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Joe Quesada Leaving Marvel After Two Decades

By | May 31st, 2022
Posted in News | % Comments
Photo by Luigi Novi

Via Twitter, Marvel executive vice president and creative director Joe Quesada has announced he is leaving the company after almost 25 years. His full statement — which we’ve attached at the end of the article — thanks fans, and explains he wanted to move on and concentrate on several of his own projects, including a short film he is writing and directing. He explains, “When I first jumped into the world of comics, my goal was to create my own characters, stories, and universes,” and that it was time for him to go back to doing that.

Quesada began working as an editor at Marvel Comics in 1998, following the company’s bankruptcy, and a failed attempt at rebooting the comics universe with ‘Heroes Reborn.’ He and Jimmy Palmiotti oversaw the imprint Marvel Knights, which featured groundbreaking relaunches of “Daredevil” (that Quesada himself drew), “Black Panther,” “Inhumans,” “Punisher,” and more. The imprint’s success led him to become Editor-in-Chief, a role he served in from 2000 to 2010, and then as Chief Creative Officer at Marvel Entertainment until 2019, when he was succeeded by Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige.

Feige was among those who paid tribute to Quesada online, saying “There are few who know Marvel Comics like Joe, and his countless contributions have helped create characters and stories that will never stop growing and evolving. I’m grateful for his creative leadership and collaboration over the years and wish him nothing but the best for what’s next.” Marvel Entertainment President Dan Buckley said, “Simply put, Joe is one of the most influential creatives in comics. Everything he has done, from penciling to writing to designing to editing to brainstorming, has been – and will always be – at the highest level. Over the past 30 years, I have considered myself lucky to be his friend and collaborator. And while Joe will always be a part of the Marvel family, we should all be looking forward to what he brings into the world next.”

Quesada’s full statement is as follows:

When I first jumped into the world of comics, my goal was to create my own characters, stories, and universes. Then, one day Marvel made me an offer that changed the trajectory of my life. But lately, I’ve found myself thinking more and more of my favorite stanza from T.S. Eliot’s Little Gidding, “We shall not cease from exploration / And the end of all our exploring / Will be to arrive where we started / And know the place for the first time.”

That’s why it’s both exciting and bittersweet that after discussions with both my family and my family at Marvel, after two plus decades (has it really been that long?), the time has come for me to move on. As you can imagine, my love for the company, its characters, and all my coworkers runs deep, but I have an exciting new chapter that’s about to begin, so the time feels right.

In August of 2000, Marvel took a shot on me, entrusted me with the keys to the Universe, and has been my biggest supporter ever since. During that time, I’ve had the great fortune to stand on the shoulders of giants, none broader than those of my predecessors and mentors, the best editorial team in the business, my coworking family, and the most talented creators on earth who put their trust in me, especially in the early days when it looked like I was selling tickets on the Titanic. Thank you ALL for sharing your talents and pouring your heart and soul into every project. It’s been an honor working with you, and I hope we get to do it all again.

Now, this doesn’t mean you’re getting rid of me that easily. I won’t ever be too far away, cheering my Marvel family on and contributing from time to time, including something I’m thrilled about for later this year. I also have several insanely cool projects of my own that you’ll be hearing about in the coming months, including a short indie film I’m writing and directing. Stay tuned!

It’s been one hell of a ride, and I’m proud to have been a part of Marvel’s rags to riches story and satisfied that I accomplished the job I was hired to do twenty-two years ago (seriously, where did the time go?). But none of this happens without one very important person.

YOU!

My family and I want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Without your love and support, we wouldn’t have been able to go on this crazy adventure, and I hope you join us on our next one.

I promise you it’s going to be AMAZING!

See ya in the funnybooks!


Christopher Chiu-Tabet

Chris is the news manager of Multiversity Comics. A writer from London on the autistic spectrum, he enjoys tweeting and blogging on Medium about his favourite films, TV shows, books, music, and games, plus history and religion. He is Lebanese/Chinese, although he can't speak Cantonese or Arabic.

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