Leaving Home
When I was a boy I dreamt to one day become a Marvel artist. I grew up reading Avengers, Captain America, Spider-Man and, since my father was already an artist in Brazil, I decided I would do the same, but drawing the heroes that made my childhood so great.
I succeeded.
And I’ve been living my dream with those characters for 24 years!
I’ve loved every second of it.
Now I’m 56 and I have a new dream: to be a creator-owned artist. I wanna dedicate my full time to create my own books and characters.
Like everything in adult life, all decisions we make come with consequences, a price to be paid. In this case, in order to live my adult dream I have to let go my child dream. I have to leave Marvel. To leave home.
Marvel became a family to me, I grew as an artist and as a person together with all the good people I have worked there. The best people. Always encouraging me, always treating me with respect and care. It is weird that I feel like a teenager leaving home to face the world when I am older than a lot of them, but that is how I feel.
And I will miss and treasure them.
I actually told them about my decision almost one year ago and I wish I could share with you how supportive they were. Brought me tears just like now, while I’m writing this to all the fans.
June 14 will be my last day at home, but you will keep seeing me for a while after that, because my family would not let me go without a gift and what they gave me was the most amazing book ever, an opportunity for me to revisit all the characters I care the most in Marvel Universe - The Savage Avengers. I couldn’t think of a better farewell gift.
Marvel, I love you and always will.
Thanks for everything.
Mike Deodato, Jr.
