C.B. Cebulski Makes Marvel Comics’ Policy On A.I. Artwork Clear

Posted in: Comics, Conventions, Events, Marvel Comics, NYCC, Pop Culture | Tagged: A.I., C.B. Cebulski

C.B. Cebulski makes Marvel Comics’ policy on A.I. generated artwork very clear, at New York Comic Con

Yesterday, DC Comics President, Publisher, and CCO Jim Lee made the policy of DC Comics towards the use of artificial intelligence in generating comic book stories and artwork very clear.

“DC Comics will not support AI generated storytelling or artwork. Not now, not ever as long as I and Ann DePies are in charge. Because what we do and why we do it is rooted in our humanity. It’s that fragile, beautiful connection between imagination and emotion that fuels our media, the stuff that makes our universe come alive. It’s the imperfect mind, the creative risk, the hand-drawn gesture that no algorithm can replicate. And when I draw, I make mistakes, a lot of them. But that’s the point. The smudge, the rough line, the hesitation. That’s me in the work. That’s my journey. That’s what makes it come alive. It’s the product of true effort, of inspiration, and perspiration. Fans know this. They sense this. They can feel when something was made with care, when it cost the artist time, energy, heart, and effort. People have an instinctive reaction to what feels authentic. We recoil from what feels fake. That’s why human creativity matters. AI doesn’t dream. It doesn’t feel. It doesn’t make art. It aggregates it. Our job as creators, as storytellers, and as publishers is to make people feel something real. That’s why we create, and that’s why we’re still here.”

But what of Marvel Comics? There has been a little wiggle room there, the Secret Invasion TV series using in the titles, and Marvel Executive Editor and SVP Tom Brevoort, in a private capacity, talking about how he sees it as inevitable.

“There’s obviously been a lot of concern about the impact that A.I. programs are going to have on the creative arts, and how such programs remix and repurpose the works of other artists without credit or recompense. And these are all very sound arguments and matters that are going to need to be worked out. By that same token, the history of human innovation proves pretty conclusively that once something is discovered, all efforts to halt its further use are likely to be in vain. Technology changes the world, whether we want it to or not. So it falls to us to make sure those changes are proper and fair and equitable.”

Well, today at the Spider-Man and his Venomous Friends panel at New York Comic Con, Marvel Editor-in-Chief C.B. Cebulski was asked directly by a member of the public about Marvel’s stance regarding AI. C.B. Cebulski confirmed that Marvel Comics has never used A.I., they go to lengths to detect it and have severed ties with artists caught using AI. Though he specified this was only in the Marvel Comics division.

It is noted, however, that as with DC Comics, rather than this being a moral or ethical stance, it’s more to do with ownership. DC and Marvel Comics like to own the work they publish, and if it could be proved that published work was A.I.,  then DC and Marvel won’t own it anymore; it would be public domain.

MARVEL COMICS: Spider-Man and his Venomous Friends Thursday, October 9 3:30PM – 4:30PM ET in Room 405: Spider-Man‘s in space and Mary Jane is Venom!? VP & Executive Editor Nick Lowe, Senior Editor Jordan D. White, Editor in Chief C.B. Cebulski, and writers Al Ewing, Joe Kelly, Stephanie Phillips, and Charles Soule dish about the wild developments currently taking place in Amazing Spider-Man, Venom, All-New Spider-Gwen: The Ghost-Spider and more. Plus, get a sneak peek at what’s on the horizon from the shocking return of Knull to the mystery of the second Spider-Man! Webheads that stick around until the end will receive an exclusive giveaway comic!

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