Marvel Causes Controversy by Adding New Name to List of Wolverine's Creators

There's been a shakeup at Marvel. Not in the sense of a major restructuring, but a change that sees a new creator receiving a credit for helping create one of the publisher's most popular characters. In a controversy that's quickly become the talk of Comics Twitter, Roy Thomas is now being credited as one of the four creators of Wolverine. Thomas, a longtime Marvel Comics writer, editor, and creative, served as Editor-in-Chief of the House of Ideas during the period in which Logan first appeared.

Now, nearly 50 years later, Thomas has officially been added to the roster of Wolverine's creators, which also includes writer Len Wein, artist Herb Trimpe, and designer John Romita Sr. The news was first shared by former Marvel EiC Bobbie Chase, who had recently spoken to the widow of Wein.

"Recently my friend and Len Wein's widow, Christine Valada, got a call from Marvel executive David Bogart, informing her that in the upcoming Wolverine & Deadpool movie (coming out this July), Roy Thomas will now be credited as the co-creator with Len Wein and John Romita Sr., and David said it's a done deal," Chase shared on a lengthy Facebook post earlier in the week. "I was standing in Christine's kitchen this past Sunday as she told me about the phone call. Of course Christine is seriously concerned about Len's legacy. Len was profoundly important to the comic book industry, and that legacy is being changed for the worse, six years after his death."

Since Thomas' new credit has been revealed, many prominent creators have spoken out against it, including both Rob Liefeld and Mark Waid.

"Folks, let me tell you that Christine Valada, the widow of the late, great, Len Wein, contacted me last Monday to share the Wolverine news. I was immediately distraught and terribly upset," Liefeld shared Saturday. "I have been simmering ever since. I have received hundreds of requests in the last 24 hours to weigh in on this matter and I will. Believe me, it's coming. I just need more time to settle."

Waid added, "A rule in comics: Staff editors don't get to claim a co-creator credit on characters their writers and artists create for them. Throwing out suggestions and brainstorming is part of the editor's job. Change my mind. I'm kidding. You'll never change my mind on this."

Thomas or his camp have yet to unveil an official statement on the matter. ComicBook.com reached out to Thomas' management, but no statement was available as of press time.