By: Russ Burlingame on August 22, 2012
In a series of tweets that seem to express a good deal of discontent with the behind-the-scenes goings-on at DC Comics in spite of an editorial philosophy he says he can sympathize with, superstar creator Rob Liefeld told his Twitter followers today that he would not remain on Grifter, Deathstroke and The Savage Hawkman into 2013, as he had originally intimated, but would leave the titles following next month’s #0 issues.
“And DC called my Deathstroke #0 my ‘best work to date,’” he tweeted. “Love that email!”
The last time around, it was still a long way off, with at least one big storyline scheduled for fall 2012.
Today, though, his tweets tell a different, longer story:
“Just finished sending my thank you’s to DC personnel. Officially got off the DC52 treadmill this morning…
“Scott Clark will be replacing me p. Deathstroke. Marat will continue the work on Grifter…I had a great time at DC.
“I believe in what DC is doing, but had to preserve my sanity.
“I walked off all 3 books. Can’t wait to see any attempts to spin. I have every email.
“The 0′s are my last issues. Thanks for all the love.
“This is the 4th time I quit in the last 4 months. This time it will stick.
“I would put Justin_Jordan on Deathstroke and Grifter. In a heartbeat.
“Never thought the Image section of my book would be topped. This last year was a humdinger. The DC52 chapters will go top all of it.
“Reasons are the same as everyone’s that you hear. I lasted a few months longer than I thought possible.
“Massive indecision, last minute and I mean LAST minute changes that alter everything. Editor pissing contests… No thxnjs
“Last week my editor said ‘Early on we had a lot of indie talent that weren’t used to re-writes and changes..made it hard’….Uh, no, it’s you.”
He indicated that he’s got no idea who might take over The Savage Hawkman, save for his comments on Justin Jordan and a (possibly tongue-in-cheek) suggestion that they might go to Geoff Johns or Joshua Hale Fialkov.
“I’ve done my job, stopped the bleeding, revived the patient,” tweeted the artist in late July, but “The current corporate comics conditions are an absolute bear, on both sides, for both Big Two.”
What Liefeld will do next is anyone’s guess; earlier this year, he walked away from his Image Comics series The Infinite after he couldn’t come to an agreement with co-creator Robert Kirkman over creative differences.
What this means for the Hawkman: Wanted crossover with Green Arrow that Liefeld teased earlier this summer and that will take place in the fall is anyone’s guess.
“Don’t look for any tell all interview with me,” Liefeld tweeted. “Just follow this feed….the best stuff has not been shared–not even close!”
