The comic book sector has experienced near-extinction moments in the past. Certain creators express apprehensions that artificial intelligence may be its demise this time around.
The comic book sector has experienced near-extinction moments in the past. Certain creators express apprehensions that artificial intelligence may be its demise this time around.
From censoring political views in the 1950s to a market downturn in the 1990s and the contemporary era of digital distribution, creators may justifiably resent a technology generally perceived as an instrument for copyright infringement.
However, some artists are embracing generative AI despite the tension surrounding its usage, hoping to capitalize on the disruptive trend, much like comic book creators have repeatedly done to remain relevant.
Boosting speed and productivity
In November, legendary comics creator Jim Starlin, known for creating Marvel Cinematic Universe's antagonist Thanos, shared in a discussion with Popverse that he would incorporate AI in a future project. Despite making clear what parts of his work would be altered via AI, Starlin also likenedskeptics to Luddites.
“Enjoy the fact that you can now work on three projects at once, where before you couldn’t even manage one. Enjoy the fact that you can expand your work, you can essentially create a team of assistants,” stated illustrator and AI art teacher Steve McDonald in an interview with CNN. “There’s a positive approach to it, which I subscribe to.”
Comic book publishing platform WEBTOON agrees. In its SEC filing ahead of its IPO earlier this year, the digital publisher emphasized its newly launched AI tools to speed up production for creators.
“We have leveraged AI and our data advantage to launch solutions designed to alleviate creators’ workload and produce high-quality content,” according to the filing, listing painting, 3D, and 2D modeling tools as offerings.
AI could potentially address obstacles faced by small businesses by developing proposals, automating repetitive tasks, and supporting research, as observed by attorney Gamal Hennessy who specializes in representing comic book creators, in an interview with CNN.
“When they’re using AI for that, that’s where they’re excited because they could potentially expedite their production process,” he pointed out. “As an independent publisher, it takes four times longer to publish a comic book as compared to big publishers like Marvel, DC, or Image.”
Job losses and IP violation
However, the benefits of AI are still not compelling enough to the skeptics. Established artist Amy Reeder believes that she missed out on an opportunity due to AI.
“I firmly believe that I’ve lost projects due to AI. I can confirm this since they showed me an AI-made mood board for the project I was supposed to work on,” she said.
Fear of automation replacing jobs isn’t exclusive to comic books, evident in the viral opinion of actor and entrepreneur Ben Affleck on AI in filmmaking: “I don't think it will be an ideal situation for those in the visual effects sector. They’ll likely face redundancies since what was costly is now becoming affordable, and it’s going to have a major impact on that field.”
While Affleck is generally optimistic about Hollywood’s future, the loss of skilled craftsmen who develop skills through practical experience to eventually rise to the creator position might be a more significant concern in comic books.
Steve Ellis, an industry vet and art teacher, shares concerns about the potential barriers to entry that AI may create in the comic book industry. He emphasized the importance of entry-level jobs that build skills for aspiring artists.
“I sense that the students are really concerned and affected, and they don’t know what to do. They’re considering how to incorporate AI in their work,” Ellis added.
Even some established artists with a secure position in the industry voice concerns about their copyrighted material being misused without compensation, employed to train the diffusion models and later utilized in commercial work without their consent.
Comic artist Ben Caldwell argued that AI advocates often echo the views of a larger “anti-IP movement” aiming to liberate corporate copyrights, such as those owned by Disney. “This perspective is understandable given the goal of preventing corporate copyright lockdowns, but it has unintentionally or intentionally targeted small creators,” he said.
Safeguards
It’s challenging to envision that the most vocal AI critics would ever find a compatible use for AI. However, the digital music and movie industries have successfully navigated similar issues associated with piracy in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
“Perhaps you remember when we faced similar concerns regarding music and movie piracy, and the solution that emerged was platforms like Spotify, where artists got licensed, rightfully earning money from subscription fees,” said Jeff Trexler, interim head of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.
Trexler acknowledged that Spotify royalties were not significantly higher than those earned from piracy but emphasized that the platform made a viable career in music somewhat more feasible. For visual artists seeking similar licensing fees for AI training, he suggested, “I think this is the direction we’re heading in terms of content in AI.”
Many copyright lawsuits have been initiated in recent years by celebrities like comedian Sarah Silverman and news outlets like the New York Times, aiming to test the legal system to determine the protection of their IP before new laws are passed.
While everyone awaits court rulings, a group of attorneys held a legal education panel at New York Comic Con in October, discussing contractual safeguards for creators, such as language to exclude works from being used to train AI.
"It's crucial for us legal professionals to enlighten our clients, so they don't jump headfirst into using an AI-driven platform without realizing the challenges they might encounter in generating profits," lawyer Thomas Crowell expressed, sharing his insights during the discussion.
In the context ofCOMIC BOOK PUBLISING, WEBTOON has emphasized in its SEC filing the potential of AI tools to speed up production for creators, alleviating their workload and producing high-quality content. Moreover, the use of AI could potentially address obstacles faced by small businesses by developing proposals, automating repetitive tasks, and supporting research.