HAWKEYE Artist David Aja Says "Stop Crediting, Start Paying" Following Poster Release For Disney+ Series

HAWKEYE Artist David Aja Says "Stop Crediting, Start Paying" Following Poster Release For Disney+ Series

Hawkeye recently debuted a new poster which paid homage to David Aja's comic book work. Now, the artist has responded, and it sounds like he'd rather be paid than credited by Disney and Marvel Studios.

News
By JoshWilding - Oct 26, 2021 06:10 AM EST
Filed Under: Hawkeye

It's been obvious for a while now that Hawkeye is taking a great deal of inspiration from Matt Fraction and David Aja's comic book run. Everything from the show's logo to the inclusion of the Tracksuit Draculas, Pizza Dog, and Kate Bishop herself are lifted from that series, with the latest poster for the show clearly paying homage to one of Aja's covers. 

Recently, there's been a lot of discussion online about comic book creatives not being appropriately compensated for the way their work is adapted for film and television. Now, Aja appears to have made his feelings known by saying that he'd like to see Marvel Studios "stop crediting [and] start paying."

His comments do appear to be at least somewhat in jest, but chances are he's set to receive nothing more than a credit at the end of each episode for the way his work inspired Hawkeye. As a result, it's easy enough to see why he'd rather be paid, especially as we know Disney has previously given creators a paltry amount for their characters and concepts being used in live-action. 

We haven't heard much from Fraction when it comes to his thoughts on the show, but it's been quite some time since he's actually done any work for Marvel Comics. 

Hawkeye will premiere on November 24 with its first two episodes. 
 

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bkmeijer2
bkmeijer2 - 10/26/2021, 6:05 AM
I do think there is something to be said and done about royalties in comics, although getting the credits right is a good first step
Doomsday8888
Doomsday8888 - 10/26/2021, 6:12 AM
Was having a strong sense of dejavu then google was quick to remind me that the same shit happened with Falcon and The Winter Soldier, Brubaker was quite pissed.

But then again, this is way too common unfortunately...
MG0019
MG0019 - 10/26/2021, 12:17 PM
@Doomsday8888 - Brubaker got it even worse I feel. He essentially created the character & story that yielded the studio massive success. And he wasn’t even invited to the film’s afterparty. He had to text one of the crew to meet him at the door to get inside.

If I remember correctly, the only way for him to get SOME money was to have a speaking role as an extra. They had him as an extra in the next film but cut his line.

To this day he gets no enjoyment out of the success of Winter Soldier. He doesn’t sound mad, but very very dissatisfied and melancholy about it.

Check out his latest interview on Fatman Beyond.
elgaz
elgaz - 10/26/2021, 6:16 AM
Disney should pay the man his dues if they're using his comic art/designs as a basis for some of their promotional stuff. If their own marketing staff aren't coming up with fresh ideas and they're using his, then it's only fair.
VileBlood
VileBlood - 10/26/2021, 8:39 AM
@elgaz - Why should they pay his dues for simply making poster that's inspired by his work?

That would be like me paying Stan Lee for simply drawing a picture of Spider-Man.
lordSTALE
lordSTALE - 10/26/2021, 9:23 AM
@elgaz - He was already paid by Marvel Entertainment to make the art in the first place, and all of that work is owned by Disney/Marvel. There was nothing in his contract that states "you will receive compensation for any future projects or promotional material that uses your character designs or your art as inspiration"

So Disney doesn't HAVE TO pay him, but they can give him some money if they want to
HannibalLecter
HannibalLecter - 10/26/2021, 10:43 AM
@elgaz - While I'm no expert in laws and copyright I'm pretty sure that all the work artist and writers make for Marvel it's property of Marvel to be used as they want.

