Over on the Image Comics boards, the kids want to change the language:

“We need new term for Creators. I don’t know, creator really doesn’t apply to the 50th guy to write or draw spider-man does it? Creator used to describe the actual writing of drawing of comics is kinda ridiculous. Creator mark bagely draws Ultimate spider-man 100. Creator of the savage dragon, Erik larsen. That makes sense. But creator Erik larsen draws spider-man 800, not really.”

“It does seem weird to refer to Bendis (just as an example) as a creator when he’s working on NEW AVENGERS. If he is working on POWERS or any other stuff, sure, just not for that. I guess someone who’s purely a corporate comics professional would be better, but I don’t want to name someone and be shown a dozen examples of creator-owned stuff that they’ve done. I suppose it’s easier just referring to them as ‘writer’ or “inker” or whatever, rather than ‘creator’.”

As could be expected, some creators have something to say about the subject. Erik Larsen:

“You don’t need a new word for ‘creator’ –you just need to use the right terms for the right people. The folks working on Spider-Man are still the ‘creative team’–but that team consists of writers and artists–not creators. It doesn’t make sense to say Spider-Man’s latest writer is the ‘creator of Spider-man’–because clearly he isn’t. The problem is that people use the term because they’re lazy. ‘Comic book professionals’ is cumbersome and awkward.”

Tom Beland, however, has another take:

“I am a creator. A creator of dreams. A creator of inspiration and of voyages not yet travelled. Oh what the hell… I created Spider-Man.”

This entry was posted on Thursday, February 8th, 2007 at 8:59 am and is filed under Creators, Fandom, News & Views. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.