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DC Comics rejects AI-generated stories and art, with publisher/CCO Jim Lee speaking out as its boss and as an artist

DC Comics president Jim Lee says the company will not support AI as long as he's in charge: "What we do and why we do it is rooted in our humanity"

Batman #4 variant cover by David Aja — Image credit: David Aja (DC Comics)

News by Graeme McMillan, Editor

Published on Thu Oct 09 2025

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As DC Comics celebrates its 90th anniversary at New York Comic Con 2025, publisher, president and chief creative officer Jim Lee has reaffirmed that the company’s core mission is celebrating human creativity — with an emphasis on the human. So much so, in fact, that Lee declared that as long as he’s at the helm, DC Comics will never support AI-generated material.

“History has a way of humbling predictions. The future rarely turns out the way the headlines warn us it will. But let me make one prediction I know I can stand by today. DC Comics will not support AI-generated story telling or art, not now, not ever, as long as [DC SVP and general manager] Anne DePies and I are in charge,” Lee announced during a speech at retailer day at NYCC 2025 October 8. “Because what we do and why we do it is rooted in our humanity. It's that fragile, beautiful connection between imagination and emotion that fuels our medium, the stuff that makes our universe come alive. It's the imperfect line, the creative risk, the hand drawn gesture that no algorithm can replicate.”

Lee was speaking ahead of a signing at the retailer day programming, where his primary focus was on finding optimism in the future of the industry, and in the future of DC Comics specifically — even if it meant that he made a self-depreciating joke about the delays on his Batman storyline ‘Hush 2.’ (“In 2035, DC Comics turns a hundred,” he said. “I fully intend to be here for that, hopefully still drawing. Hopefully still not working on ‘Hush 2’… Too soon?”)

Lee continued, “When I draw, I make mistakes — a lot of them. But that's the point: the smudge, rough line, hesitation… that's me in the work. That's my journey. That's what makes it come alive. It's the product of true effort, of inspiration and perspiration. Fans notice, they sense this. They can feel when something is made with care, when it cost the artist time, energy, heart and effort. People have an instinctive reaction to what feels authentic. We recoil from what feels fake; that's why human creativity matters. AI doesn't dream. It doesn't feel. It doesn't make art. It aggregates it. Our job as creators, as storytellers, and as publishers, is to make people feel something real. That's why we create and that's why we're still here.”

New York Comic Con 2025 continues through Sunday, October 12.

Here's everything you need to enjoy New York Comic Con 2025:

About New York Comic Con

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Dates

Oct 10 - Oct 13

Location

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United States

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Graeme McMillan: Popverse Editor Graeme McMillan (he/him) has been writing about comics, culture, and comics culture on the internet for close to two decades at this point, which is terrifying to admit. He completely understands if you have problems understanding his accent.