THE big debates in comic-book land used to go something like this — seriously:

Superman is way stronger than the Hulk.

Is not!

Is too!

Nowadays, the big debates revolve around the ideas espoused in the Creator’s Bill of Rights — officially, a Bill of Rights for Comics Creators. For instance, is it fair that writers and artists who dream up superheroes now starring at a multiplex near you don’t necessarily reap financial rewards from their creations?

It’s a discussion that takes a different tone at Image Comics, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. In 1992, this publisher presented fans with Savage Dragon, Spawn, WildC.A.T.s, Youngblood and more, produced by seven artists who left Marvel in order to seize control — creative and financial — of their characters.

It was an unheard-of development, says Mark Evanier, a comic-book historian. “Suddenly the premise that you had to work for one of the two big companies took a hit because now you could become the company,” he said.