Did Disney just fire Marvel Comics boss Dan Buckley?
Buckley is exiting after nearly 30 years as Marvel hands comics oversight to TV and music executives.
Marvel Comics is undergoing another major leadership change. Longtime president Dan Buckley is stepping down after nearly 30 years with the company, and the way the announcement was handled, along with who is replacing him, has raised eyebrows across the industry.
Buckley will remain through mid-2027 to assist with the transition, but many observers believe this was not a standard retirement.
Dan Buckley’s long career at Marvel
Buckley has been one of Marvel’s most consistent executives since the early 1990s. He rose through marketing and publishing roles to become publisher of Marvel Comics and was later named president of Marvel Entertainment. After Disney restructured Marvel in 2023, his role shifted to president of Marvel Comics and Franchise.
Over the years, he oversaw major publishing events and worked to keep the comics side relevant alongside Marvel’s film and television dominance.
Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige praised Buckley in a statement.
“From events like Civil War, Secret Wars, X-Men: Age of Krakoa, and the soon-to-be-released Marvel Midnight imprint, to the expansion into video games, television, animation and more, Marvel’s influence on popular culture expanded under Dan’s leadership,” Feige said.
Was Buckley pushed out?
The official announcement uses very standard corporate language, stating that Buckley “has announced his plans to depart” and will stay on through mid-2027 “to support the leadership transition.”
This type of phrasing is extremely common when companies want to frame a departure as voluntary or mutual, even when it may not be entirely so. Given that this is happening during ongoing Marvel layoffs and restructuring, many in the industry believe Buckley was either asked to step down or offered a negotiated exit.
A comics division now run by TV and music executives
The new structure has drawn particular attention.
Brad Winderbaum, previously head of Marvel Television and Animation, is being elevated to oversee Comics along with his existing responsibilities. David Abdo, from Disney Music, has been named general manager of Marvel Comics and Franchise.
For many, handing significant oversight of Marvel’s publishing division to executives whose primary backgrounds are in television and music feels like a notable shift, and not necessarily a positive one for traditional comics publishing.
Rob Liefeld celebrates Buckley’s departure
Deadpool co-creator Rob Liefeld has been one of the most vocal critics of Marvel’s current leadership. When news of Buckley’s departure broke, Liefeld posted on X.
“YES!! Triumph! This guy had to go! Buh-Bye Buckley! That’s the 1st of the 4 Horseman Of The Apocalypse! 3 more to go! They have RUINED Marvel,” Liefeld wrote.
Liefeld has repeatedly criticized what he sees as a decline in quality across major Marvel titles, particularly the X-Men line, and has called for significant changes at the top of the company.
The bigger picture for Marvel publishing
Marvel Comics is clearly in a period of transition. With Buckley’s exit, new leadership coming from outside traditional publishing, ongoing staff reductions, and continued sales pressure in the direct market, the company appears to be rethinking how it manages its comics division.
Whether this leads to stronger publishing or further integration of comics as an IP development tool for film and television remains to be seen. What is clear is that the old guard of Marvel publishing is being phased out.
Article compiled and edited by Derek Gibbs (entertainment editor) and the Clownfish TV newsroom.
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Hat Tips:
Bleeding Cool and Forbes, reporting on Dan Buckley’s departure
Rob Liefeld’s post on X regarding Buckley’s exit
Kevin Feige’s official statement on Buckley’s contributions
Industry coverage on recent Marvel layoffs and direct market challenges