Joe Quesada, Marvel's former chief creative officer, announced he'll be stepping away from the publishing company and starting some independent projects of his own.
Quesada posted the announcement via his Twitter account. "When I first jumped into the world of comics, my goal was to create my own characters, stories, and universes," the post reads. "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."
Quesada became an editor of Marvel Comics' "Marvel Knights" line in 1998 before being promoted to editor-in-chief of the company in 2000. "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," Quesada said. "During that time, I've had the great fortune to stand on the shoulders of giants, none broad 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."
Quesada was named chief creative officer of Marvel Entertainment in 2010, a role that had him ensure all portrayals of Marvel characters were accurate and in line with Marvel lore. His position shifted to executive vice president and creative director for Marvel Entertainment in 2019 when Marvel named Kevin Feige as chief creative officer of Marvel.
Quesada ensured fans that, while he's stepping away from Marvel, he's not leaving the comics industry any time soon. "This doesn't mean you're getting rid of me that easily," he said. "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!"
Source: Twitter