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UPDATE: Stan Lee Addresses Jack Kirby Not Being Credited For THE AVENGERS Movie

While promoting his new documentary With Great Power: The Stan Lee Story, comic book creator Stan Lee was asked about Jack Kirby not being credited as a creator for the upcoming Avengers film.

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By Jake "WaylonJones" Lester - 4/25/2012

The Avengers opens up with week in the UK and next week in the US, and there has been a small controversy brewing because of Stan Lee receiving a creator credit on the film and Jack Kirby has not. Moviefone asked Lee why he though Kirby didn't receive credit on the film. "I don't know how to answer that because in what way would his name appear," He responded. When pushed harder on the matter Lee said, "Well it's mentioned in every comic book; it says "By Stan Lee and Jack Kirby." Moviefone didn't stop there they pressed the comic book king a little harder until he finally said they are talking to the wrong guy, that he has nothing to do with the credits on the film. He went on to say that he is credited as an executive producer because it is in his contract, and with Kirby not being an executive producer he doesn't know what he would be credited as.

This is not the first time Jack Kirby's work has been in the spotlight. Last year Marvel won a case against them filed by Kirby's estate that claimed characters such as Thor, Iron Man, Incredible Hulk, as well as many other belonged to Kirby. The New York circuit court though sided with Marvel, who claimed that Kirby created the characters as works for hire.

UPDATE:

Moviefone has updated their story with the following revealing that Jack Kirby does indeed receive a co-creator credit:

After attending a NY press screening, Moviefone can confirm that Jack Kirby's name is listed in the end credits as a co-creator. Previously, we referred to Kirby's omission from promotional materials of the upcoming film. Original story appears below.

The Avengers stars Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Tom Hiddleston, Stellan Skarsgård , Samuel L. Jackson and will be released in the US on May 4, 2012 and in the UK on April 26, 2012.

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ElApe - 4/25/2012, 9:00 AM
Got my ticket booked for tomorrow! Can't wait to see it. Fingers crossed it's a winner.
BlueMex - 4/25/2012, 9:02 AM
if only kirby was still around ..sigh
kevberg - 4/25/2012, 9:04 AM
Sorry, that sounds like ass. I can't think of anyway to put it. Kirby was there with issue #1 like STAN. and no offense, but Stan can write it, but Kirby put it on the page.


shame politics gets in the way of doing whats right.
kappakappashred - 4/25/2012, 9:06 AM
bottom line, stan created the characters, jack drew them. stan deserves creator credit. jack does not
kevberg - 4/25/2012, 9:07 AM
KAPPA

Thats attitude is FULL OF SH@#.

Until the art is there and the design is there , its just a description . The ARTIST is just as much a creator as an Artist.
kevberg - 4/25/2012, 9:08 AM
The ARTIST is just as much a creator as the WRITER. sorry.
DanteSparda - 4/25/2012, 9:09 AM
Well he will always have author rights, but nothing more apparently poor Kirby must hate Marvel so much now.
jessepostal - 4/25/2012, 9:09 AM
@kappak, would the characters be who they are today if jack didn't draw them? They could of turned out completely different
marvel72 - 4/25/2012, 9:09 AM
kirby should of been credited in the avengers,he drew the title for years right from issue 1.
Unas - 4/25/2012, 9:10 AM
Don't you mean writer? ^^^^^
kevberg - 4/25/2012, 9:10 AM
BTW , Stan didn't draw ANYTHING. hes a writer. I don't take away from his contributions, but I don't like seeing someone dismiss the Artist either.
ClarkStark - 4/25/2012, 9:16 AM
I and 99% of the general audience don't care.

- Was Kirby credited in Captain America?
- Was Kirby credited in Iron Man?
- Was Kirby credited in Thor?

No one knows off hand until they look it up, because no one cares.

Except the nerds.
sexfoodcomics - 4/25/2012, 9:19 AM
They should ate last give give Kirby a co creator credit. Like the dc movies give the credit " based on characters created by " credits. Kinda weird.
DTor91 - 4/25/2012, 9:21 AM
@PatientZero

I do respect Stan, but you're right.

@kappakappashred

If that were the case, then Stan should have just written a book. The penciller is as much a creator as the writer. Without the writer, you have no story. Without the penciller, you have no comic. It's a visual medium. The penciller is the director, camera man, costume designer, all of the actors, etc. The Avengers wouldn't be what they are without Kirby.
thalidomide - 4/25/2012, 9:22 AM
kevberg - 4/25/2012, 9:23 AM
@CLARKSTARK
Get off that crap yourself chump.

The movies based on the comic. A comic, unlike most other forms of literature, is a equal marriage of illustrations and writing. Stan didn't draw it , couldn't draw it if he tried. Jack was there since ISSUE one. SAME as STAN.

