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"DC Comics Will Not Support AI Generated Storytelling Or Art"- Jim Lee

"DC Comics Will Not Support AI Generated Storytelling Or Artwork" - transcript and video of Jim Lee's speech at New York Comic Con

Jim Lee took to the Keynote Speech at Retailer Day at New York Comic Con. YouTube version above, a series of TikToks below, depending on how you like your content. He opened by talking about the new decades booths from DC Comics at both San Diego Comic-Con and New York Comic-Con and how each year, a different decade will be celebrated up to DC's hundredth birthday in ten years' time, a date at which he intends to still be at DC Comics and still drawing.

"We will spotlight a different decade of DC's incredible history as we change up our booth graphics, colour palette, and even fonts and top typography to reflect each and every different era. This year, we're honouring 1935 to 1945, The Golden Age, the dawn of the superhero era. And as you all know, those are the years that gave us Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. iconic characters who didn't just define comics, but drove modern mythology and reshaped popular culture forever. But these characters weren't created in a vacuum. They were born out of a world facing chaos, fear, and uncertainty. A world searching for symbols of courage, truth, and justice. Sound familiar? Sure enough, 90 years later, they're still here. Still relevant, still inspiring. If you do the math, yes, I've included math in the speech, that means in 2035, DC Comics turns 100. And yes, I fully intend to be here for that. Yes, hopefully still drawing. Hopefully, still not working on Hush 2. Um, yeah, too soon?

The final part of H2SH Part One is still scheduled for January, only a year late on the original plan, and only after five issues of the succeeding Batman volume will have been published.

"Anyway, so let's talk about why we're bullish about the future. 90 years isn't just a milestone. It's a reminder that survival in this business is earned. Every decade of DC's history showcases our uncanny ability to pivot and create truly compelling stories which reflect the times that they were created in. The Golden Age captured hope in the shadow of war. The Silver Age reflected the atomic optimism and scientific breakthroughs of the 1950s. The Bronze Age brought relevance, social awareness, and rebellion. The 80s and 90s gave us reinvention, creators breaking rules, and readers demanding more sophistication. And the 2020s, well, we're still writing that story. And I'd say we're absolutely on the right track. Thanks in large part to our combined hard work and resilience and some creative geniuses and Mr. Scott Snyder and Josh Williamson."

But what will come next? It's killer bee time.

"It's imperative that comics continue to evolve to change and that we the caretakers do the same.We stare down a troubling future. A future with many a storm cloud on the horizon. Challenges such as AI generated writing and art, shrinking attention spans, characters drifting into the public domain, and that constant tug-of-war between digital and print. And here's the thing, every era has its killer bees. I don't know if anyone in this room knows that reference. Killer bees. So when I was a kid in the 70s, we were told we were told swarms of killer bees were coming up from South America to take over and ravage the world. Obviously didn't happen, but something I spent a lot of sleepless nights on. And then we were told Japan's booming miracle economy would overwhelm and crush all their rivals. That too did not happen. Then it was Y2K, then NFTs, and now it's AI. History has a way of humbling predictions. The future rarely turns out the way the headlines warn us it will. But let me make one prediction I know I can stand by today. DC Comics will not support AI generated storytelling or artwork. Not now, not ever as long as I am in charge. Because what we do and why we do it is rooted in our humanity. It's that fragile, beautiful connection between imagination and emotion that fuels our media, the stuff that makes our universe come alive. It's the imperfect mind, the creative risk, the hand-drawn gesture that no algorithm can replicate. And when I draw, I make mistakes, a lot of them. But that's the point. The smudge, the rough line, the hesitation. That's me in the work. That's my journey. That's what makes it come alive. It's the product of true effort, of inspiration, and perspiration. Fans know this. They sense this. They can feel when something was made with care, when it cost the artist time, energy, heart, and effort. People have an instinctive reaction to what feels authentic. We recoil from what feels fake. That's why human creativity matters. AI doesn't dream. It doesn't feel. It doesn't make art. It aggregates it. Our job as creators, as storytellers, and as publishers is to make people feel something real. That's why we create, and that's why we're still here."

A little while ago, Jim Lee entertained the idea of commissioning AI to recreate his art style, to be owned by his estate, after his death, but that seems to be on the back burner. DC has had to deal with a number of artists using AI in their DC work, and Bleeding Cool has pointed out that, rather than a moral or ethical basis behind this position, it's more to do with ownership. DC Comics likes to own the work they publish, and if it could be proved that it was AI, well, DC wouldn't own it anymore; it would be public domain. And DC is already facing the threat of that for Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman over the next ten years or so… and Jim was going to talk about that as well.

