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Marvel Disses Lee & Kirby on Hulk?

...According to reliable sources, there is

A troubling report has come our way ...

April 28, 2003 - Hot on the heels of IGN FilmForce's report about the final screenwriting credits for the Hulk movie comes this troubling new allegation. According to reliable sources, there is a movement underway by the powers-that-be at Marvel Enterprises Inc. to not give a screen credit to either Stan Lee or Jack Kirby as creators of the Hulk character. Lee and co-creator Steve Ditko received such a credit for Spider-Man but Lee has since filed a $10 million-dollar lawsuit against Marvel Enterprises. That, our sources claim, is what's stuck in Marvel's proverbial craw.

According to E! Online, Lee sued Marvel last November "claiming his longtime employer is cheating him out of (the Spider-Man movie) profits. Per the complaint, Lee's also being cut out of the action on Marvel's movie deals regarding two more of his creations: Daredevil and the Hulk. ... Additionally, the lawsuit seeks profits from 2000's X-Men, plus its upcoming sequel, as well as any future Spidey flicks."

The lawsuit claims that "despite reaping enormous benefits from Mr. Lee's creations, defendants have failed and refused to honor their commitments to him." Marvel has said that it's "in full compliance with and current on all payments due under the terms of Mr. Lee's employment agreement."

IGN FilmForce's sources point out that it is not up to the Writers Guild of America to determine the screen credit of creators of the character. "It is apparently Marvel's sole discretion, based on their long-standing contracts with their creators," said one source. "It has something to do with the relationship with Stan Lee after Spider-Man (he filed a suit) and Kirby has never been liked by the company he built."

Another source was more candid. They claim that Lee's "lawsuit over profits on the movies seems to have tilted Marvel's discretion in the other direction. Supposedly, as a result, Hulk's credit will be 'based on the Marvel characters'."

Our insiders advised us, though, that the film's credits are only tentative right now. The final screen credits won't be determined for another three weeks so it is possible that Lee and Kirby's names will be seen onscreen after all ... provided there's a sufficient show of support for them from Hulk fans.

As one source explained, "it would be nice to get a groundswell of public opinion going to shame Marvel into including Kirby and Lee on the credits." After all, they only created the character the movie is based on.
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EarthsMightiestAdmin
4/28/2003
IGN