Dear Laina,
I read your article about Marvel initially blaming reader rejection of ‘diversity’ on their rapidly-declining comic book sales in the April 11-17 edition of ‘The Clarion.’ It interested me greatly because I was already aware of the controversy, and also because I read my first Marvel comic as long ago as 1967. I totally agree with the contention made by numerous readers that it is not diversity they are rejecting, it is the usurping of the civilian identities of Marvel’s core characters. For example, Thor is now female, as is Iron ‘Man,’ and the Hulk is now Asian-American, etc. Readers are not against diversity for its own sake; they just want new characters to be created to appear alongside the core-established heroes.
Why, then, doesn’t Marvel create new characters to reflect the diversity which exists in real-world in 2017? Personally, I believe it is because no writer or artist, these days, wants to create a character that s/he doesn’t own. There is no incentive to do so because the creators will essentially be handing ownership directly over to Marvel, with the company potentially able to make millions from the work of others. The easiest example in this regard centers on Jack Kirby. He co-created just about all the Marvel characters in the 1960s, and sole-created the Silver Surfer, the Inhumans, and more. He and his family had to fight long and hard for the recognition he deserved both in terms of his creativity, and regarding financial reward. Kirby died over two decades ago, but at least his surviving family members are rich today because of his work.
Another example is writer-editor Len Wein. He co-created Wolverine, and the mid-‘70s updated version of the X-Men… yet his creations are owned by Marvel, and the company has received massive financial benefits accordingly. What has Wein received? I don’t know exactly, but I think it is little or nothing.
Some time ago, then, writers and artists realized that they shouldn’t create new characters unless they could own them. To own them, they need to work for independent publishers which acknowledge creator rights. You could say that this is not true as the new, diverse range of civilian identity characters have been created at Marvel. However, the new characters inhabit Thor, and Iron Man, and the Hulk rather than stand on their own two superhero feet.
The only answer is for Marvel to do what readers want: bring in diverse superhero characters, but make them wholly original. Leave the core characters alone. To achieve this, Marvel somehow has to give creator rights to their writers and artists… but I cannot imagine this ever happening. I think there is a creative impasse, then, and that this problem cannot be solved wholly successfully.
Regards,
Paul Carbonaro
Dear Editor,
Gov. John Kasich has proven himself to be a true advocate for college affordability. As the Clarion recently reported, the cost of textbooks has spiraled upward at three times the rate of inflation. Most students and professors seem to agree on the need to reduce bookstore prices. The only ones who seem to support ridiculously high bookstore prices are the bookstore vendor and the college administration.
Some innovative professors, such as Chemistry Professor Mike Cannestero, have authored their own lab manual which saves their students money. Others encourage their students to search the internet and vendors such as Amazon for textbooks which may be found for 90 percent less than the Sinclair bookstore prices. Unfortunately, the college bookstore and administration seems to take advantage of new students who may be unaware of alternative options for purchasing textbooks.
Gov. Kasich’s budget proposal to limit the cost of textbooks would benefit students. Colleges would need to find other sources of funding but selling books for $400 a piece isn’t the answer. Rep. Niraj Antani, another Republican lawmaker and local advocate for students recently tweeted: “…Universities continue to hunger after tuition and fee increases while their students drown in debt.”
Capping the costs of textbooks is a first step in helping students and I applaud Gov. Kasich for taking action to help the students at Sinclair and other Ohio colleges.
Sincerely,
Forest Wilson
Member, Phi Theta Kappa
Member, Student Senate