After delighting fans for decades with his creation of the beloved Marvel Comics character Deadpool, Rob Liefeld has made the difficult decision to step away from the Merc with a Mouth. The 56-year-old artist and co-founder of Image Comics recently announced his retirement plans via Instagram, revealing that he will retire from Deadpool once he completes work on a book for Marvel. This book is expected to hit shelves in the summer, just in time to coincide with the release of Disney's Deadpool 3 in theaters on July 26.
Liefeld's decision to retire from Deadpool comes as a surprise to many, as he had always assumed he would continue working with his signature creation well into his later years. However, the toll on his eyes, hands, aches, and pains have prompted him to rethink his plans. Liefeld shares, 'About 10 years ago, I really felt like I was in a groove, and in my mind, I was going to do this till I was 70. But the eyes and the hands, and the aches and the pains — they have a different timetable, I've learned as I've gotten older. The last year's worth of work was the hardest to produce.'
Throughout his career, Liefeld has written and illustrated over 1,000 pages of Deadpool comics since the character's debut in 1990. He estimates that he has worked on more than 150 covers and 45 different No. 1 issues, including last year's launch of Deadpool: Badder Blood. Liefeld's contributions to the comic book world extend beyond Deadpool, as he is also the creator of Marvel's Cable.
Marvel reached out to Liefeld last year to work on a new, unconventional Deadpool story that would coincide with the release of Deadpool 3. However, recent health setbacks and pain in his hands have made it clear to Liefeld that he cannot sustain the same level of workload anymore. Considering this, he has decided to conclude his Deadpool journey on his own terms and deliver a memorable final story.
While Liefeld remains tight-lipped about the specific details of his last Deadpool tale, he teases that it would be an expensive story to adapt, hinting at its grand scale. As for his other ongoing projects, such as the recently launched Last Blood series, he plans to reevaluate his workload at the start of the following year.
Despite his impending departure, Liefeld eagerly anticipates the release of Deadpool 3 and the character's entrance into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He visited the set last summer and expresses relief that no spoilers have surfaced on social media. Liefeld believes fans are looking to Deadpool 3 to propel Marvel's superhero movies into new heights following underperforming titles from both Marvel and rival DC.
Responding to fans' hopes of seeing him make a cameo in the film, Liefeld has confirmed that he will not appear. However, he appreciates that fans want to see the presence of the comic creator reflected in the movie, acknowledging the precedent set by the late Stan Lee. Liefeld states, 'Fans just want to see the comic creator reflected. I understand it, and I'm happy to receive that excitement.'
As Liefeld embarks on this new chapter in his life, he admits to feeling a mix of sadness and happiness. While he will continue to enjoy the character of Deadpool, he believes that he has told all of the stories he needs to share with the world. Fans can rest assured that the Deadpool work Liefeld has contributed thus far will remain strong.
Rob Liefeld's retirement from Deadpool marks the end of an era. With his departure, fans bid farewell to the creator who birthed one of Marvel's most cherished characters. Yet, anticipation for Deadpool 3 and its potential impact on the Marvel Cinematic Universe remains high. As Liefeld turns a new page in his life, fans eagerly await the future of Deadpool under new creative hands.
