Few Marvel haters have mounted such blistering attacks as Rob Liefeld, the creator of the beloved character Deadpool. He takes to Twitter and Instagram to critique the company’s new moves/adventures. Liefeld has written and drawn more Deadpool stories than any other creator. After 33 years of contributions, he is retiring from the character and recently announced one last story, which will be released in Summer 2024.
In his comic book industry critique, Liefeld targeted Marvel’s variant covers. He claims that the overreliance on derivative characters is proof of a failure of creativity by today’s leadership. He lamented how sales quotas have turned creators away from storytelling for the sake of sales, even as more of Marvel’s titles suffer from sharply decreasing sales. Liefeld’s remarks arrive as he is about to end his three-decade-long career with more than 1,000 pages of Deadpool storylines.
Liefeld is perhaps better known for his storied history with Marvel. He not only created Deadpool but the iconic characters Cable, Domino, and Stryfe. His career has straddled at least seven Editors-in-Chief, during which time he’s experienced the creative direction of the company go through dramatic ups and downs. As he looks back on his time in office, he is most focused on a call for new leadership.
“The guys at the top of the executive suite in publishing have to go – Buckley, Bogart, Gabriel. These guys have no new moves, they are spent and tired and it shows. Start over. My career has been across 7 EIC’s. Seen it done way better by brighter and more focused minds.” – Rob Liefeld
As you might expect, Liefeld’s announcement that he is retiring is a pretty big deal — not just for Liefeld himself but for all of us who love Deadpool. He confirmed this decision with a statement:
“I am retiring from Deadpool. It’s official. Yup, after 33 years of not only introducing Deadpool but chronicling many of his most popular adventures it’s time for the Deadpool Daddy to say farewell.” – Rob Liefeld
Aside from his vitriol towards Marvel’s current leadership, Liefeld lamented the situation for comics as a whole. He lamented the absence of creativity in today’s productions. Derivative work is a hard sell to both consumers and the direct market retailers.
“Can’t emphasize this enough. Out of moves. Nothing fresh to offer. More tricks that customers and retailers reject. A sea of derivatives. Poor management of talent. Start over.” – Rob Liefeld
With his 57 th birthday at the end of 2024, Liefeld is still very much active today. With this milestone, he is moving on from the role that has shaped so much of his career. The legacy of his contributions to comics will loom large across the industry for generations to come. His exit raises questions as to what will happen to characters like Deadpool under the new Marvel regime.