The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is currently tearing it up on Disney Plus. The series is a hit amongst fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe as well as those who are coming into the fold for the first time. The series tackles the fallout from the Infinity Saga as well as some major social problems going on with the world today. It is based around the titular characters who started as ‘sidekicks’ in the comics, only to come into their own over the years. The Winter Soldier specifically has gone through some major character arcs, but their creators are going through an arc of their own at the moment. And it is not a happy one.
Ed Brubaker, the man who created the Winter Soldier alongside artist Steve Epting, was recently on Kevin Smith’s Fatman Beyond podcast and he expressed some issues about compensation (or lack there of) from Marvel. He stated they he and Epting have only received ‘thank you’ credits for their creation and have not been monetarily compensated at all. However, he does feel that the character is being portrayed quite well:
“I’m really happy for Sebastian Stan, who I think is both a great guy and the perfect Bucky/Winter Soldier, and I’m glad to see him getting more screen time finally. Also, Anthony Mackie is amazing as the Falcon, and everyone at Marvel Studios that I’ve ever met (all the way up to Kevin Feige) have been nothing but kind to me. But at the same time, for the most part, all Steve Epting and I have gotten for creating the Winter Soldier and his storyline is a ‘thanks’ here or there, and over the years that’s become harder and harder to live with.”
Brubaker went on to explain that he received more compensation for his small cameo in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. And, while he appreciates the series, seeing advertisements for it at this point is making him physically ill over the lack of payment:
“When I see ads for [The Falcon and The Winter Soldier], it actually makes me feel sick to my stomach.”
It is sad that the creators of the character are not being compensated for said work, but hopefully Marvel can correct this issue. While some creators have expressed issue with how their characters are changed for screen, this seems to be the first time that compensation is brought up as an issue. It is good to know that Brubaker likes how the Winter Soldier is being portrayed in the series and films. Hopefully this monetary issue can be resolved quickly and this pain can be buried.
Do you feel Brubaker and Epting should be compensated for creating Winter Soldier? Let us know in the comments below!