Superman colourist quits over new changes made to character’s motto: ‘They don’t have a right to do this’

Comic book publisher says Superman’s motto will evolve to ‘Truth, Justice and a Better Tomorrow’

Superman colourist Gabe Eltaeb has announced that he’s quitting his job over the decision by DC Comics to change the superhero’s motto from “Truth, Justice and the American Way” to “Truth, Justice and a Better Tomorrow.”

“I’m finishing out my contract with DC. I’m tired of this s***, I’m tired of them ruining these characters; they don’t have a right to do this,” said Eltaeb.

Earlier this week, the comic book publisher announced that Superman’s motto will be “evolving.”

Jim Lee, chief creative officer and publisher of DC, said in a press statement that the decision is meant “to better reflect the storylines that we are telling across DC and to honour Superman’s incredible legacy of over 80 years of building a better world.”

DC announced this month that their new Superman, Jon Kent, is bisexual. But Eltaeb claimed this did not influence his decision.

Eltaeb was speaking on comics artist Ethan Van Scriver’s YouTube livestream on 13 October.

Earlier this week, the comic book publisher announced that Superman’s motto will be “evolving” from “Truth, Justice and the American Way” to “Truth, Justice and a Better Tomorrow” ((YouTube/DC Kids))

Taking a trip down memory lane, Eltaeb recalled an incident when he was pushing comic book artist Jerry Robinson’s wheelchair around at Comic-Con in 2009.

“That’s the man who invented the Joker. I would work the DC booth back then. I remember bending down to his face and telling him, thank you for creating these characters, so people like me can waltz in and get a job,” he said. “It’s not about gay or anything else.”

“What really pissed me off was saying truth, justice, and a better world. F*** that, it was Truth, Justice, and the American way,” he said. “My grandpa almost died in World War II; we don’t have a right to destroy s*** that people died for to give us. It’s a bunch of f****** nonsense.”

The artist, who also coloured Dark Horse’s Star Wars comic series, revealed other things he had “bottled up” for “five years.”

“They call us bigots and racist and s***, I would ask them, find me in the f****** mainstream, not on the fringes, one f****** book, one f****** T-shirt, one movie that says that leftism is bad, and conservatism is good, find it for me, they f****** won’t they’re not letting people have a voice, they’re the f****** bigots,” he said.

DC announced that their new Superman, Jon Kent, is bisexual (DC Comics)

Eltaeb concluded his rant with: “Sorry, that’s been bottled up for five years.”

Van Sciver, on whose channel Eltaeb appeared, said: “Gabe just exploded on my livestream, he had a lot to say, a lot of feelings and a lot of thoughts that he wasn’t able to share because he was working for DC Comics.”

“You cannot come out and be a conservative and criticise the company that you work for in this way. You have to be completely supportive of the corporate agenda, whatever it is,” he added, according to Bounding into Comics.

“You have to keep your negative or critical opinions to yourself, and it’s so liberating to be able to not work for DC Comics and be able to say exactly what you think.”

The Independent has contacted DC Comics for comment.