a plot and dialogue, I could understand the view. Of saying Lee didn’t do much.

But the truth is, after I read the Stan Lee book he wrote about those days.

Excelsior: The Amazing Life of Stan Lee

The guy was a work horse. And DESERVES co-creator credit and his just due in the Marvel Universe.

-Stan Lee had to run the plates, to the presses to make sure the books were published. This is off memory, I got to find the book. But basically it seems, he had the job of bringing the art to the printing presses. This alone, I think qualifies for a full time job.

- He was the editor, who had to control about a dozen books. He had to talk, scout out, and hire talent. As well as place them in various jobs.

- Stan Lee had to write, at the very least, all the dialogue of these books.

- He had to read and answer the mail in the various letter columns for all the books, and write the bulletin pages.

- He had to answer to his bosses and other people, at any given time.

And a few more things I’m forgetting, but were written in the book .

Take all this into account: And tell me honestly, that Stan Lee didn’t create much, or that he was not also largely responsible for Marvel Comics success? It’s not just about making comics. It’s all the other jobs as well, that we the public are not privy to.

We was running at least 3 full time jobs, each in their own right. As an editor, as a guy handling all the letter columns, and bulletin pages. And as a writer.

I can picture it, and it must have been a nonstop pace. Something was always happening.

And as for character credit?

It’s a known fact that he talked with his artists. Plots and ideas went back and forth. Later on the artists, wrote plots without Lee.

But all the establishing stuff, and book concepts and characters to start with were talked over. It was a co-creative work.

And really in my opinion, Stan Lee did create a lot. And yes, he did help to co-create these characters.

His Marvel method, also I think brought the best out of both worlds.

The artist paced the story himself. And had to figure out how to make the panels and what to do, in the visual sense. Yet, at the same time, he had an outline to follow of what to do and where the story needed to go.

The writer had new ideas to work with in the art, and script it coherently to tell a great story.

It was the best of both worlds.

Both Contributed!

That’s how comics should be. An artist and writer, both adding there creative ideas. And the completed whole, is the best of both.

Problem I see with the old world of Full Script method is: The artist really has no creative function and is a Drone. Some artists might like working that way, and easier to do, just follow orders. But if I were and artist, I’d hate it. It is not in my view, too creative.

If you give a full script to 10 different artists, the resulting work would be very similar and almost the same.

In Full Script, the Writer dictates it all. And the Artist, is just a Tool and Replaceable.

In the Marvel method. The artist is helping to co-create. And give those same 10 artists this style, and you’d end up with 10 different stories, with some similarities.

Also an artist naturally knows better how to visually pace a story. Then a writer, who can’t draw to pace a story using visuals. It’s just the artists nature.

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Back to Kirby fans who try to imply Kirby did it all, or at least most of it.

I have to disagree, it was a co-creative work. And while the Marvel Universe you know would be drastically different without Kirby and what he contributed. Which was a huge lot. It’s only fair to acknowledge, in a Kirby only world without Lee, there would not be a Marvel Universe as we know it either.

It was both a Kirby and Lee creation that made the majority of the Marvel Universe. It was a co-creation, and I’m cool with that.

Hi,

Thanks for taking a look. I hope you bookmark this site. On this blog I’ll have articles, thoughts and posts about comic books. Reviews, thoughts and recommendations.
On with thew show!

Rob