Rob Liefeld, co-creator of Deadpool, has formally severed ties with Marvel, and he’s not holding again about why. In a latest episode of his Robservations podcast, Liefeld shared that his expertise with Marvel Studios, notably below Kevin Feige’s management, left him feeling disrespected and sidelined.
Liefeld describes the breaking level as a sequence of dismissals that culminated on the Deadpool & Wolverine premiere, the place he and his household weren’t invited to the afterparty. However his frustrations began lengthy earlier than that.
Liefeld’s points with Marvel started in early 2023 when “the corporate made the controversial resolution to alter the credit on Wolverine, awarding co-creator standing to editor Roy Thomas.
“The character was created a long time earlier than Liefeld labored in comics, however he’s near Christine Valada, the widow of late Wolverine co-creator Len Wein, who was upset with the choice.”
Then, in June 2024, Liefeld despatched an e-mail to Marvel asking for particular credit score on Deadpool & Wolverine. He didn’t request any cash, simply acknowledgment and entry to occasions.
In that e-mail, he expressed his frustration with how Marvel treats creators: “Marvel’s remedy of creators has by no means been their power.
“With out the worlds, the characters, and the ideas that we create — and on this particular case, the world of Deadpool — there aren’t any movies to shoot. No blockbusters to distribute…
“I’m not the straightforward button at Staples. I’m the human creativeness behind all of it….Comedian e book creators can not proceed to be relegated as afterthoughts. That is simple to handle. Until I attain out to handle it, it is going to by no means manifest.”
Liefeld by no means obtained a response.
Quick ahead to the Deadpool & Wolverine premiere, the place issues took a extra private flip. “He additionally felt snubbed by Disney brass, together with Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige, whom he says was close to him on the crimson carpet however didn’t acknowledge him.
“And there was one other obvious slight: Liefeld stated he posed for skilled pictures with creatives on the Deadpool & Wolverine workforce, however later was instructed by his publicist that these pictures had been deleted.
“He believes they had been solely taken as a courtesy and never meant for use, although different pictures, that includes Liefeld alone in addition to together with his household, appeared as a part of Disney’s Getty press portal from the occasion.”
On X, he wrote: “Not a lot as a single handshake. Classless.” And on Robservations, he put it bluntly: “Kevin Feige doesn’t deal with comedian e book creators nicely. That’s my private expertise.”
Liefeld did acknowledge that Marvel flew him out to London for a set go to in the course of the movie’s manufacturing, however he stated he “started to really feel unwelcome” and selected to not elaborate additional.
When requested if Feige might enhance his relationship with comedian creators, he responded merely: “Do I feel [Feige] can enhance his relationship with comedian creators? Sure.”
Liefeld’s final Marvel Comics undertaking, Deadpool Crew-Up #5, drops on February 12, marking the top of his work with the corporate. Reflecting on the expertise, he admitted:
“You may’t all the time share your hits. Generally you need to share your misses. This one was a miss. It was necessary for me to do the podcast, so folks might hear my voice. You didn’t hear anybody who was offended. At instances, it was laborious to cover how unhappy I used to be.”
With Liefeld stepping away from Marvel he’s ensuring folks know precisely why.
By way of: THR
