There are times when being a comic book fan means that you follow a specific creator whether it is a specific writer or artist or when that person is one in the same. When I was a young boy in the late 1980’s, a creator emerged that changed the face of comics. Rob Liefeld is primarily known as an artist but the characters that he created and the plots that he worked on still resonate till this day and at the time it was very exciting to be a comic book reader.
It began with the X-Men spin-off New Mutants issue 86 or 87 (depending on which you believe is actually the introduction. Issue 86 a single image). Liefeld helped create a new character that would lead the group, the new leader of the group named Cable. Cable is a time-traveler from the future sent back to change the past, although that story evolved later with different writers helming the character in several different comics. The issues of New Mutants following Cable’s introduction are the ones that had the most influence on me. Cable exploded onto the scene with a presence of leadership that was very much different than that of Professor X. Cable was different. He was badass. Liefeld burst onto the stage with the same intensity as his creation particularly when he took creative control of the series at issue 98 and introduced yet another popular character, Deadpool, with the help of writer Fabian Nicieza. Deadpool needs very little if any introduction as he continues to be one of the most popular characters in Marvel comics to date.
These two characters were the very essence of comic books in the 90’s. Liefeld’s artwork was different to say the least but that’s not what impressed me. What got me were these larger than life characters that were so different than what I had been used to. They had warrior fierceness that was only rivaled by the likes of Wolverine and since they were new characters, I felt as though they belonged to me more than characters that had been around for decades and I couldn’t get enough of them. It was definitely a time that inspired me because it was the first time I really saw something different in comics, something fresh. It’s a feeling that has stayed with me ever since, which has fueled a desire to read different kinds of stories than just what is popular. It’s what made me decide to take my writing in a different direction even if I’m telling stories with familiar themes.
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