Joe Quesada, former Marvel Comics editor-in-chief and current executive vice president and creative director of Marvel Entertainment, has announced he's leaving the company after 22 years.
Quesada made the surprise announcement via Twitter, telling fans, "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."
And now for something completely different... pic.twitter.com/5Vurcra9kJ
— Joe Quesada (@JoeQuesada) May 31, 2022
Quesada's long and highly influential Marvel career actually dates back to 1998, when he and frequent collaborator Jimmy Palmiotti were contracted to spearhead the Marvel Knights imprint. Thanks in no small part to Quesada and writer Kevin Smith's Daredevil: Guardian Devil, Marvel Knights proved to be one of Marvel's first major sales successes following its brush with bankruptcy in the mid-'90s. That paved the way for Quesada's rise as Marvel's editor-in-chief in 2000.
Quesada's tenure as EiC proved to be hugely transformative for the company. Quesada oversaw the rise of Marvel's Ultimate Universe line, the revamped Avengers franchise and major crossovers like House of M, Civil War and Secret Invasion. This period also saw a new generation of creators make their names at Marvel, including Brian Michael Bendis (Ultimate Spider-Man, New Avengers), Ed Brubaker (Captain America, Daredevil), Matt Fraction (The Immortal Iron Fist, Uncanny X-Men) and J. Michael Straczynski (The Amazing Spider-Man, Supreme Power). Quesada was also notable for directly engaging with readers, particularly with his regular Cup O' Joe web column and panels at various comic book conventions.
With the advent of the MCU in the late '00s, Quesada began taking a more active role in developing the company's various multimedia projects, including serving on the sometimes contentious Marvel Creative Committee. He was officially promoted as Marvel's chief creative officer in 2010, and stepped down as EiC the following year. Quesada was then named executive vice president and creative director in 2019 after Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige assumed the chief creative officer role.
Despite a shift to a less public-facing role at Marvel, Quesada's presence has continued to be felt, with his X-Men artwork being featured in 2017's Logan and Quesada voicing a recurring character named Joe in the 2017 animated series Marvel's Spider-Man.
“As an artist and a storyteller, Joe is second to none in what he’s accomplished in the comics industry," said current editor-in-chief C.B. Cebulski in a statement. "From the day I started at Marvel years ago (I became an editor largely due to his encouragement), he’s embodied the heart of Marvel and the work we do, and he’s taught me and so many others how to do the same. Following in his footsteps is no easy task, as he set the creative bar so high. But he's always gone above and beyond to lend me his ear as a mentor and offer his sage advice when needed. He’s someone I can call family, and I know so many on our editorial team feel the same. While Joe’s moving on to begin his next big chapter, I’m thrilled we’re going to keep working together on a few projects, and he’ll never be far from our stories here.”
Feige also released a statement, writing, “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.”
Quesada's tweet hints at several upcoming film and comics projects, including what appears to be a new Marvel book. But while his name may not be entirely gone from Marvel, this is certainly the end of a very pivotal era for the company.
Quesada's departure comes two years after the similarly influential Dan DiDio departed as DC Comics' Co-Publisher. DiDio is now partnering with The Dark Knight Returns' creator Frank Miller to launch the Frank Miller Presents publishing label, which will include sequels to both Sin City and Ronin.
Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.
