X-Men ’97 Creator Exposes Marvel Animation: They Hate the Comics

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Previously in charge of the “X-Men ’97” TV show, Beau DeMayo is voicing his dissatisfactions towards Marvel Animation. He claims that the upper management interfered with the comic books’ authenticity and omitted crucial aspects from his initial plan for the successful show.

Through a string of posts on Twitter, DeMayo disclosed hidden disagreements with Marvel Animation’s Vice President, Dana Vasquez-Eberhardt, during the making of Season 2. He asserted that she dismissed crucial comic book aspects and made his experience “unbearable”.

As a fervent fan, I’m reminded of a fascinating tidbit shared earlier: Former Marvel producer Nate Moore and the director of the Secret Invasion series both confessed that they were discouraged from reading comics during their tenure with Marvel. It’s intriguing to think about how this approach might have influenced their creative process!

Comic Book Lore Rejected

DeMayo explains that difficulties arose when he reworked the plot of “The Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix” for the second season of “X-Men ’97”. In the original comic, Scott Summers and Jean Grey concealed their identities from their future son, Nathan Summers, by using pseudonyms “Slymm” and “Red”. However, as DeMayo mentions, Vasquez-Eberhardt didn’t seem to understand this aspect of the storyline.

In a recent interaction, Dana Vasquez-Eberharr, Marvel Animation’s current Vice President who, it seemed, didn’t see eye to eye with me, has expressed her disapproval of the nicknames I’ve been using. She shared this sentiment with another director, and they both found it challenging to take these nicknames seriously. They suggested that perhaps I should step back from my comic book collector perspective for a moment.

DeMayo pointed out that the nicknames held deeper meaning for the characters, carrying an emotional significance beyond mere references.

Jean and Scott refer to their teenage years as ‘aliases.’ This nickname encapsulates the sensation that all new parents experience, a sense of letting go of their former selves and youth.

But instead of embracing the lore, DeMayo says he was “shut out of the process.”

Clashing Over Character Lore

In addition, the showrunner mentioned a different dispute regarding the portrayal of Ozymandias, a crucial Apocalypse figure from the comic books. It appears that Vasquez-Eberhardt proposed making him just an ordinary “military leader.

Following our disagreement about Ozymandius in Season 2, which seemed rather unnecessary, she thought I was overloading it with excessive background information.

He said that these kinds of internal battles distracted from improving the show:

If creative professionals are spending more than half their time debating minor issues rather than refining and enhancing the project, especially when its success has already been demonstrated, it’s not only disrespectful but also deeply demotivating.

Final Horsemen and Finale Episode Cut

In Season 2, DeMayo stated that he initially presented the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. However, he was instructed to differentiate them by using “blue and purple” color-coding, a decision he vehemently disagreed with.

Dana persistently pressured me, making life difficult by insisting everything be arranged in different colors… It seemed as if the Four Horsemen were a cheerleading squad from high school with their various colored uniforms.

Most importantly, DeMayo asserts that it was Vasquez-Eberhardt who edited the final episode of “Onslaught”.

Absolutely, she’s the Vice President overseeing all animation projects. It was her decision that shaped the conclusion of Onslaught’s season finale, specifically in Season 2.

“They Want to Make Their Mark”

DeMayo conceded that creative disagreements are inevitable during the process, but he criticized the management at Marvel Animation for prioritizing their own ideas over staying faithful to the original content.

By the close of the day, it’s about striking a balance between two entities. However, before proceeding, it’s crucial to grasp and honor the origin from which they stem.

“It’s about them wanting to make THEIR MARK on the project.”

Subtle Threats and Ignored Comics

DeMayo ended his thread by implying there was pressure to fall in line — or face consequences:

“They have a way of subtly threatening you with your job and livelihood if you don’t comply.”

In a later discussion, a fan voiced skepticism about Marvel executives delving into comic books, and DeMayo countered:”

1) A fan expressed doubt that Marvel execs are regular comic book readers during a subsequent conversation. DeMayo responded by saying:

”

2) During a later part of their dialogue, a fan voiced reservations about Marvel execs being avid comic book readers. DeMayo addressed this by stating:

”

3) After their initial exchange, a fan wondered whether Marvel execs truly read comics. DeMayo countered this notion by explaining:

They do not compose the text themselves; instead, they rely on their assistants to read materials and prepare brief summaries for them.

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2025-08-04 15:33