I understand if , because of the legal squabbles they are hesitant to say much about him, but at least acknowledge him.
DTor91 - 4/25/2012, 9:23 AM
@ScoobyDOO

That is correct.
thetrojan - 4/25/2012, 9:24 AM
this argument will go on and on,and sometimes i let bygones be bygones,but Stan Lee is a f***in greasy slimeball.
JACK KIRBY IS THE KING WAS THE KING AND ALWAYS WILL BE THE KING.
FUNNY THING IT WAS STAN LEE WHO GAVE HIM THE TITLE A LONG TIME AGO.

STAN LEE IS STAN 'THE MAN 'LEE
SAYS IT ALL REALLY!
thalidomide - 4/25/2012, 9:25 AM
any boob pic is credited to tea.
Ranger14 - 4/25/2012, 9:30 AM
It's a question that should be posed to Disney and Marvel, not Stan.
thalidomide - 4/25/2012, 9:30 AM
@Patient



this one?
thalidomide - 4/25/2012, 9:32 AM
wow that sucks let me try again
kevberg - 4/25/2012, 9:32 AM
@ranger14
true. well put.
EarOne - 4/25/2012, 9:32 AM
oh boy...here we go again...

if i were Kirby or his family members, i would LOVE to get SOME credit for CO-creating (drawing) these characters. if not for the money, at least, just for the recognition.
jlea244 - 4/25/2012, 9:32 AM
A comic book without an artist is just a book! Kirby deserves a mention!
fanboy03191 - 4/25/2012, 9:34 AM
Kirby gave just as much life to these characters as Stan Lee did. And to the guy that said "Kirby who?" Get the [frick] out of here right now.
Ha1frican - 4/25/2012, 9:35 AM
@Just1Superguy pretty sure the idea of Thor was around WAY before his comics like yknow Norse mythology? Not to mention when you think of it Superman draws heavily from both the story of Hercules and Jesus. Hulk was based off of Frankenstein so if anything he should be compared to that and Batman was ripped from a silent film character im pretty sure. This medium draws heavily from other sources even the originals are pulled from other places...
Ha1frican - 4/25/2012, 9:36 AM
@Just1Superguy and Hulk is also based off of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde forgot bout that
thalidomide - 4/25/2012, 9:38 AM
Billium3 - 4/25/2012, 9:42 AM
I can't believe they'd leave Jack Kirby's name off of the movie credits, especially with Captain America in the film! Here's hoping they rectify this in time for the US release of the film, though highly unlikely.

And for those of you who say Jack Kirby did nothing important and that Stan Lee should be the only one receiving credit: You guys are severely uneducated and need to do a little research. Jack Kirby not only drew those wonderful stories, he also co-wrote them. On his comic pages (usually in the panel borders), he'd often write dialogue and explainations which were directly written into the story. If anything, Jack should get MORE credit than Stan.

Read this interview, it's very enlightening and will hopefully do you Kirby detractors a world of good:
http://www.tcj.com/jack-kirby-interview/
opencurtain - 4/25/2012, 9:42 AM
I think this guy should have been credited .
ModernAvenger89 - 4/25/2012, 9:44 AM
Hey. Does anyone know if the new TDKR trailer will be shown before Avengers in the UK?
Ha1frican - 4/25/2012, 9:44 AM
@PatientZero lol you know meant the monster and yeah i did't think about zorro but there was a silent film character called the bat that bears a resemblance to him and ive heard them referenced as one of the inspirations for him
thalidomide - 4/25/2012, 9:46 AM
@PatientZero:

Nice trivia :)
thalidomide - 4/25/2012, 9:47 AM
Shadowelfz - 4/25/2012, 9:48 AM
It's likely that Jacks name is not on the Avengers movie credits because his family is in litigation with Marvel and Disney over copy-rights. If I remember correctly it because Kirby signed over the rights to the characters to Marvel a long time ago so in truth they really dont NEED to credit him as they own the rights. The studio may be hesitant to credit him because it would give his family more merit to their case, which is completely stupid because EVERYONE involved knows that Kirby created the characters with Stan Lee. Both deserve credit for their contributions. Stan Lee's probably just playing it safe.

Kevberg is right comics are unique in that they are a true collaboration of writer and artist, and both are generally equally respected unlike film, video games and other industries. Kirby deserves to be recognized for his contributions regardless of the politics involved.

Just1Superguy- That's horses@#t. One can make an argument that every superhero is somewhat based off of their predecessors but that does not mean Lee's and Kirby's contributions are not unique and creative in their own right. I thought Superman was more based off of Moses and thor was based off of a norse god, Hulk Jeckle and Hyde and Batman made gadgets, not power armor.
CorndogBurglar - 4/25/2012, 9:49 AM
Just because Jack Kirby was an artist does not mean he didn't collaborate with Stan to create the characters. They could have both put ideas into the characters, no one knows.

