Joe Quesada, former Editor-in-Chief and Chief Creative Officer of Quesada's announcement was unexpected, as he took Marvel's reins at a time of financial and creative struggles and was fundamental in shaping and steering the company into the multimedia entertainment juggernaut it is today.
Quesada began his career in the comics industry in the early 1990s as an artist, gaining widespread recognition working for Valiant Comics and then founding his own publishing company, Event Comics, besides doing sporadic work for Marvel and DC. In 1998, shortly after filing for bankruptcy, Marvel Comics asked Quesada to work for them in an exclusive capacity and gave him a new line of books called Marvel Knights, which welcomed many creators from the independent industry. Two years later, Quesada became Editor-in-Chief and spearheaded a deep renovation of the company that was welcomed by readers with critical and commercial success. In 2010, Quesada left the Editor-in-Chief position to Axel Alonso and became Chief Creative Officer, overseeing the larger comics storylines and the creative aspects of media adaptations of Marvel properties, which became fundamental after the initial success of the MCU in the late 2000s.
Quesada's direction of Marvel's editorial line in the 2000s is responsible for a significant shift towards the Ultimate Marvel Universe had a big impact on the publisher's overall outlook, including setting the tone for the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Joe Quesada came in during Marvel's darkest hour, and he surely left his mark on the company. It suffices to say that he oversaw the "Marvel Comics Events" sequence that started with House of M and Civil War and shaped the current continuity of the Marvel Universe. While Quesada is mostly recognized for favoring innovation and creative freedom, he was also a staunch protector of tradition, recognizing Marvel's decades-long history as one of its best assets. For example, Quesada reversed his predecessor Bob Harras' policy of restarting the majority of Marvel titles with a new issue #1, and restored the old numbering. He was not without his critics, however, as the backlash for the controversial Spider-Man One More Day storyline proves. It is hard to ascertain how his leaving will affect the company's editorial division, because in recent years he worked mostly in a general oversight role.
Quesada leaving Marvel can be seen as the natural consequence of Kevin Feige taking over his role as Chief Creative Officer in 2019. The most likely explanation, however, is simply that, as he said in Joe Quesada remains a creator at heart, and he has already a number of projects ready to launch, including a short indie film that he is writing and directing. The outpouring of and appreciation from creators and co-workers to Quesada's announcement is a statement of the enduring legacy he has left in the industry. While it is impossible to predict if and how his departure will have an impact on the company, it is also very hard to imagine where Marvel Comics would be today without Joe Quesada.
