Rob Liefeld has heated argument with comic fans over Invincible success

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After the debut of Invincible Season 4, Rob Liefeld, one of the creators of Deadpool, got into an online argument with fans. He even told one person to “stop talking” during a discussion about how well the show is doing.

The discussion started earlier this week as part of a larger conversation about superhero properties. It began when Rob Liefeld shared comments from comic writer Dan Slott, who encouraged fans and stores to pre-order his new ‘Spectacular Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ series, warning that the series could be canceled if they didn’t.

Liefeld added that he narrowly avoided a difficult situation, saying, “I got out just in the nick of time, and I tried to tell everyone this was coming,” referencing his earlier warnings about the challenges facing the comics industry.

A lively discussion erupted on X about whether it’s still possible for lesser-known comic books to become popular, and whether the success of ‘Invincible’ proves that it is, or if ‘Invincible’ is simply a rare case.

Rob Liefeld says Invincible was a “low selling comic”

The discussion grew heated when someone pointed out that the success of Invincible, made by Robert Kirkman, Ryan Ottley, and Cory Walker, demonstrates how new superhero stories can become popular thanks to the creators’ vision and energy, instead of relying on established brand names.

Liefeld immediately disagreed, explaining that Invincible wasn’t a successful comic on its own. He pointed to a recent comment by Robert Kirkman, who said the comic only sold well because it was boosted by the popularity of The Walking Dead, and ultimately ended because it didn’t find its own audience.

He added that, despite everything, the animation is a huge triumph – the biggest underdog success story he’s ever seen. He asked people to stop criticizing it.

The comments led to some confusion, as many wondered how a series lasting over 140 issues could be called a failure. Some people also thought the book probably sold better as it gained more fans.

Look, as a fan, I was hearing some stuff about Rob Liefeld supposedly printing tons of extra copies of his older comics, but he totally shut that down! He said it’s absolutely false and that the reason those issues are so rare and hard to find is because there genuinely weren’t that many printed in the first place. He basically told everyone to stop spreading rumors and look at the actual evidence.

That statement is completely false. Robert himself explained that the rarity of his later comics is simply due to a very limited print run. He also publicly stated he covered financial losses through other avenues. It’s important to rely on verified information instead of speculation.

— robliefeld (@robertliefeld) March 19, 2026

He kept highlighting Kirkman’s statements, explaining that the comic’s long run wasn’t due to high sales numbers. Instead, it was the popularity of The Walking Dead that enabled its creators to keep developing the story as they wished.

He also stated in another message that the author disagrees with these claims and has already made that clear publicly, questioning why anyone would try to spread inaccurate information.

The conversation became more intense when Liefeld responded to a user (who has since deleted their post), telling them to stop spreading misinformation and questioning his work. He said, “You need to stop with all this nonsense. Don’t argue with the person who created the book, and stop making things up.”

Liefeld used a screenshot from Robert Kirkman’s recent ComicsPRO presentation to back up his statements. The screenshot showed how Invincible’s sales changed over time: it started around 11,000 copies, dipped to 5,000, and eventually settled at about 12,000 near the end of the series.

Please stop spreading misinformation and contradicting the author. You’ve been making things up for about a month, referencing the ‘Comics Pro’ book, which unfortunately struggled with low sales.

— robliefeld (@robertliefeld) March 20, 2026

Kirkman noted that it can be tough for fresh concepts to gain traction in the entertainment industry, explaining that new ideas often face an uphill battle (according to Bleeding Cool).

Although Invincible is now a well-known and popular series with a dedicated following, there was a period when it felt like we struggled to gain acceptance within the comic book industry.

He explained that for months, people in the industry had been telling him they weren’t interested in his work and suggested he should have quit sooner. He said they consistently made it clear they wanted less of what he was offering.

Ryan Ottley felt overlooked, as he drew almost 130 issues of the book while it seemed to be overshadowed by The Walking Dead. Despite that, we – Ryan, Corey, and I – genuinely enjoyed working on it and weren’t too concerned with how well it was selling. We were determined and passionate about the project.

Fortunately, the popularity of The Walking Dead helped fund Invincible, letting us finish the story as we planned. As Rich Johnston put it, it allowed us to end it on our own terms, rather than having it cancelled.

The Invincible series has breathed new life into the superhero franchise, and is now widely considered one of the greatest superhero TV shows ever made. Season 4 is currently available to stream on Prime Video.

Liefeld maintains his opinion, and Kirkman agrees: the popularity of Invincible is due to the animated series, not the initial comics.

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2026-03-20 15:20