The on-again, off-again relationship between Deadpool creator Rob Liefeld and Marvel Comics is off again. This time, it seems to be for good. The best-selling comic artist and Image Comics co-founder has itted he only has a few active years left in comics, and he doesn't plan to spend them working for a place he says disrespects him and his contributions.

Speaking on his podcast Robservations, Liefeld addressed his leave from Marvel (including Marvel Studios) for alleged poor treatment. In the podcast, Liefeld calls out his recent treatment at the premiere of Deadpool & Wolverine, the latest in a series of skirmishes with Marvel on both the comics and film. Liefeld, who has written and drawn some of the best-selling Marvel Comics of the last forty years, has split with the company before now. Back in 1992, Liefeld left when he co-founded Image Comics with six other artists. He then returned to Marvel for the hugely-successful Heroes Reborn run in 1996, but had another falling out with management and split from Marvel again, prompting the publisher to sue him soon after.

Deadpool's Success Brought Liefeld Back Into the Marvel Fold

Liefeld Has Worked on Numerous Deadpool and Cable Projects in Recent Years

Liefeld has worked for Marvel on and off since 2000, but in the last decade or so, he has been working almost exclusively on Cable and Deadpool comics. With the increased popularity of Deadpool and Liefeld's status as a household artist, many of his Marvel runs have become bestsellers for the publisher. Given these successes, Liefeld is often allowed to tell stories that exist in his own bubble, giving them minimal impact on the Marvel Universe continuity as a whole. Despite a slew of delayed comic launches, Marvel and Liefeld have worked together on release given the scale of his comic sales.

However, one year ago today, it has recently caused a snag for DC's Superman movie.

Deadpool & Wolverine Wasn't the Start of Liefeld's Concerns

The Star Artist Has Often Criticized Marvel's Business and Editorial Policies

In his podcast, Liefeld explained that even before any studio conflicts began, he was uncomfortable with some recent editorial decisions at Marvel. Liefeld, who in 2022 made headlines accusing House of X/Powers of X writer Jonathan Hickman of plagiarising a story, took time to stress Marvel has never been good to creators. The artist even referenced a situation that cropped up in 2023 when Marvel added longtime editor Roy Thomas's name to the Wolverine creator credits, a change Thomas started campaigning for in 2017. Thomas argued the original idea for Wolverine was his, but some in the industry objected to crediting a person who did not write or draw the character's first appearance.

For Liefeld, it was Marvel and DC's treatment of creators that led to the founding of Image Comics, a publisher that allows its creators to own their own story and character rights. For a time, Liefeld was on the outs with his Image co-founders but has patched things up to return to the fold. Known as the bad boy of comics in the '90s, Liefeld is hardly a stranger to controversy, as the artist has been outspoken in his criticism of those in the industry with whom he disagrees.

Liefeld Has Been Talking About Retirement For a Year

The Star Cites Eyesight and Chronic Pain as Reasons

While his conflicts with Marvel may have been what finalized the artist's announcement, Liefeld has been open about wanting to move away from "Big Two" comic publishers for a year now. Citing poor eyesight and pain in his hands, the artist has suggested he's interested in finishing up stories starring his own characters - ones that he created and still owns - at the end of his career.

Last year, Liefeld told ComicBook as much when asked about retirement. It was there the artist itted his focus on comic creation has narrowed in recent years:

“Ten years ago, I would’ve told you I would’ve drawn into my seventies. Like anything I do, I went full bore, full speed. I have produced a lot of work, that’s just a fact. That’s a lot of miles I’ve put on the board, in of my eyes, my eye-hand coordination, holding the pencil. Every artist has been asked, ‘Do your fingers hurt? Does your hand hurt?” Then you go, “Wow, my forearm didn’t used to bother me so long, drawing after an hour, or my eyes, I didn’t need to constantly keep refocusing.’ I’ve adjusted my glasses three times in the last about year and a half. I keep going in, and my eyes — they’re fading.

I feel like the work that I have done is strong. I am really comfortable saying the work that I’ve been doing is strong. I think the audience reaction to it is strong. I wouldn’t do as much of it if I didn’t like the way it came out, but I feel like you’ve got to start planning for the end. I really can’t see beyond another project outside of this one.”

In the final stretch of his career, Liefeld wants to work on projects such as Last Blood, a creator-owned series that has often sold out through the collector's platform Whatnot. The artist has also reportedly figured out a deal to work on Youngblood again, a series he created but once lost the rights. In recent years, the artist has also worked on comics that appealed to him personally, like Snake Eyes and ThunderCats. While Liefeld's decades-long career at Marvel is now over, there's likely much more to come from the artist before he sets down the pencil for good.

Source: Robervations