from political censorship in the 1950s to the sales crash of the 1990s and the challenges of digital distribution, comic book creators have long faced existential threats. unsurprisingly, many now view ai as yet another disruptive force—one that could facilitate copyright infringement and undermine artistic integrity.
yet, despite the controversy, some artists are embracing ai, hoping to harness its potential to enhance efficiency, just as previous generations of creators have adapted to industry shifts.
ai’s potential for speed and productivity
in november, comic book legend jim starlin—creator of thanos—shared in an interview with popverse that he plans to incorporate ai into a future project. while he promised transparency regarding ai’s role in his work, he also compared critics of the technology to luddites.
illustrator and ai art instructor steve mcdonald echoed this sentiment in an interview with cnn:
“you can now manage three projects at once, whereas before you struggled with one. ai can extend your creative vision and essentially act as a team of assistants.”
comic publishing platform webtoon agrees. in its ipo filing earlier this year, the company highlighted ai-powered tools designed to reduce artists’ workload, offering features such as ai-assisted painting and 3d/2d modeling.
attorney gamal hennessy, who specializes in comic book industry contracts, pointed out that ai could also support independent creators by automating administrative tasks, streamlining research, and helping with pitch development.
“independent publishers take significantly longer to release comics compared to major players like marvel or dc. ai could help level the playing field,” hennessy noted.
concerns over job loss and intellectual property theft
despite these advantages, many artists remain deeply concerned about ai’s impact on the industry. veteran comic artist amy reeder, who has worked with both marvel and dc, suspects she lost a job due to ai-generated artwork.
“i was initially offered a project but later lost it. the mood board they shared was entirely ai-generated,” she said.
this fear isn’t unique to comics. actor ben affleck has warned about ai’s potential disruption in hollywood, particularly in visual effects, where automation is already driving down costs.
beyond job displacement, many creators worry that ai models are being trained on their work without consent or compensation. comic artist ben caldwell argues that some ai proponents align with an “anti-ip movement” seeking to challenge corporate copyrights, such as those held by disney. while this may help prevent corporate monopolization of creativity, he warns that small creators could be collateral damage.
navigating ai’s future in comics
for ai’s critics, any use of the technology may seem unacceptable. however, history suggests that industries often find ways to adapt to disruptive innovations. jeff trexler, interim director of the comic book legal defense fund, draws parallels to the music industry’s battle with piracy in the early 2000s.
“just as platforms like spotify emerged to license music legally, ai-driven content creation could eventually follow a similar path,” trexler suggested.
legal battles over ai-generated content are already underway, with high-profile lawsuits from comedian sarah silverman and the new york times challenging the use of copyrighted material in ai training. meanwhile, industry attorneys are advising comic creators to include contractual protections that prevent their work from being used in ai datasets.
at new york comic con, attorney thomas crowell emphasized the need for vigilance:
“creators must be cautious before fully embracing ai-driven platforms, as they might later struggle to monetize their work.”
as the debate continues, the comic book industry—like many creative fields—must decide whether to resist ai outright or find ways to coexist with it.