Neal Adams, Comic Book Artist Who Revitalized Batman and Fought for Creators’ Rights, Dies at 80; The Hollywood Reporter, April 29, 2022

 Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter; Neal Adams, Comic Book Artist Who Revitalized Batman and Fought for Creators’ Rights, Dies at 80

"Adams also worked tirelessly to promote better working conditions and, radically at the time, creators’ rights, especially for their work. He early on recognized the value of creators and was a thorn in the side of publishers, demanding compensation for himself and others when their characters were adapted off the page.

He, along with Stan Lee, formed the Academy of Comic Book Arts, hoping to start a union that would fight for benefits and ownership on behalf of writers and artists. Lee wanted an organization that was more akin to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and the two parted ways.

In the late ’70s, when a new federal work-for-hire law was being enshrined, Marvel and then editor-in-chief Jim Shooter distributed contracts that stated freelancers could not assert copyright over their creations. As detailed in Reisman’s 2021 Lee biography, True Believer, Adams sent around a copy of the contract, scrawling on top, “Do Not Sign This Contract! You Will Be Signing Your Life Away!” While it caused a ruckus and awareness, the effort didn’t have its intended effect as Marvel flexed its muscle and threatened anyone who tried to unionize with a drying up of the freelance well."

Stan Lee Unleashed the Heroic Power of the Outcast; Wired, December 13, 2018

Adam Rogers, Wired; Stan Lee Unleashed the Heroic Power of the Outcast

"From the fantasy-pulp midden, Lee had excavated a gem of a truth: These tales about men and women in garish tights hitting each other were also about more. Super­heroes had incredible abilities, yes, but they were also often the victims of prejudice themselves, or trapped in moral webs stronger than anything Spider-­Man ever thwipped. So the comics appealed to people who felt the same, even before Lee and the other Marvel creators published the first African American heroes, the first popular Asian American heroes, and strong, leading-character women in numbers large enough to populate a dozen summer crossovers...

His death encouraged people to tell stories of Lee’s kindness and enthusiasm. But for every story that circulated after Lee’s death about how wonderful and caring he was, comics professionals tell other tales in which Lee is … not.

Every bit as complicated as the characters he helped bring into the world, Lee taught generations of nerds the concepts of responsibility, morality, and love. He waged a sometimes ham-fisted battle against prejudice, misunderstanding, and evil. This is what makes some of nerd-dom’s recent tack toward intolerance so painful; other­ishness is engineered into comics’ radioactive, mutated DNA. Even if Lee wasn’t a super human, he was super­human, empowering colleagues to leap creative obstacles and to give readers a sense of their own secret strengths."

The darker side of Stan Lee’s legacy; Vox, November 14, 2018

Alex Abad-Santos, Vox; The darker side of Stan Lee’s legacy

"As fans, we should celebrate Lee’s work and the wondrous comic book worlds he helped create. At the same time, it doesn’t take away from Lee’s legacy to also acknowledge the comic book writers, artists, editors, colorists, and everyone who worked with him to produce those characters and universes — the people who don’t, and perhaps never will, enjoy the same level of recognition."

How Stan Lee Helped Bring Humanity to Superheroes; Comic Book Resources, November 13, 2018

Brian Cronin, Comic Book Resources; How Stan Lee Helped Bring Humanity to Superheroes

"Spider-Man's introduction in Amazing Fantasy #15 achieved two notable goals. One, it took the idea of Reed Richards' cosmic ray screw-up leading to the creation of the Fantastic Four to a whole other level, as now Peter Parker's selfishness almost directly led to the death of his beloved Uncle Ben, giving Spider-Man a painful reminder why he has to be a superhero and two, it took a teen hero and had him not as a sidekick or a younger version of an older hero, but as THE hero."

Marvel Icon Stan Lee Leaves a Legacy as Complex as His Superheroes; The Daily Beast, November 12, 2018

Spencer Ackerman, The Daily Beast; Marvel Icon Stan Lee Leaves a Legacy as Complex as His Superheroes

"Stan Lee supercharged Marvel Comics into one of the most important cultural forces on the planet. But how much credit does he really deserve?"

