"Spider-Gwen" Artist: "We Can't Really Create New Characters"

[CBR News]

"Spider-Gwen" artist and co-creator Robbi Rodriguez says movie rights keep wholly original characters from popping up in the book.


Full article here.

[Cloudman]

If true this seems like a pretty constrictive rule. I don't see how this lines up with the rules around Marvel's other books though, unless Spider-Gwen has its own exceptional terms?

[dan12456]

Wow that is absolutely horrible. Not being able to create her own cast is going to completely prevent Spider-Gwen from becoming a top tier character. So unbelievably gross. And they say Marvel's competition with Fox won't effect the comics my ass. Who cares if Fox can use some new characters, its either that or they never exist. Either way you don't get them Marvel, but at least in the first scenario you get better comics.

[MarvelMaster616]

These movie rights are really becoming a problem for Marvel creatively. They're putting extra shackles on a writer that don't need to be there. I can't imagine working on a story where I have to look over my shoulder every few minutes and ask, "Can we do this or is this going to upset the lawyers?" It essentially dooms a story to becoming narrow in scope when it really doesn't need to be.

At the very least, I feel Spider-Gwen has an advantage. It's easier to operate within that scope because she's one hero in one world with a pretty clear set of character to work with. It's much harder for the X-men, who are supposed to be a diverse team that deals with diverse threats. I feel as though this is going to have long-term consequences down the line. We may not see them in the immediate future, but I think it'll start showing eventually.

[6516148847]

I for one actually think this is more a good thing than a bad one. I mean, the freedom to create new characters is all well and good from a writer's perspective, but from a reader's prospective in a venue like the Marvel Universe where there are probably, like, 10 THOUSAND characters already in the mix? I don't think it's really all that good. Like, CBR not that long ago did this article about where are your favorite characters post-Secret Wars, and I read it and I was actually pretty floored by some of the characters that got left out. Like, I see a book like Yost's New Warriors, and I'm saying to myself... this AGAIN? Young X-Men, New X-Men, Young Avengers, Avengers Initiative, Runaways (there are like probably 10 more of these), it's like they're just coming up with one throw-away character after another with that stuff and it's wearying as a reader.

I'm not saying no new characters ever, but I do think Marvel editorial actually should be a lot faster to put on the breaks for this kind of thing and ask the question: Okay, does this new character actually have something unique and powerful to say to people? Or, can a character we already have do the same thing just as well? Because, otherwise, it's just asking readers to forget about characters they've already invested in and go on to something else. I think the re-imagined tact that was mentioned is actually a better way to go. I'd much rather read about a re-imagined Luke Cage, than a new character myself.

[AcesX1X]

all is not well in the house of spider after all, it seems. these IP wars are the pits. x-men, ff, now spider-gwen. why even keep publishing comics that they don't fully own?

[Username taken]

Sounds pretty bizarre since a metric ton of new characters have been introduced since Brand New Day.

Maybe it's A-list writer privilege or maybe it's just Spider-Gwen.

I don't think the rights issues should affect Spider-man too much seeing as Marvel has licensing rights to merchandising.

[Kpop]

Marvel Comics 2015: "The House of No New Ideas by Royal Edict"

[Chrysalis_Changling]

imagine if Luke Cage is just A Fat Mexican Bullfighter who is just luke cage in name only so they can use him as the template for a new character

[skyvolt2000]

all is not well in the house of spider after all, it seems. these IP wars are the pits. x-men, ff, now spider-gwen. why even keep publishing comics that they don't fully own?

Because those characters have fans and some value.

Because you have folks who are too lazy or dislike certain characters to not build up and develop.

If Storm & Spider-Gwen are held up due to movie rights.

Wouldn't COMMON sense say develop someone else like Spectrum? Ms Chavez?

But no one wants to spend that time find the right writer, artist and the time to do so like we saw with Capt Marvel & Ms Marvel & Miles Morales.

They rather work with restrictions on Gwen then build up someone whose rights they have full control over.

[Lot 49]

Sounds pretty bizarre since a metric ton of new characters have been introduced since Brand New Day.

Maybe it's A-list writer privilege or maybe it's just Spider-Gwen.

I don't think the rights issues should affect Spider-man too much seeing as Marvel has licensing rights to merchandising.

I can't imagine that it is simply A-list writer privilege. There have been too many characters introduced in the Spider-Man and X-Men comics. Perhaps it is and editorial miscommunication...

[AcesX1X]

yes, perhaps this artist is just confused about her job.

[Username taken]

I can't imagine that it is simply A-list writer privilege. There have been too many characters introduced in the Spider-Man and X-Men comics. Perhaps it is and editorial miscommunication...

Perhaps that's case because since Brand New Day, there's arguably been a greater spotlight on the newer supporting characters than the old ones.

I think an argument can be made that Spider-man has had the most brand new characters introduced in Marvel books over the last few years. Heck, Silk who even has her own book is a brand new character.

Like i said earlier, it sounds pretty bizarre.

[RobinFan4880]

Makes sense to me. Don't fuel a competitor (friendly though it may be).

Spider-Gwen doesn't need new characters. Just go to the Marvel Database and start plucking civilian names from the 60's and 70's. No one will remember who those characters are, so you get all of the benefits of a "new" character, you just have to live with a pre-existing name.

Plus, one of the biggest draws for the Spider-Gwen comic is to see 616 characters given a new life in Gwen's hipster universe. The fact that Marvel is making the creators do more of that just seem like a good thing, honestly.

[RobinFan4880]

Perhaps that's case because since Brand New Day, there's arguably been a greater spotlight on the newer supporting characters than the old ones.

I think an argument can be made that Spider-man has had the most brand new characters introduced in Marvel books over the last few years. Heck, Silk who even has her own book is a brand new character.

Like i said earlier, it sounds pretty bizarre.

Corporate policies change and evolve over time.

What was ok in 2008 does not mean it is also ok in 2015.

Spider-Man has definitely had a lot of new characters introduced to his world, more than most headliners in the last decade. For Silk and Spider-Gwen, I think Marvel just found lightning in a bottle. They were both female versions of Spider-Man who garnered a lot of fan and media attention, so it made sense to suddenly push them. Both series have proven successful, more so than titles that "should" be successful (like the solo Avengers books). Never turn down a chance to make money, even if it winds up helping Sony some day.

Wow that is absolutely horrible. Not being able to create her own cast is going to completely prevent Spider-Gwen from becoming a top tier character. So unbelievably gross. And they say Marvel's competition with Fox won't effect the comics my ass. Who cares if Fox can use some new characters, its either that or they never exist. Either way you don't get them Marvel, but at least in the first scenario you get better comics.

Earl MacRoth.

Who knows who that guy is, right? It's just a name.

Marvel has thousands of characters who only appeared in a handful of issues, most of whom people have totally forgotten about.

The creators of Spider-Gwen can make a wholly new character, they just have to steal one of the thousands of names that already exist.