As we ride the high-octane anticipation wave towards the Deadpool & Wolverine release, the Marvel universe seems to be reverberating its on-screen drama behind the curtains, with Deadpool’s very own co-creator Rob Liefeld stirring the social media pot on the platform formerly known as Twitter. His recent outpouring of frustration regarding a rocky Disney relationship sends us the vital message that all is not calm in the superhero playground.
Liefeld recently confessed a few angry things on his X/Twitter page. In the tweets, he mentioned an unpleasant and inconsiderate experience his representatives had. With his candid revelations of a heated negotiation fallout, we are reminded that even the mastermind behind superheroes must deal with corporate giants.
Could Liefeld’s thunderous battle cry hint at a larger struggle for fair recognition and compensation in the comic book industry?
Deadpool Co-Creator Rob Liefeld Raises Concerns Over Disney Collaboration
In the world of comic book creators, tensions with big corporations like Disney & Marvel Studios are not uncommon. But the recent X tirade from Deadpool co-creator Rob Liefeld has fans wondering what exactly is going on behind the scenes.
My reps were screamed at today “We are NOT Fox!” Tell me about it. Also hung up on. More soon.
— robliefeld (@robertliefeld) June 3, 2024
Liefeld, who co-created Deadpool’s character with Fabian Nicieza, took to X to air his frustrations with Disney, hinting at a disrespectful encounter his reps received. The following tweet mentioned a giant company that was employing coercion:
I didn’t have Warner Bros. treating me better than Disney on my bingo card. But there it is.
— robliefeld (@robertliefeld) June 3, 2024
While he didn’t provide specific details, fans speculate that it may be related to compensation for his creation appearing in the upcoming Deadpool & Wolverine movie.
If that is the case, this wouldn’t be the first time Disney has faced backlash for its treatment of creators. Author Alan Dean Foster famously took Disney to court over unpaid royalties for his Star Wars novels, eventually reaching a settlement (see The Verge).
Disney argued that, having acquired the contracts from Lucasfilm, they were no longer obligated to fulfill the conditions of the earlier agreements. Foster and many other writers are said to have received their royalties after the case was ultimately resolved (via Superhero Hype), though more do occasionally surface.
In 1990, Liefeld and Nicieza collaborated to create the Deadpool character. Though Liefeld is undoubtedly the more outspoken of the two iconic figures in the story, the former frequently discusses the characters on social media, at conventions, in interviews, and on his podcast.
The Evolution of a Merc with a Mouth: Rob Liefeld Bids Adieu to Deadpool?
Rob Liefeld is currently creating his last Deadpool comic, having announced his retirement after more than thirty years in the comic book business. The five-issue series Deadpool Team-Up will debut on August 28, 2024. He took to X in February 2024, saying:
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. One of the fun parts about getting older is you can retire from things, so here I… pic.twitter.com/Kq4XAjslNT
— robliefeld (@robertliefeld) February 5, 2024
Liefeld gave an explanation for his decision to discontinue the character after all these years:
I’ll be 57 at the end of this and my eyes are still functioning, the work continues to be strong, I want to go out with the best effort I can muster.
With regard to the WB comment, he has never shied away from collaborating with other businesses; he co-founded Image Comics and had sporadic employment with DC. As of right now, Liefeld’s only known project with WB is the recently revealed Avengelyne movie starring Margot Robbie (see Deadline).
With Liefeld’s recent deal with Warner Bros., one can assume that Disney’s treatment of him may have pushed him to work with a rival studio. Could this be the beginning of a larger dispute over the rights to Deadpool and how they are compensated?
Despite the uncertainty surrounding the situation, we have to agree that Liefeld is not backing down. As he prepares to release his final Deadpool comic and the highly anticipated Deadpool & Wolverine hits theaters, the comic book world is buzzing with speculation over what this feud could mean for the future of one of Marvel’s most beloved characters.
Deadpool & Wolverine will be released on July 26, 2024.
