In the wake of Chris Roberson’s highly publicized departure from DC Comics over concern about the way the company has treated creators (see "Roberson Reaction Wide and Deep") comes word that New Zealand-born artist and writer Roger Langridge has concluded that "Marvel and DC are turning out quite problematic from an ethical point of view to keep working with."

 

Langridge has worked on a number of projects for Marvel including Thor: The Mighty Avenger, but it would be a real tragedy if his conscience keeps him from further work on The Muppets.  Langridge says he was just finishing scripting an issue of John Carter for Marvel when he saw artist Steven Bissette’s impassioned attack on Marvel in the wake of a decision that went against the heirs of Jack Kirby (see "Marvel Gets Kirby Blowback").  That Avengers movie boycott thing that James Sturm was calling for didn’t exactly work out too well, but Bissette’s appeal addressed directly to the creative community struck a nerve with Langridge, whose defection from the ranks of those willing to work for the big two is a bigger deal than Roberson’s based on Langridge’s body of work.

 

Will others follow suit?  Well, not everyone feels the same way about how the Big 2 treat their talent, and not everyone is in the same situation as Langridge, who is writing a Popeye series for IDW publishing and Snarked for BOOM! and is not dependent on Marvel or DC for his livelihood.  As he told Orbital Comics: "I think it is down to everyone’s individual conscience but I think those of us who have options, and I do have options--I got a working relationship with a couple of other publishers, I’ve got illustration work I can fall back on, I’m not beholden to Marvel or DC for my bread and butter.  But if you do have the option, you maybe should think long and hard about what you’re doing and who you are doing it for."