Why Supporting Human Creativity Still Matters!

Technology has always evolved faster than our comfort zones. But lately, the rise of AI-generated art has pushed creativity into an identity crisis.

Suddenly, “art” can be synthesized in seconds. It's absolutely flawless, polished, eerily precise and yet… somehow empty. Let's face it, what makes art worth anything has never been perfection. It’s the humanity behind it. That’s exactly why brands like DC Comics, Marvel, and Dark Horse are standing tall for something rare in a world chasing convenience: integrity.

The Stance: Art Made by Humans, For Humans

When DC Comics President and Publisher Jim Lee declared in October 2025 that DC “will never support AI-generated art or storytelling,” it wasn’t just corporate talk, it was a battle cry.

“AI doesn’t dream, it doesn’t feel, it doesn’t make art,” he said. “It aggregates it.” Those words hit home. Because aggregation isn’t imagination. And half-done imitation isn’t creation.

Marvel quickly echoed the sentiment. Editor-in-Chief C.B. Cebulski confirmed that Marvel “has never used, will not use, and does not condone” AI art in its comics division. And they weren’t alone. Dark Horse Comics had already set the standard in 2024 by prohibiting AI-generated material in their contracts, reaffirming their commitment to human creative professionals.

This collective stance is monumental. Not because it’s nostalgic, but because it’s necessary.

Why It Matters: The Ethics Beneath the Ink

AI didn’t appear from thin air. It was trained. Artificial Intelligence has fed on millions of artworks, often scraped from artists who never consented to being part of that dataset. In essence, it learned by copying and averaging out the works so it could mass duplicate it. The worst part is it then competes with the very people it learned from.

That’s why artists and fans alike call it theft. That’s why “AI art” feels hollow, because it’s missing the soul contract that exists between creator and creation.

Art has always been about translation, not replication. It’s how a person turns pain, joy, or curiosity into color, motion, and meaning. Remove the person, and what’s left is just mimicry dressed in pixels.

The Community Speaks

The online art and comic communities have made their voices loud and clear. Surveys show that dedicated fans overwhelmingly reject AI-generated visuals, especially in beloved franchises.

Why? Because they value connection. They know that behind every stroke of a real artist’s pen lies something no algorithm can replicate. There's time, intent, and feeling.

Even fiction has warned us about this crossroads for decades: Frank Herbert’s Dune outlawed “thinking machines.” Harlan Ellison’s I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream imagined AI as tormentor. Isaac Asimov spent his career exploring the uneasy dance between man and machine. And now… we’re living the prequel.

The Designer’s Role: Choosing Integrity Over Efficiency

Here’s the thing: AI is not the villain, apathy is.

When designers and brands use technology thoughtfully, transparently, and with respect for human creators, it can be powerful. But when it replaces imagination, or worse, exploits it, that’s where integrity dies.

As designers, our role isn’t to resist the future. It’s to shape it with conscience. We decide what stories get told, what visuals get shared, and whose voices are amplified. Supporting brands like DC, Marvel, and Dark Horse isn’t just about loyalty, it’s about leadership. It tells the creative industry that ethics still matter.

Integrity Is the New Innovation

In the long run, the brands that endure won’t be the ones that generate faster. They’ll be the ones that create truer. AI can produce images, but only humans can produce meaning. And if we, as designers, defend that truth, if we keep championing authenticity, supporting human artistry, and building trust through design, we ensure that creativity doesn’t just survive the algorithmic age… it outlives it.

So, next time a client says, “We could just use AI,” ask the real question: “Do you want something made, or something felt?” Because only one of those lasts forever.

What's your opinion on AI? Leave a comment below and give us your insights.

Thanks for reading xoxo