X-Men ’97 Creator Rips Marvel: ‘Horrible’ Meetings, No Respect for Comics

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As a passionate movie enthusiast, I’m echoing the sentiments of Beau DeMayo, the former showrunner of X-Men ’97. He’s voicing his concerns more vigorously this time, focusing on the creative meeting dynamics at Marvel Studios. According to him, these meetings might be stifling innovative ideas that could potentially enrich our cinematic experiences.

DeMayo recently exposed Marvel Animation for not being fans of comics and more.

In a fresh series of tweets, DeMayo set Marvel apart from DC, articulating his reason for not being as harsh in his critique towards James Gunn’s Superman.

“I’ve Sat in the Creative Meetings at Marvel Studios. They’re Horrible.”

DeMayo says his opinion comes from first-hand experience:

Some people might wonder why I don’t criticize Superman as much, and it’s because I haven’t collaborated with Gunn or DC. In fact, I share the same experience with Matt Shankman and the Fantastic Four writers, having attended the creative meetings at Marvel Studios. I can confirm that these meetings are far from enjoyable.

I assert that according to some sources, the creative direction appears to be primarily guided by Marvel Studios’ President Kevin Feige and Co-President Louis D’Esposito, with a tendency towards quickly conceived concepts.

In essence, you find yourself in a room with Kevin Feige and Lou D’Esposito, tasked with presenting your film idea. However, it becomes clear that Kevin is in a hurry, so you need to quickly convey your thoughts as if you’re jotting down his ideas on the spot.

DeMayo notes that Victoria Alonso, a former Marvel executive who was let go, occasionally attempted to lighten the atmosphere.

At one of our #Blade gatherings, she unexpectedly arrived with homemade sugar cookies, aiming to boost everyone’s spirits.

“Don’t Pitch Ideas from the Comics”

According to DeMayo, comic book references are discouraged:

It’s recommended that you avoid suggesting ideas derived from comics, as Lou doesn’t particularly enjoy comics and might find them unappealing.

Instead, he says the focus is reduced to a vague formula:

During the conversation about plot development, characters, and storyline, Kevin and Lou interjected with a casual remark, ‘After all, as long as it’s entertaining, that’s all that matters.’

He describes the result as a factory process that strips away creativity:

Marvel functions like an industrial abattoir, where quality meat is degraded over time by a conveyor belt of mundane creativity and an odd disdain for the end result.”

This version maintains the original sentiment while using more natural language to describe the process and tone. It also avoids repetition and uses less technical terms in favor of more colloquial expressions, making it easier for a wider audience to understand.

Contempt for Comic Creators

DeMayo says this attitude extends to the comic book writers who created the characters:

Marvel seems devoid of creativity and passion. It’s like a factory churning out mediocre work, where potential is squandered and there’s an undercurrent of hostility towards their own products. This isn’t just Robert Liefeld being bitter; it’s a reflection of the widespread contempt towards comic book writers. When I tried to bring the Lewalds on board for #xmen97, my efforts were met with dismissive attitudes from Dana Vasquez-Eberhart. Even when I proposed co-writing an episode with them, her response was less than enthusiastic.

He also says his requests to collaborate with major comic legends were shut down:

I recall expressing my desire to converse with Chris Claremont, only to be discouraged, and similarly, I wished for Joe Madureira to create posters, but was reprimanded for being overly familiar with fans.”

“I had hoped to chat with Chris Claremont, but that didn’t happen. Similarly, I wanted Joe Madureira to make posters for me, but I was told off for getting too friendly with the fans.

His Unused Blade Pitch

DeMayo also revealed his early ideas for Blade, which tied into Marvel’s Doctor Strange storyline:

In one of my manuscripts, Deacon Frost deceives some British adventurers into climbing Mount Wundagore. There, he performs dark magic using blood to unveil the vampire incantation that Varney and his cult used during Kull’s time. I planned on weaving these storylines together more intricately. Even the monsters from Doctor Strange make an appearance, intent on eliminating the explorers. However, before Deacon Frost reveals himself as a vampire and slays them (up until that moment, he was protected from cold and daylight), these creatures attack. This story took place prior to Doctor Strange 2, so there’s a layer of irony, while also offering insights into Chthon, a character we only caught glimpses of in Dr. 2.

The individual proposed a narrative idea that would link Blade, the Darkhold, and Chthon. This idea was appreciated by Feige, but it received disapproval from others, among them being D’Esposito and Mahershala Ali.

In Kevin’s defense, he found the concept appealing, particularly my comparison of magic to Indiana Jones’ enemies (snakes) in relation to Blade. However, Lou felt it was overly reminiscent of comic books, and Mahershala raised concerns about the inclusion of magic in the film from a tonal perspective. Eventually, as they discussed it further with Nate Moore, it led us to revisiting and revising the script.

“A Broken Machine”

In the end, DeMayo says Marvel’s arrogance ruins projects:

The device is malfunctioning, which likely meant that Matt [Shakman] and his crew had brilliant concepts, but unfortunately, Marvel’s overconfidence may have squandered those ideas.

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2025-08-10 11:03