"And yes, characters will fall into the public domain. It's already happening. We've all seen these unsettling knockoffs of Mickey Mouse. Lurking around online. But here's the truth. The character isn't the magic. The storytelling is. The world-building is. Owning Superman isn't the same as understanding Superman. Knowing how he moves, how he speaks, what he stands for. Anyone can draw a cape. Anyone can write a hero. That's been around as long as comics have been. And it's called fanfiction. And there's nothing wrong with fanfiction. It shows how deeply these characters live inside all of us. But Superman only feels right when he's in the DC universe. Our universe, our mythos. That's what endures. That's what will carry us into the next century."

I mean… people have said one of the best Superman stories was Supreme. And I think Mark Millar, already champing at the bit, might disagree with Jim over this. But Jim also wanted to talk about the direct market of comic book stores, the retailers who were gathered at New York Comic Con for Retailer Day, and how he was…

"especially bullish about the future of the direct market and the magic you all bring to the table. The retailers, the shops, the community hubs. You are the beating heart of this industry. And when we talk about core fans, we're talking about your customers. When we talk about community, we're talking about the conversations that happen at your stores across the counters. The poll lists, the recommendations, the Wednesday crowds, the midnight releases. That's the magic of the business of comics. And it happens because of you guys. I visited comic book stores all over the world, and no two are the same. Some smell like freshly bagged issues hot off the press. And some have a more distinct eau de vintage aroma, kind of like a wet newspaper smell. But every single one of them shares the same heartbeat, and that is passion. And we share your sense of passion at DC. And as we continue to expand into digital comics, vertical scrolling comics, and kids' books, we do so not to replace you, but to grow the next generation of fans for both you and us. Because when someone reads their first comic on a tablet, we want their second one to be in your stores. Digital brings discovery, but you bring belonging. You turn casual readers into lifelong fans. And when fans walk into a shop, they're not just buying comics. They're walking into a piece of culture, a place that feels like home. You are the real world backcaves, the fortresses of solitude, the watchtowers, where the next generation of heroes discover who they are. Turn stories into shared experiences. And that's something no algorithm, no app, no platform can replicate."

Jim Lee was clearly in a good mood.

"So yes, this speech is unapologetically optimistic because you don't build 90 years of storytelling by being cynical.
You build it by believing that the next story, the next hero, the next generation will surprise you and remind you why you fell in love with comics in the first place. That's what keeps me doing this. That's what keeps all of us at DC doing this. We're caretakers of something bigger than ourselves. This incredible shared universe that continues to evolve because of your dedication and your connection to all of our fans. And that's where our stories take centre stage. The world needs more than ever stories about hope, compassion, and justice. The pillars of DC storytelling. We've been through reboots, relaunches, Crises, literally crisis after crisis. And somehow, every time we come out stronger in the end. In fact, every challenge, every disruption is an opportunity to reimagine what we do and how we connect."

And so he was looking ten years hence.

"By 2035, I don't want to just be celebrating DC's 100th year. I want us to look back and say that these next 10 years ahead of us were when we built the foundation for the next 100. Because that foundation, the direct market, the fans, the stories is still solid, still rock solid, still really sound, still really rock solid. So here's to the next decade. Here's to DC at 100. Here's to Killer Bees that never arrived. And to you, the comic book shops, the first home for every hero. Thank you for keeping comics alive. Thank you for keeping us honest. And thank you for inspiring us to imagine the next 90 years and beyond. I'll see you guys there."

@thatrichjohnston Jim Lee at New York Comic Con 2025 Retailer Day for DC Comics Part 1/5 #NYCC#bleedingcool #dccomics @dc @newyorkcomiccon ♬ original sound – Rich Johnston

@thatrichjohnstonJim Lee at the New York Comic Con 2025 Retailer Day for DC Comics Part 2/5 #NYCC#bleedingcool #dccomics @dc @newyorkcomiccon♬ original sound – Rich Johnston

@thatrichjohnstonJim Lee at the New York Comic Con 2025 Retailer Day for DC Comics Part 3/5 #NYCC#bleedingcool #dccomics @dc @newyorkcomiccon♬ original sound – Rich Johnston

@thatrichjohnstonJim Lee at the New York Comic Con 2025 Retailer Day for DC Comics Part 4/5 #NYCC#bleedingcool #dccomics @dc @newyorkcomiccon♬ original sound – Rich Johnston

@thatrichjohnstonJim Lee at the New York Comic Con 2025 Retailer Day for DC Comics Part 5/5 #NYCC#bleedingcool #dccomics @dc @newyorkcomiccon♬ original sound – Rich Johnston

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