Aja got paid when he drew that, little did he know that his once humble work would be used in a multimillion production and now he feels robbed lol
elgaz
elgaz - 10/26/2021, 10:46 AM
@obredaan - Not quite the same. Unless you intend to sell your picture of Spiderman and profit from it. Then it's comparable to what Disney do. And if you were going to sell pictures of a character you never created, then yes, I would say you should be paying Stan Lee his royalty.
elgaz
elgaz - 10/26/2021, 10:49 AM
@HannibalLecter - Fair point
elgaz
elgaz - 10/26/2021, 10:50 AM
@lordSTALE - Fair enough, I thought he was independent. But yes, if they make a fortune from the property then I guess some compensation for his input would be nice even if not legally required.
SnideCut
SnideCut - 10/26/2021, 6:26 AM
I'm usually in support of the artist but its not like they used his illustration for the poster. Its literally just a similar layout. The elements are different ( not to mention, live-action ). I get he's joking but on the off-chance he's being serious, its a bit ridiculous to demand payment for it.
Brubaker's issue with the Winter Soldier usage had more merit to it.
DTor91
DTor91 - 10/26/2021, 7:05 AM
@SnideCut - It’s literally the same argument Brubaker had. The whole design and direction of the show is straight up lifted from his visual approach on the comic. Down to the logo and visual motifs, which was equally responsible for outside of the actual drawing. His direction on Hawkeye was just as drastic a change for the character and series as was his time on Iron Fist, and it’s had a lasting effect since. Joking or not, he deserves quite a bit of compensation. Should get some royalties for using the exact logo alone.
JDL
JDL - 10/26/2021, 6:47 AM
It's actually pretty simple. When you get the original job your contract (industry standard) specifies that the copyright holder retains all rights not specifically enumerated. If you don't sign you aren't going to get the job. You can of course set up your own comics company if you find the contract unacceptable.
TheManWithoutFear
TheManWithoutFear - 10/26/2021, 6:54 AM
He's clearly joking. You would have to be crazy to actually think he'd get paid for Marvel creating a poster based on a Marvel comic.
CorndogBurglar
CorndogBurglar - 10/26/2021, 7:08 AM
@TheManWithoutFear - Yeah, but its weird. Only because we know that Rob Liefeld makes money off the Deadpool movies. Yet no other comics creators seem to make anything. I wonder what it was about his contract that allows him to get paid royalties off Deadpool.
GhostDog
GhostDog - 10/26/2021, 7:39 AM
He ain’t wrong.
lordSTALE
lordSTALE - 10/26/2021, 9:25 AM
@BlackBeltJones - Well, he's joking

But he would be wrong if he wasn't joking
ElvenKingSlayer
ElvenKingSlayer - 10/26/2021, 7:57 AM
Headline is taken out of context. He is saying it with laughter.
slickrickdesigns
slickrickdesigns - 10/26/2021, 8:15 AM
Would be nice if the creatives behind these characters and plot ideas got a piece of the action, but in reality the company paying the creatives usually owns anything you create while working on their time. If you’re being paid to create something they claim ownership. It’s sad but true and if the creatives want more for their ideas they have to gamble on negotiations or finding an investor who will give them a piece of the profits for their ideas. (Which rarely happens for new artists and creators)
TheMapleSyrup
TheMapleSyrup - 10/26/2021, 8:40 AM
Comic book writers should be rolling in the dough. It's a shame that studios feel the need to pay an actor millions upon millions of dollars, but these artists and some writer's are still struggling to get by.
soberchimera
soberchimera - 10/26/2021, 9:14 AM
Seriously though Disney...
BecauseICare
BecauseICare - 10/26/2021, 9:15 AM
As far as credit goes, I legitimately wonder how far a credit gets you. For example, the creators of Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman ALWAYS get credit at the end of anything bearing their work. Superman's creators famously got SCREWED on their creation. The Batman creator worked out something where he actually made money off his creation. And William Moulton Marston was already extremely well off when he made Wonder Woman so it's doubtful he ever got paid anything more than the typical for his creation. Yet they are credited every time the Trinity shows up. However, not every comic book creation is the Trinity. So I may create something that will turn a HUGE profit for a company and I will get credit from now until the end of time for the creation. But what does that get me? A cookie?
BlackConvoy
BlackConvoy - 10/26/2021, 9:47 AM
What's crazy to me is that after all these years, comic book artists and writers don't have agents or a union.
AlanWarlock
AlanWarlock - 10/26/2021, 10:00 AM
I remember Jim Starlin being quoted as saying he received a check for a character he co-created that appeared in "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" that was more than any payment he received from Marvel for Thanos, Gamora, or Drax.
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