34 Years Later, Marvel’s Best Creators Rebelled Like Never Before—and Reshaped Comics

Why Marvel’s artists left

Marvel’s comics were made under a work-for-hire arrangement, leaving creators without ownership of their work or rights to royalties from related merchandise. The company’s emphasis on its brand also meant that artists’ fame did not necessarily translate into greater influence or security.

Liefeld brings artists together

Rob Liefeld explored alternatives, including asking Malibu Comics whether it would publish work from leading Marvel artists. He later recruited Todd McFarlane, Jim Lee, Erik Larsen, Jim Valentino, Marc Silvestri and Whilce Portacio to press Marvel for creative control.

In December 1991, Liefeld, Lee and McFarlane gave Marvel president a choice: let them continue at Marvel with creator-owned lines, or they would leave to publish elsewhere. The artists ultimately departed with plans to publish independently.

Image’s different model

Image Comics was officially established in 1992. Its structure provided infrastructure for its partner studios, while preventing one partner from interfering with another’s work. Malibu Comics helped Image get started by supporting marketing, publication and distribution. The arrangement built on an existing push for creator ownership, while offering a new way for partners to publish their work.

A lasting comics legacy

Image grew into an independent publisher known for works including Spawn, The Walking Dead and Savage Dragon. Robert Kirkman’s Invincible later reached audiences as an animated superhero series.

Image’s beginnings were not a fully organized rebellion, according to Michael Dean’s history of the publisher for The Comics Journal. The artists had different motivations and uncertain commitments, but shared an interest in owning the work they created.