In just under a month, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will feature the MCU debut of Xochitl Gomez as the multiverse-hopping heroine, America Chavez. She is a relatively new addition to Marvel’s comic book universe, having first appeared in 2011 courtesy of writer Joe Casey and artist Nick Dragotta. Typically, Marvel has agreements in place with creators when their characters jump to other media. But according to Casey, he turned down Marvel’s offer because it was insulting. America Chavez co-creator.
“Marvel has paid me nothing for America Chavez, not only for appearing in the Doctor Strange sequel, but in numerous animated TV episodes, for the numerous action figures they’ve made of her, for video games she’s appeared in,” said Casey to The Hollywood Reporter. “They seem to be fine with that.”
“The fact is Marvel owns America Chavez,” added Casey. “That’s not in dispute on any level, but there are still systemic flaws in the way that creators are neither respected nor rewarded,”
Casey contends that Marvel sent him a special character agreement that covered America’s use in other media. However, Casey and his lawyers were unhappy with the amount offered. While Casey didn’t provide a number for this report, THR notes that previous Marvel creator agreements are “said to be in the $5,000 range.” Additionally, Casey noted that Marvel’s parent company, Disney, gave him a much better deal when it adapted his Marvel superhero team, Big Hero 6, as an animated feature film.
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“For me, it’s not about money,” added Casey. “It’s not even about the respect. I would never expect to be respected by a corporation. If I’m in a position where I can afford not to take their insult of an offer, and be able to talk about it, maybe the next guy — where that kind of money could change their life — would get a fair shot of receiving that money.”
One other intriguing bit of intel from THR’s report indicated that America almost made her debut in Spider-Man: No Way Home, and that “she would have played the sorcerer’s apprentice type role that ultimately went to Ned (Jacob Batalon).” America may have a larger role after In the Multiverse of Madness, especially if the MCU introduces her team, the Young Avengers.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will hit theaters on Friday, May 6.
Do you think Joe Casey deserves a better offer for co-creating America Chavez? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!
Recommended Reading: America Chavez: Made in the USA
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