Montreal Comic-Book Artist Ray Lai Defends Work Against Marvel Cinematic Universe
Montreal comic-book artists Ray and Ben Lai are taking on the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) in a legal battle to defend their original work. The brothers allege that Marvel and Disney stole design elements from their Radix comic series for use in the Iron Man, Ant-Man, and The Wasp films.
The Lai brothers, represented by lawyer Julie Desrosiers, have filed an abuse of process motion against Marvel, accusing the industry giants of using deceitful tactics to delay or dismiss their copyright infringement case. The motion seeks almost $180,000 to recoup legal fees that have mounted for the brothers since the proceedings began in 2021.
Ray Lai emphasized the importance of protecting intellectual property, stating, “If you come up with an original idea, it’s your job to protect it, and if you don’t do it, you might as well not do it anymore.” The brothers are seeking compensatory damages and a permanent injunction to stop the infringement.
The Lai brothers have a history of defending their work, as they previously faced a similar situation with MIT copying their designs. Despite the exhausting legal proceedings, the brothers believe it is crucial to protect their intellectual property as creators.
Marvel has a history of defending its intellectual property as well, as they previously filed suit against four artists for copyright interests in various characters. Ray Lai emphasized the importance of creators being able to protect their work, stating, “If we cannot protect it, then there’s no point in just doing work so that other people can take advantage of it.”
The legal battle between the Lai brothers and Marvel is ongoing, with all claims yet to be proven in court. Marvel is defending the lawsuit in court, and the Quebec law firm representing Disney/Marvel, Robic, did not respond to requests for comment. The outcome of this case will have significant implications for the protection of intellectual property in the comic book industry.