Bottom line is that I've seen Stan give Kirby his due so many times its ridiculous. Yet people tend to overlook that. I have The History of the Marvel Universe Encyclopedia that details every big accomplishment the company made every year starting from way back before they were even called Marvel. The intro to that gigantic book has a forward by Stan himself where he straight up says that he could not have done it without Jack Kirby. Stan isn't quite the glory hog people accuse him of, because he does give credit to Kirby.
Jer3miah - 4/25/2012, 9:49 AM
Stan "The Man" sold his soul. That's why they shun Kirby's creative input.
Zounds - 4/25/2012, 9:50 AM
Writers conceive and relay conceptions to artists. Sounds patronizing, right? When the artist receives said conception, typically, the collaboration ensues something like, the artist interprets and presents his or her creation. That creation, that design, be it Ditko's Spider-Man costume, or Jack Kirby's X-men, that imprint is likely to be in one's head representative of the character's essence, more visual than narrative,agreed? Otherwise it's no longer a comic book. And when you add The FF, Thor (HM:L.Lieber), Iron Man,Captain America etc...that's a list that essentially buttresses the entire Marvel house...So really, the tired old, frivolous, mocking perpetually teen-angst participation is the height of stupidity.

Without Jack Kirby, there is no Marvel and there are no Marvel movie franchises and there are no opportunities to wax idiotic and stroke one's feeble ego while engaging in anonymous, mono-syllabic, vowel absent,ignorance soaked rants.

In any instance concerning Marvel, whether it's percent of creative contribution or in the listing at the end of a movie's credits, there's never an occasion to throw the name Jack Kirby aside as though it was an insult.

Completely disgusting.
thalidomide - 4/25/2012, 9:53 AM
@PatientZero

No thank you. I love this kind of trivia, I'm too lazy to do a research sometimes. I'm a Marvel guy but my favorite DC characters are Batman and the Flash. Good thing they changed it the first one looks gay.
whoboy62 - 4/25/2012, 9:57 AM
Kirby needs to be credited-Nuff said!
thalidomide - 4/25/2012, 10:03 AM
Leftcoastpunk - 4/25/2012, 10:12 AM
Who the hell is this jack kirby guy? If his name isn't attached to these bad ass movies then he must not have ever been that important. Stan lee is obviously the only one that matters...Oh wait, he's the cat that actually made lee's visions a reality, eventually leading to this cash cow disney/marvel are milking like crazy? Ya, it's pretty sad that lee is a household name and kirbys an unknown. The characters may have been lee's brainchildren but without kirby they would be nothing more than the ramblings of an old man in a home. Disney, out of respect should give him some cred. The argument may then be, well where do the pay checks end then? I don't know, but I do know where they shouldn't, and that's before CO- creator
rorstiel - 4/25/2012, 10:19 AM
Stan FTW! Kevberg can suck it. Douchebag.
marantaz - 4/25/2012, 10:26 AM
yawwwwn, this again? The court ruled on who owns what already... deal with it. This interviewer didn't like the courts ruling, and blames Stan for it.... wimp, go pick on a true movie executive and see how long you last.
PeterDarker121 - 4/25/2012, 10:29 AM
Funny, we haven't heard anything yet from MSTALEY, the world's biggest Jack Kirby hater...he'll probably wait until this thread dies down then troll it a week later to publish his 'Stan is a God and Kirby is crap' novel to try to get in the last word.
kirynthemighty - 4/25/2012, 10:50 AM
I have mad respect for Kirby and everything that he did and contributed to the characters. I do however agree with Stan completely. Kirby did nothing on "The Film" so what would he be credited too? Now I haven't seen the movie or the credits, but if and only if there is a line that says..."based on characters created by Stan Lee" and he is not listed is the only reason why anyone should be pissed off. If it just has Stan as an executive producer, then...wtf WOULD they credit Kirby as doing on the movie...hes freakin dead people?? How is he supposed to be credited for producing or anything on a film???

Im just saying that people are going overboard. I have a great deal of respect for Kirby, but this is just beating a dead horse and giving something else for someone to bitch about.
kirynthemighty - 4/25/2012, 10:53 AM
@monkeyballs3 As I was saying..if that line is there GREAT! If people are bitching about Stan having some exec producer title and Kirby doesn't thats just rediculous. As Stan said also; all the comic books give Kirby his just credits so.....quit bitching people.
dageekundaground - 4/25/2012, 10:55 AM
@ DanteSparda - 4/25/2012, 9:09 AM

.... you disrespectful douche.
Chewtoy - 4/25/2012, 10:57 AM
I have much less of an issue with crediting the original creators when it comes to something like "The Avengers" because there wasn't as much "created" in that book. All of the characters had already appeared elsewhere.

Kirby penciled 8 issues of the Avengers. To me, John Buscema is a far more important artist to the history of the Avengers than Kirby is, despite Kirby tackling a little more than half of the first year the book was published. Likewise, Roy Thomas was the one to make "The Avengers" a classic, well after Stan Lee had done his thing on the book.
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