Michelle ThompsonIt might surprise those not familiar with the comic book industry, which generates billions through movie adaptations, that it has come close to collapsing several times throughout its history. Now, the rise of AI tools is introducing new concerns about its potential demise.
From political censorship in the 1950s to a major sales decline in the 1990s and the shift to digital distribution today, creators have reasons to be wary of technology that is often seen as a tool for copyright infringement.
However, despite the controversy surrounding AI, some artists are choosing to embrace generative AI, hoping to adapt to the disruption just as comic book creators have done in the past to stay afloat.
Adding speed and efficiency
In November, Jim Starlin, the legendary comic book creator behind Marvel’s Thanos, shared in an interview with Popverse that he plans to use AI in an upcoming project. While he promised to be clear about which aspects of his work would involve AI, he also compared AI critics to Luddites.
Steve McDonald, an illustrator and AI art instructor, told CNN, “Embrace the fact that you can now manage three book projects at once when you used to only be able to handle one. Embrace the idea that you can expand your work and essentially create a team of assistants.” He emphasized the potential positive aspects of AI.
WEBTOON, a digital comic book platform, also supports this view. In its SEC filing for its IPO earlier this year, the company highlighted the new AI tools it’s introducing to help creators accelerate their production.
A view of atmosphere during New York Comic Con 2024 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center on October 17, 2024 in New York City.
The filing mentioned that artificial intelligence and data insights have been used to create products that help ease the workload for creators, enabling them to produce high-quality content more efficiently. These offerings include painting, 3D, and 2D modeling tools.
AI could also assist small businesses by developing pitches, automating repetitive tasks, and supporting research, according to attorney Gamal Hennessy, who works with comic book creators. Speaking to CNN, he noted that creators are excited about how AI helps speed up their production process. He explained that for independent publishers, it takes much longer to produce a comic compared to larger companies like Marvel, DC, or Image.
Job losses and IP theft
Many creators remain wary of the benefits of AI, feeling that its potential risks outweigh the advantages. Amy Reeder, a seasoned artist who has worked with Marvel and DC, believes she lost opportunities due to AI’s influence. She shared her experience, saying, “I’m pretty sure that I was offered and then lost a job because of AI. I know this because they had a mood board that was all clearly AI work.”
The fear of automation replacing jobs extends beyond comics. Actor and entrepreneur Ben Affleck made headlines for his comments on AI in film production, stating that the visual effects industry is facing challenges as the technology reduces costs, which is already affecting the sector. While Affleck is optimistic about Hollywood’s creator-driven future, the potential loss of skilled workers who rise through the ranks to become creators themselves is a concern in the comic book industry.
Steve Ellis, a veteran artist and educator, worries about AI creating barriers for aspiring comic book artists. He pointed out how the loss of smaller gigs takes away opportunities for skill development, which is vital for young artists. “Talking to the students, they really are worried and affected and don’t know what to do, and I think some of them probably are considering how do I use this in my work,” Ellis explained.
Even established artists feel vulnerable, fearing that their copyrighted material is being used without consent, training AI models, and incorporated into commercial works without compensation. Ben Caldwell, a comic artist, argued that AI advocates are often aligned with a broader “anti-IP movement” that seeks to loosen corporate copyrights like those held by Disney. While the goal of fostering creativity is understandable, Caldwell believes it has sometimes been misused, particularly against smaller creators.
Guardrails
It may be hard to imagine some of the more vocal anti-AI creators accepting any use of the technology. However, a similar situation occurred not long ago with the rise of digital downloads, which posed a significant challenge to the entertainment industry—but the industry eventually adapted.
Jeff Trexler, interim head of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, drew parallels to the concerns around music and movie piracy in the late ’90s and early 2000s. He explained, “What happened was we had things like Spotify and other platforms emerge where people just basically got licenses.” While Trexler acknowledged that Spotify royalties aren’t much more than what musicians earn from piracy, he noted that the platform at least made a career in music more viable.
For visual artists concerned about licensing fees for AI training, Trexler suggested that the industry might be heading in a similar direction, where content licensing for AI could become the norm.
A view of atmosphere during New York Comic Con 2024 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center on October 18, 2024 in New York City.
In recent years, several media industries have seen a surge in copyright lawsuits, with high-profile cases working their way through the courts. Celebrities like comedian Sarah Silverman and major news outlets such as the New York Times are pushing the legal system to determine whether existing precedents can protect their intellectual property before new laws are established.
While awaiting court decisions, a group of attorneys hosted a legal education panel at New York Comic Con in October. They discussed how creators can protect their work contractually, such as by including clauses to prevent their creations from being used to train AI.
Attorney Thomas Crowell, who participated in the panel, emphasized the importance of educating clients about the risks of adopting AI-driven platforms without fully understanding the potential financial challenges they might face. “There’s a lot that I think we attorneys have to do to educate our clients, so they don’t run whole hog and adopt an AI-forward platform and then find out they’re really going to have a hard time making money,” he explained.
Emily Martinez
