Are comic books basically just published fanfiction these days?

*CyberCubed* · 05-04-2023, 12:22 PM

Like outside of creator owned/published comic books like Stan Sakai with Usagi Yojimbo, any time a writer comes on board to write a comic for DC, Marvel or TMNT...isn't it just pretty much published fanfiction?

Let's imagine IDW TMNT for a minute even under Waltz run from issue #1-100. If you told anyone the main story beats that happened in IDW TMNT prior to the year 2011...wouldn't it just sound like published fanfiction? Like you can probably go to fanfiction.net and read old TMNT fanfics published between the years 1998-2005 or so where people did similar things bringing back original cartoon characters and mixing it with Mirage TMNT characters or whatever. Or go to deviantart and read old fan comics from the early 2000's.

Aside from comic books being officially licensed and published, isn't it all just someones very well done official fanfiction at this point?

05-04-2023, 12:22 PM	#1
CyberCubed Overlord Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 43,835	Are comic books basically just published fanfiction these days? Like outside of creator owned/published comic books like Stan Sakai with Usagi Yojimbo, any time a writer comes on board to write a comic for DC, Marvel or TMNT...isn't it just pretty much published fanfiction? Let's imagine IDW TMNT for a minute even under Waltz run from issue #1-100. If you told anyone the main story beats that happened in IDW TMNT prior to the year 2011...wouldn't it just sound like published fanfiction? Like you can probably go to fanfiction.net and read old TMNT fanfics published between the years 1998-2005 or so where people did similar things bringing back original cartoon characters and mixing it with Mirage TMNT characters or whatever. Or go to deviantart and read old fan comics from the early 2000's. Aside from comic books being officially licensed and published, isn't it all just someones very well done official fanfiction at this point?