Deadpool Creator Rob Liefeld Says Goodbye to Marvel with the Ultimate Deadpool Plot Twist

Warning: Spoilers for Deadpool Team-Up (2024) #5 ahead!

Rob Liefeld has officially concluded his tenure at Marvel, bringing over thirty years of work for the publisher to a close - but the infamous author and illustrator has one more trick up his sleeve. Liefeld wraps up his time at Marvel by taking a moment to personally say goodbye to his most popular creation, the mercenary Deadpool, in perhaps the most Liefeld-ian way possible.

Deadpool Team-Up #5 – written and illustrated by Rob Liefeld – builds up to a dramatic and unexpected conclusion, as a who's-who of characters important to Liefeld's career teams together to take down the armies of Baron Skagerackrakor. As the team assembles for a final charge, the mysterious warrior Commander X removes his helmet to have a brief heart-to-heart with Deadpool.

"Always a pleasure fighting alongside you, Wade," Commander X says as he reveals himself to be none other than a Marvel version of Rob Liefeld himself; clarifying further, Commander X removes all doubt by saying, "[My] name's Rob, we've had a few."

The Identity Commander X Is Rob Liefeld's Last Laugh As He Leaves Marvel Behind For Good

Deadpool Team-Up #5 – Written By Rob Liefeld; Art By Liefeld; Color By Juan Manuel Rodriguez; Lettering By Joe Sabino

Revealing that Rob Liefeld has been the man under the X-Commander mask all along is a gutsy move; it's a bold statement for any author to include an avatar of themselves in their work, but Liefeld's reputation is just wild enough to allow him to get away with it. This creative decision allows the creator, Liefeld, to give a proper send-off to his creation, Deadpool, in his final issue writing the character, but it also immortalizes Liefeld in Marvel canon, albeit as a mutant soldier in the far future of X-Istence.

Whether you love him or hate him, it is impossible to deny Rob Liefeld's influence on the comic book industry: for every person pointing out the flaws in his artwork, there are three more dressing as his characters at conventions. As the man who created the 4th-wall breaking "Merc With A Mouth," perhaps there's no better send-off for Liefeld than this final twist: placing himself into the comics so he can fight side-by-side with Deadpool, one last time.

Yes, Rob Liefeld Is Actually Canon In The Marvel Universe Now

Gone, But Not Forgotten

Commander X and the rest of X-Command first appeared in 2019's Major X #0 by Rob Liefeld, where they are introduced as the time-traveling protectors of the mutant safe haven, X-Istence, following the directives of the X-Ential to ensure that their idyllic future has a chance to take root in history. The team is easily identifiable by their X-shaped helmets and color-coded suits; In an interview in the same issue, Liefeld revealed that he "wanted to have a guy rocking an X on his head," and that he had been planning X-Command since the creation of X-Force in the 1990s.

This origin story is typical of Liefeld-ian fare: Rob Liefeld is famous for his distinctive style, which includes copious amounts of belts, pouches, katanas, "X" branding, and time travel. Liefeld is legendary in the comic book industry for his role in revitalizing the medium in the '90s with his hallmark style of action fare; however, he is just as infamous for the questionable grasp of proportions and anatomy displayed in his work. Liefeld's memetic status is even acknowledged in the film Deadpool & Wolverine, with several Easter eggs calling out the particular eccentricities of Deadpool's creator.

Deadpool Team-Up #5 is available now from Marvel Comics.

Deadpool

Created By

Fabian Nicieza, Rob Liefeld

Cast

Ryan Reynolds

First Appearance

The New Mutants

Alias

Wade Wilson

Alliance

X-Men, Avengers, Astonishing Avengers, Deadpool Corps, Frightful Four, Great Lakes Initiative, Heroes for Hire, Mercs for Money, Secret Defenders, Six Pack, Thunderbolts, Weapon X, X-Force

Race

Mutant

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