Iceman Came Out. Now He’s Coming Back in His Own Series.; The New York Times, June 28, 2018

George Gene Gustines, The New York Times; Iceman Came Out. Now He’s Coming Back in His Own Series.

"What is next for Iceman? 

I’m really excited that we’re coming back with a new No. 1. This is going to be a great way to invite readers to celebrate with us. Iceman is going to be thinking about how he can help other people and use his mutant power to be the best he can be. He’s going to be up against some pretty big bad guys. In the first issue he’s preventing the next “Mutant Massacre” with Bishop, another X-Man.

We’re also going to see a lot of the previous cast but played out in different ways. Bobby’s relationship with his parents will not be as fraught. He reached a level of peace that you can get to — even with parents like his. We’re going to see his dating life. It’s just going to be such a breath of fresh air to see him really stretch his arms out and have fun. 

You mentioned there would be some community outreach too. 

The reason I love X-Men books is that they speak so much to people who identify as other. We’re going to be seeing Bobby trying to figure out how he can be a shining beacon to the gay community. That’s where me and Bobby Drake are alike: How do you take this platform and try to do something meaningful? That’s something I want all readers to think about: How can you make a difference in your world? I feel super proud of the story I’ve crafted with all those things in mind."

INTERVIEW: KIERON GILLEN RETURNS TO STAR WARS WITH ‘ETHICALLY BROKEN’ DOCTOR APHRA; Comic Book Resources, 1/2/17

Dave Richards, Comic Book Resources; INTERVIEW: KIERON GILLEN RETURNS TO STAR WARS WITH ‘ETHICALLY BROKEN’ DOCTOR APHRA:

"One of the intriguing elements of the Star Wars Universe is its rich history both in terms of the time period of what’s been seen on screen, and the ancient periods of history that span thousands of years before the films and television shows. Games and comic books have mined that time period for stories in the past, but now there’s a Marvel Comics series about a character who mines that time period for her wallet.

Of course, that would be “Doctor Aphra,” the new ongoing series by writer Kieron Gillen and artist Kev Walker, which started with two issues last month. The book starring the titular ethically challenged archeologist who made her debut in the Gillen-written “Darth Vader” series."

Extreme Anger Management: Is It O.K. to Kill the Hulk’s Alter Ego?; New York Times, 7/14/16

George Gen Gustines, New York Times; Extreme Anger Management: Is It O.K. to Kill the Hulk’s Alter Ego? :

[Spoilers]

"Marvel’s heroes have found themselves divided in the mini-series Civil War II and the conflict has taken another victim. In Wednesday’s issue, Bruce Banner, the alter ego of the Incredible Hulk, is killed by his fellow hero Hawkeye, who believed he was preventing an even more horrible future from coming to pass: a rampage by the green behemoth that would have left even more heroes dead.

Like the 1956 short story “Minority Report” by Phillip K. Dick, Marvel’s champions are dealing with questions of free will and determinism. They have encountered Ulysses, who has the power to see the future. Some of the heroes, led by Captain Marvel, want to use that knowledge to prevent crimes before they occur, while others, who stand behind Iron Man, wonder about the ethics of prosecuting people for crimes they might commit."

Marvel had one Avenger kill another. It’s a turning point in Civil War II.; Vox, 7/14/16

Alex Abad-Santos, Vox; Marvel had one Avenger kill another. It’s a turning point in Civil War II. :

[Spoilers]

"The trial gives Bendis the structure to really spell out the personalities at play, and to let him fiddle with Captain Marvel, Iron Man, and Hawkeye’s individual points of view. At the same time, we get to see three different interpretations of who Bruce Banner is but don’t get to witness what actually happened.

And it’s hard to cleave Bendis’s interpretation of Hawkeye without thinking of recent examples from American reality, specifically the shooting deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile at the hands of police. To be clear: Civil War II and crossover events like it are planned out far in advance, and months and months before the recent tragedies in Louisiana, Minnesota, and Texas. But the ideas and debate surrounding the Black Lives Matter movement and police accountability extend far beyond this month’s tragedies."

