ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool creator Rob Liefeld confirms he’s quitting Marvel after an uncomfortable experience at the ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine New York premiere. Rob Liefeld began his career in the late 1980s with contributions to Marvel and DC, but it was his work on New Mutants and X-Force that made him a household name. Most importantly, Rob Liefeld’s creation of ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool has been his most acclaimed feat as a Marvel artist. Introduced in 1990’s New Mutants #98, Wade Wilson a.k.a. ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool gradually rose in prominence thanks to Rob Liefeld’s art and Fabian Nicieza’s writing. Thirty-four years after his comic book debut, ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool co-starred with Wolverine in Marvel Studios’ record-breaking ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine — one of the highest-grossing movies in superhero history.

After ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine hit theaters, Rob Liefeld revealed on his Robservations podcast that neither he nor his family were invited to the afterparty of ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine‘s New York premiere. Liefeld later explained his complaints to THR, alleging that Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige didn’t acknowledge him on the red carpet. Liefeld also attributes his decision to previous disputes with Marvel, including a peтιтion to receive more prominent credit as ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool’s creator, which Liefeld alleged was shut down by Marvel.

Why Rob Liefeld Says He’s Done With Marvel

Rob Liefeld’s Relationship With Marvel Has Been Strained For A While

Just a couple of years after Rob Liefeld received acclaim for the creation of ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool and Cable, Liefeld departed Marvel Comics and joined forces with other comic book powerhouses such as Jim Lee and Todd McFarlane to create Image Comics. Liefeld had a brief collaboration with Marvel that didn’t bear the desired results, and he was later sued by Marvel for the similarities between an original character of his, Agent America, and Marvel’s Captain America. Rob Liefeld worked for Marvel and DC throughout the years, though he also came under fire for his criticism of both companies on social media.

In February 2024, Rob Liefeld announced on X that he was producing his last work on ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool for Marvel, citing his age as the reason for his retirement. One year later, Liefeld now discloses his negative experiences with Marvel Studios. Apart from the aforementioned complaints, Liefeld also tells THR, “Kevin Feige does not treat comic book creators well. That is my personal experience,” and recalls his time collaborating with 20th Century Fox for ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool and ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool 2‘s release, saying, “They had me along for the ride, and I caused zero drama. I was happy to be there.” Liefeld’s parting with Marvel now seems definitive.

Marvel Studios has received criticism for not crediting comic book artists properly, as the creators of the original characters that Marvel movies and shows are based on only receive a “special thanks” line in each installment’s credits. As reported by The Guardian, Marvel creators allegedly received a flat fee of $5000 when their respective characters were used in live-action, plus an invitation to each movie’s premiere. While this fee may have changed in the years since, Marvel’s on-screen credits to comic creators haven’t changed yet.

Our Take On Rob Liefeld’s Marvel Relationship

Rob Liefeld’s Split With Marvel Was Years In The Making

Taking into account Rob Liefeld’s numerous disputes with Marvel throughout the years, his decision to leave Marvel isn’t too surprising. However, Liefeld’s description of his ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine premiere experience is new information, and neither Marvel nor Kevin Feige have addressed Liefeld’s allegations yet. ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine playfully references Rob Liefeld in the scene where Wolverine and ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool team up to fight the ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool Corps, which was included in the movie’s first trailer as well. ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine‘s Rob Liefeld easter egg pokes fun at the artist’s alleged inability to draw feet properly, with a storefront sign that reads, “Liefeld’s Just Feet.” Beyond that, the movie’s credit to Liefeld is minimal.

Source: THR