Colin Kaepernick Pisses Off Comics Industry with AI Comics Deal

As is the case with genAI in other industries, comics pros are not happy about the technology intruding on their space.

The rise of generative AI has caused no small amount of controversy in the last year, particular over in the entertainment industry. It was a big reason for the Hollywood strikes and the current strike affecting video game voice actors, and there’s been similar controversy over its use in the art field. Along with video games and books that’ve used the technology, comics now have to be on the lookout for this technology invading its space as well—both from artists within the industry and people using it as a way of entering the field. Recently, activist and ex-football player Colin Kaepernick announced the launch of his comic book company Lumi. Its big “selling point” is that it’ll use genAI to draw and write comics that’ll be sold to readers, and according to Kaepernick, will be creator-owned and also lead to built-in merchandising. With $4 million raised to fund Lumi, he’s also certain this company will help “level the playing field,” and talks a big game about making this a way for aspiring creators to enter comics without having to rely on a full team or have personal Hollywood connections. Ignorng that Kaepernick himself had connections that let him write a kids book for Scholastic and co-create a Netflix series about his own life with Ava DuVernay, this is a pretty worthless idea. GenAI’s often been called a possible aid for non-creative people to make their own things, but this technology steals preexisting work, so it’s effectively stealing. There’s just no getting around it: if you want to make something, you are going to have to make it yourself, both because people in these fields will shun you once they learn how it’s made, and because making things requires sucking at it and improving over time. More problematically, artist Khary Randolph alleges that he and other artists were told about Kaepernick’s plans for Lumi some months ago and told him how damaging this technology could be. He decided to continue on regardless, and reportedly pitched it to artists as a “charity” while at San Diego Comic-Con. The lack of consent until after the fact is another big problem with genAI; recall how OpenAI used Scarlett Johansson’s voice for its chatbot despite her explicitly saying no, or agencies using coded language in contracts so voice actors sign their voices away to be synthesized. Companies and people like Kaepernick love asking for forgiveness than permission, and it’s made the act of living as a creative person or a fan of creative arts pretty frustrating. Like Randolph said, the only thing someone needs to make comics is “hard work, a pencil, and paper.” There are plenty of free resources out there if one is serious about entering the industry, and using genAI to get in helps no one, but hurts everyone. [via ComicsBeat] Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
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