Let’s give credit where credit is due.
I have to admit I was a little worried but was really happy to see Steve Ditko’s name under a creator’s credit for Doctor Strange. Unfornatually this isn’t always the case. Hollywood puts out these movies based on characters from comic books, and the people who create them don’t get any credit for it.
Now, before I go on, I’m not talking in terms of legal terms. I understand that the artists and writers are at will employees, and the corporations own the creative property. But honestly, I’m not a lawyer and don’t fully understand ramifications of it. I’m also not going to go into compensation for the writers and artists, as again, I don’t know that much about the contracts in place. What I do know is it just doesn’t seem right, not to say who created which character.
So what am I talking about. Let’s take a look at Captain America: Civil War. There’s a credit saying that Captain America was created by Jack Kirby and Joe Simon. But for the rest of the Marvel characters that appear in the film. this is what that credit that’s posted:
It’s seems like all the bases are covered, but by the same token here’s what’s at Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice has:
It’s pretty much just about everyone who’s worked on a Batman or Superman book. Unfornatually this isn’t always the case. Let’s take a look at Marvel’s Dardevil that was on Netflix. Here are the opening credits with DD creator’s names, Stan Lee and Bill Everett, displayed:
But there’s a huge problem with the end credits:
Again, it seems like all the bases covered, but look again. Wally Wood is omited from this list. It was Wally Wood that designed the iconic red Daredevil costume. To leave his name off is just disgusting. You know the costume. This one:
I seriously can’t believe that Marvel would leave Wood’s name off. And it’s not just Marvel, DC does it too, at least on their CW shows. In Arrow and The Flash, Green Arrow creators Mortimer Weisinger and George Papp, and Flash creators Robert Kanigher and Carmine Infantino, are omited from the credits. These 4 men created these characters and Warner and the CW are making money off of their creations. It doesn’t seem right.
Hell, not even Supergirl is immune to this. This is her credits:
Techically true, and again I don’t know the legal arrangement with Jerry Siegel Family. But Supergirl was actually created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino, so why aren’t their names listed. The odd thing is there is no consitancy. These are credits from DC Super Hero Girls: Super Hero High:
Lot of creators listed, but Gorrilla Grodd, who was a big part of the film, isn’t listed. Carmine Infantino once again omited. Does Warner or DC Comics have something against Carmine why they refuse to give his credit? Plus again on the issue with Supergirl that I mentioned peviously. On a minor note about these credits, Wildcats is listed incorrectly. The Wildcat in this special was the original one. He was created by Bill Finger and Irwin Hasen. The one in credits is actually for the second Wildcat, Yolanda Montez. But I digress.
The bottom line here is it’s not right. There’s a lot that goes into creating their character and the fact the creators snubbed just turns my stomach. How can it not make you sick? Look at Bill Finger. He was the co-creator of Batman back in 1939, but it was Bob Kane who received solo credit despite all the claims stating otherwise. It wasn’t until 2015 when DC Comic finally acknowledged Bill as Batman’s co-creator. 76 years? I’m sorry, but that’s messed up. Especially seeing how Bill Finger died in 1974.
Of course one of the disadvantages you got when you work for Marvel and DC. There are some creator owned characters successes like the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the Walking Dead, but in all honesty, they are few and far between. Not pointing the finger at anyone, because people like what people like.
I can go on and on and list creator after creator, but it still won’t make any sense to me. All I can hope for is going forward, creators will get the credit they so desperately deserve.