Posted in: Comics, DC Comics | Tagged: apollo, bryan hitch, dc comics, james gunn, mcu, midnighter, pete woods, the authority, warren ellis, wildstorm

Bryan Hitch Drawing The Authority, But Not Paid For Creating The MCU

Bryan Hitch looks like he is returning to The Authority in the light of a DC Studios movie, but did you know he also crteated the MCU?

Published Sun, 12 Feb 2023 06:57:14 -0600

by Rich Johnston

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Last night, Bryan Hitch tweeted the following Work In Progress. Not that anyone could really work out what was going on, aside from some anonymous figures in motion.

An hour later he posted an update. And that was a little clearer. The figure top-middle left, flying into the air, appeared to have Apollo's chest insignia. And if that was Apollo, the figure doing the high kick could quite easily be The Midnighter, with a leather jacket collar. And are those Swift's wings at the back?

Is this Bryan Hitch returning to The Authority? Which just got a big boost after James Gunn announced a movie about The Authority based on Hitch's work with Warren Ellis… I replied with a tweet, "Ooh, is that Apollo" and got in response, "haven't you got some news to report…?" Well, I mean, I have now.

Earlier, comic book artist Pete Woods tweeted "Dear entertainment reporters, There's a great story just sitting out there for you and an industrious reporter should jump on it… DC Studios is producing a film based on THE AUTHORITY. What people outside comics don't know is that the current MCU might not exist- certainly it wouldn't exist the way it does now- if it weren't for THE AUTHORITY…And the reason behind that comes down to one person- @THEBRYANHITCH"

I pointed out that I had made this point before. Specifcially that it was Bryan Hitch who was grabbed for The Ultimates, on the basis of his work with Warren Ellis on The Authority, and took that visual and storytelling approach with Mark Millar to recreate the Avengers in a way that the Iron Man, Captain America and The Avengers movie were directly influenced by. But Bryan Hitch replied more pointedly, saying "ah Pete, you exaggerate charmingly. I do appreciate the sentiment though." Pete Woods countered "Hitch trying to be humble after he changed an entire industry and laid the groundwork for our modern superhero film aesthetic. Seriously, Bryan. I'm 100% on the level when I say you redefined superheroes for a generation and made a multi-billion dollar film empire possible." I agree.

But Bryan pointed out "That's nice of you to say but all I have is a genuine appreciation of those who share your sentiment. It's really nice and is the only thing that's come out of doing any of that. The plethora of 'Thanks' many of us got on the marvel movies certainly didn't pay any bills!"

It has been noted a number of times, that Jim Starlin was paid more for the tiny appearance of KGBeast's secret identity in a Batman film, than he was paid for Thanos and Gamora for their appearances in Marvel movies. And that Ed Brubaker was paid more for a cut cameo appearance in Captain America: The Winter Soldier than he was for being the co-creator of the Winter Soldier stories that the movie adapted…

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