What is the context for this? I thought these two were on relatively friendly terms in recent years?

For what's it worth, Rob does a pretty spot on impression of McFarlane.

I mean, he's not wrong. Todd making some shitty and questionable decisions with DC toys.

Well this got announced/solicited today:

https://www.bigbadtoystore.com/Searc...mpany=1144&o=1

Yes, Rob Liefeld's Bloodwulf and Bloodstrike characters for 75 bucks a piece. I don't know when he said that about McFarlane but he has no leg to stand on in the "making toys" game.

Wow, Bloodwulf and Bloodstrike bring back memories. Bloodwulf was basically Liefeld ripping off DC's Lobo and Cabbot Stone was basically a Cable rip-off. Dan Fraga used to draw Bloodstrike and was a pretty good artist, but Bloodstrike was such an X-Force/X-Men rip off.

The funny thing about Cabbot Stone is that both he and his brother (in Brigade) were basically clones of Cable.

And the next question would be "why didn't he just clone Deadpool" but the fact of the matter is that Deadpool didn't really gain in popularity until way after Liefeld's time with him.

Black Cable


Pigtail Cable


Ponytail Cable


Superman Cable


Lobo Cable


Deadpool Cable

That's a little bit of revisionist history with regards to Deadpool. He may not have been nearly as popular as he is today, but he was pretty darn popular in the beginning. The legend goes that Marvel got so much positive feedback after his first appearance that they wanted him in X-Force #1, but the issue was already in progress and he couldn't be included. So instead he was added as a trading card and his return was hyped up in X-Force #2. I think he appeared in roughly half the issues in X-Force's first year.

As for Deadpool clones, there was that one chick in Brigade that had the red body suit and dual swords. And Die Hard from Youngblood was pretty much just a palette swapped Deadpool, even if the characters otherwise didn't really have much on common.

Supreme was actually fun when it started out since Liefeld only wrote that, but once Alan Moore starting writing it, it was great.

I used to also read Brigade. I met the artist that drew that - Marat Michaels at a convention - very nice guy.

The one thing I will always give credit to Image for is that they revolutionized the coloring of their books. They actually added depth and used photoshop to enhance the artwork. Marvel and DC just used flat one-shade coloring.

He aped the design but not the Spider-man like quips for whatever reason.

Yeah, the Diehard character was pretty much a Deadpool clone minus being a clown.

Not to defend Rob, but that's standard price for Executive Replica figures. They produce very niche figures like Rocketeer, Shi, Heavy Metal, etc.

Right, but he licensed it out to them, so it's not like he's making affordable figures of his own designs or anything. Still not sure if the McFarlane impersonation is a good natured rib or where it actually came from.

I never really thought of Diehard as being a Deadpool clone. I always figured he was knock-off G. I. Joe's Snake Eyes.

He's back at Image on Youngblood
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/mo...od-1236025524/

note that he still doesn't have ownership of Youngblood but he's working with the entity that does, which is really surprising to me. Let's see if he can beat his former streak of on time YB comics at... like 1, maybe 2?

I'm not going to lie, I can listen to him talk about comics all day. Been watching his podcast recently since he started uploading it up to youtube with video. It's a lot of shilling and he obviously is not shy about his viewpoints but he certainly does love superhero comics and it shows through whenever he's talking.

Here's the one from a couple of weeks ago called the Swipe files (which are not about his particular swipes but more about the "pastiches" that Marvel and DC had of each other's characters, though he talks about licensing the Fighting American)

Rob always talking shit
Talk shit on the Image guys but takes pictures with them at Comic-Con every year

I mean they ousted him and they were on the outs for years before Hickman brought them back together, and since he's returned to Image (including just recently) a few times.

I actually just watched the Image doc again and at the end it says McFarlane was the only one at the time not to return to Marvel or DC. But he's done Batman/Spawn a couple of times, makes DC figures (though he's losing the license soon) and Marvel statues so I guess no bridge is irreperably broken.

I mean that's what happens when the coke mounds flow

It was Robert Kirkman who did that, not Hickman.

McFarlane pitched DC licensing all their comics to him and letting him have full control of their publishing. I think this was around the time DiDio was on the chopping block and DC's corporate management was exploring what to do about falling sales. So he clearly still likes the characters...if it makes financial sense for him.

Wasn't sure if I should put this here or the Random Comic-Related Picture thread ... and decided here!
If you'd like to read the story behind this, here's the link. If you'd rather close your browser and vomit, that's cool too.

IYKYK.

I’m sure it’s only a matter of days before someone does an actual live-action “AI movie” featuring that monstrosity. Oh the humanity!

To be fair, it looks pretty good from the neck up. Below the neck though, oof!