Laid Off Marvel Employee Against Boycotts

When most workers are let go there is usually not much to be done about it. The people using the companies products usually do not care that much, or if they do, they do not care enough to do anything about it. As it turns out the fans of Marvel comics are not those kinds of fans. They care about the brand, and its staff. The problem is that the staff may not always want the support.

Yes, I’m talking about comic book fans. The same people who will niggle a comic book artist to death over the wrong shade of red in a single frame apparently are as willing to show support to their favorite artists in their time of need, but the artists do not seem to want the help. At least one of them does.

After some of the artists were laid off recently, in order to help Marvel stay a profitable company in the recent economic downturn, the fans began to talk. Some of them were talking about a boycotting the products of the Marvel comics as a way to show the company that fans did not like the idea of getting rid of the artists that create their favorite comics.

In an odd turn of events one of the artists has come out against the idea of a boycott, and told the fans to keep on supporting the company. On the Facebook page for Marvel the former production artist posted a note that supported the company and its decision to let go some of the workers.

In his open letter he said, “When I was kid, growing up reading MARVEL comics and I saw that classic logo, it was a symbol that stood for a family I belonged to. I saw it as amazing art, interesting stories, exciting characters and I knew there had to be fun people making it happen.

What I’m trying to say is that I don’t want everyone to just see the MARVEL logo and think of a huge, top-heavy company, full of money hungry suits that make poor descisions (in some peoples’ opinions.) That’s not what MARVEL is and there are still people working very hard (even harder now), day after day to put out comics for people to enjoy. (Or hate ::shrugs::) They’re coming up with new storylines and characters to brighten your days, take you out of reality for a few and for kids to dress up as.

They still need your support.”

Then again in the same letter he also described Marvel anmatiors jobs in a less than falttering light, “work regular work hours and continue to stay late to ensure they’re getting their job done to the best of their ability. They stay late because they work with talented people from around the world. They lose friends over time because they can never make it out on Friday nights because they’re ushering comics off to the printers. Family sometimes think that you don’t care about them because you’re always so busy with work. Getting home on time to have dinner with their families is a treat for some of these people.” So maybe, he is just grateful to have some time off.