DONALD TRUMP BECOMES A MARVEL SUPERVILLAIN IN "SPIDER-GWEN"; Comic Book Resources, 7/2/16

Kevin Melrose, Comic Book Resources; DONALD TRUMP BECOMES A MARVEL SUPERVILLAIN IN "SPIDER-GWEN" :

"In an alternate Marvel Universe where Gwen Stacy, not Peter Parker, was bitten by a radioactive spider, and Samantha Wilson is Captain America, the classic supervillain M.O.D.O.K. resembles a certain real estate mogul turned reality TV star turned presidential candidate: Donald J. Trump.

In this week's "Spider-Gwen Annual" #1, writer Jason Latour and "an awesome assemblage of artists" offer a tour of Earth-65 with a collection of short stories that includes She-Hulk as a pro wrestler, the origin of Koala Kommander, and an all-too brief showdown between Captain America and M.O.D.O.K. -- wait, make that M.O.D.A.A.K. (Mental Organism Designed As America's King)."

Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau is hero in new Marvel comic; Guardian, 6/28/16

Ashifa Kassam, Guardian; Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau is hero in new Marvel comic:

"Trudeau will appear on the variant cover of Marvel’s Civil War II: Choosing Sides #5, slated for release at the end of August. The cover is an alternative to the main cover in circulation.

The prime minister’s foray into Marvel Universe came after Canadian artist and writer Chip Zdarsky was approached by Marvel to write a story featuring Canadian superhero squad Alpha Flight. He immediately knew he wanted Trudeau to be part of the story.

“He seems to be the popular culture association with Canada right now, right behind [Toronto rapper] Drake – and I probably couldn’t get Drake in the comic,” Zdarsky told the Canadian Press. While it wouldn’t endorse the comic, Trudeau’s office said it was fine with the idea.

The storyline centers on Alpha Flight, who now work for Captain Marvel’s worldwide defence program. When faced with a moral quandary, the team decides to seek out Trudeau, their old boss, for advice.

“I liked the idea of him actually engaging them in an ethical debate,” said Zdarsky. “I didn’t want this to just be like a walk-on ... rescued by superheroes and he thanks them and that’s the end of the story.”

The story required Zdarsky to put himself in Trudeau’s shoes, envisioning how the politician would respond to certain situations."

Flashback: How Marvel's "House of M" Changed an Industry and a Universe; ComicBookResources.com, 8/29/15

Marc Buxton, ComicBookResources.com; Flashback: How Marvel's "House of M" Changed an Industry and a Universe:

""House of M" #1 centered on Scarlet Witch, a long time Avenger. In "Avengers Dissembled," Wanda Maximoff was responsible for the mass destruction that tore Earth's Mightiest Heroes apart. In "House of M," the Avengers and the X-Men gathered to discuss just what should be done about this dangerous mutant with the ability to alter reality on a whim. This situation presented Marvel with many firsts. It was the first in a long line of crossovers that would involve the clash between two groups of major heroes. "Civil War," "World War Hulk" and "Avengers vs. X-Men" would follow as Marvel found a new formula to grab fan attention -- have two factions of popular heroes find a fundamental, ethical difference and have said heroes battle it out in a massive event.

While "House of M" did not feature a battle royal between groups, Bendis infused the first issue with palpable tension as mutant and superhero argued over the fate of the Scarlet Witch. It was clear that if the sides threw down, it would be epic. Fan debates sprung up online arguing who was right. Should Wanda be destroyed or contained? And if she was contained, who should care for her -- mutant hero or human champion? This super heroic moral impasse would become a frequent trope used in event comics, but this particular war of ethics would not continue for long in "House of M." In the first issue, Magneto showed up to retrieve his daughter and the true drama began. "House of M" #1 was read, devoured and debated, but most of all, it was an instant smash with 233,000 copies sold. Those numbers indicated that the super hero crossover event was back in a big way."