Marvel Fans Boycotting Hawkeye Series In Support Of Crucial Creator
Some fans are starting a Hawkeye boycott in trying to support one of the creator's work. It appears Disney isn't giving proper credit.
This article is more than 2 years old
The ongoing Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has expanded with Hawkeye, its most up-to-date installment in the franchise. And it is already winning the hearts of MCU fans everywhere. So, it’s entirely safe to assume that MCU has hit the spot with the six-episode series, which already premiered two episodes on the Disney+ streaming platform. Unfortunately, however, some fans are actually instituting a Hawkeye boycott after MCU’s basket of dirty laundry tipped over, revealing that the comic artist behind the series’ artwork wasn’t compensated for his work.
Apparently, the newest MCU series starring Jeremy Renner and Hailee Steinfeld takes inspiration from the 2012’s Hawkeye comic book series by Matt Fraction and David Aja. According to ScreenGeek, Marvel has used David Aja’s art style in both the marketing and the Hawkeye show itself, without directly compensating or crediting the artist. This sparked a massive outcry, and a Hawkeye boycott, from the fandom, who are now massively dragging the Disney+ show, stating that they won’t watch Hawkeye until Aja has been properly compensated. You can check out some of the Hawkeye boycott reactions below:
David Aja has previously criticized Marvel for using some of his art, derived from the 2012 comics, for the MCU spinoff series. Most of the fandoms’ Hawkeye boycott reaction tweets feature comparison images between the comic book cover and the Hawkeye series poster, revealing similarities that are too great to be coincidental. The poses, the lettering, and the overall style are nearly identical. Following said reaction from the fans, which noted that Aja wasn’t credited anywhere in the series credits, artist David Aja himself posted the following on Twitter, insinuating that he wasn’t paid for his work:
When it comes to this Hawkeye boycott, it’s worth mentioning that Aja did receive “special thanks” on the new Disney series, but some fans still believe that Disney’s efforts aren’t enough — especially considering that he wasn’t paid. With that said, the details written in Aja’s contract regarding his work on the comic book series from one decade ago aren’t publicly known. Therefore, it’s entirely possible that Disney doesn’t have any reason to compensate the artist or give him any further credit. But, given the online support Hawkeye artist has gathered and the constant disapproval of Marvel fans, it’s entirely possible for Disney to “cave” under pressure from the fans and compensate the artist in an “a la PR stunt” manner.
Unfortunately, this Hawkeye boycott isn’t the first time Marvel “clashed” with some of the artists working on their IP. Previously, The Winter Soldier writer Ed Brubaker publicly shaded the company over similar concerns. However, Brubaker did credit The Winter Soldier actor Sebastian Stan for openly acknowledging and appreciating Brubaker’s work and willingness to give him credit and appreciation he deserved. This clearly indicates that there’s something wrong with how Marvel conducts its business behind the scenes, which needs to be addressed.
With that said, it’s entirely possible that Marvel isn’t the direct cause of the problem here. Its parent company, Disney, which acquired Marvel in 2009, is well known for its money-mongering practices — which sometimes involve insufficient compensations for their actors and other artists, as we’ve seen from their legal battles with Scarlett Johansson.
