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With billions of dollars to its name, the Marvel Cinematic Universe is a singular franchise. After getting its start in 2008 with Iron Man, the MCU has become a pop culture juggernaut given its string of blockbuster movies. Of course, the films only came to life because of Marvel Comics, the publisher that brought heroes like Captain America to life decades ago. In recent years, however, Marvel as a whole has been caught in a slump that one creator is now speaking out about.
The conversation regarding the MCU and Marvel Comics slump made its way online this week on Millar Time. The podcast, which is hosted by Deadpool creator Rob Liefeld, brought in Mark Millar to chat. It was there the comic legends spoke about the success of Deadpool & Wolverine at the box office, and the discussion quickly turned to the ongoing fatigue Marvel is facing on all fronts.
“I’ve heard a lot of people say this, that Marvel don’t like the idea of superstars emerging. Because it takes away from the Marvel brand. But at the same time, generic people create generic products,” Millar shared.
“That’s what we’ve had for 6 years with the Marvel movies. It’s mostly junk that’s been coming out.“
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Millar continued, speaking to a problem that has plagued Marvel Comics for decades now: creator recognition. “When somebody makes them a lot of money from a business point of view, surely that’s a rare beast… Your stuff is making more money than James Bond,” the beloved writer told Liefeld. “If I was them, just from a craven, business point of view, I’d be like, ‘We should give this guy some credit,’ just to get more out of you, you know?”
For those unfamiliar with the issue raised by Millar, well – it is a very messy one. Marvel Comics has welcomed some of the greatest creators in comics, but many of those artists have pushed back against the publisher in recent years. From copyright complexities to low wages, Marvel Comics is under fire nowadays. The success of the MCU has only heightened complaints as creators like Liefeld have publicly shamed Marvel for now properly crediting the creators who made its cash-grabbing heroes.
In fact, this issue came to a boiling point for Liefeld this year. In February 2025, the creator of Deadpool confirmed he is finished working with Marvel because of his treatment at the company. On his podcast Robservations, the artist alleged he was treated poorly across all of Marvel – both the comics and film divisions. The decision came after a public spat Liefeld experienced at the premiere of Deadpool & Wolverine, and he’s not the only creator who has recently spoken against the publishing giant.
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Not too long ago, Ironheart co-creator Mike Deodato took a moment to call out Marvel ahead of the character’s MCU debut. “As a comic book artist, there are few feelings more satisfying than seeing a character you helped create come to life on the big screen,” he shared. “But as much as I celebrate this moment, there’s a bitter edge to it. You see, while Marvel has built an empire worth billions on the backs of its creators, the compensation model hasn’t kept pace with the success.”
“Marvel, you can do better. And I genuinely hope you will, for the sake of the characters we love and the creators who bring them to life.”
As comic creators find themselves unsatisfied with Marvel Comics, the talent pool for the MCU shrinks in kind. The franchise’s future relies on the comic creators who help turn Marvel into the monolith it is, but if that talent goes elsewhere, the brand as a whole is destined to fail. And as Millar notes, the only outcome in such a bleak scenario is – well – generic rubbish.
“}]] The MCU Slump is still at the front of fans’ minds, and 1 Marvel creator says the dip is happening on comics for the same reason. Read More