Ed Brubaker is Leaving Marvel Comics

We had known that Ed Brubaker was going to be leaving Captain America and that Winter Soldier would then be his only remaining Marvel Comics work.  Now, with a quick Twitter message, Brubaker that he will also be leaving Winter Soldier and moving on from Marvel Comics.  According to his tweet, Captain America #19 and Winter Soldier #14 will be his last work with the company.  However, in the same tweet, Brubaker makes it clear that he may return at some point in the future because, “Marvel has been my home.”

On Friday, Ed Brubaker sent out the following tweet, which effectively sent the comic-loving population of the Internet into full blown mourning…

To end all speculation: Cap 19 and Winter Soldier 14 are my last Marvel books for now. But I may return, because Marvel has been my home.

— Ed Brubaker (@brubaker) August 24, 2012

The reason Brubaker mentioned the need to “end any speculation” is because a little bit earlier in the day, Marvel Comics had announced that effective with issue #15, Winter Soldier would be getting a new writer; Jason Latour.  Obviously, with Winter Soldier being the only remaining Marvel Comics book written by Ed Brubaker, people began to panic/rumor monger about what was going to happen with the writer.  Would he be taking on a new book, leaving Marvel behind, was he storming out ala Rob Liefeld, etc.  So the above tweet from Ed Brubaker was probably the most humane thing he could do, keeping the Internet and comic fandom from ripping itself apart with speculation.

Shortly after his Twitter message, Ed Brubaker gave an interview that was posted over at Comic Book Resources, in which he offered more details around the decision to leave Winter Soldier and Marvel Comics, explaining things like this…

Well, originally, the book was going to end around #14 or #15, because sales weren’t as good as we’d hoped they’d be. I’d been planning for that end for about three or four months. Then I guess sales stabilized, and the Cap movie [sequel] was announced, and everyone really likes the book and likes the character, so they want to keep it going. But in the meantime, I’d taken on outside comic work that was making my schedule harder and harder to keep up with, and so when Tom [Brevoort] told me they were keeping it going instead, I just felt like I needed to let it go. I struggled with it, and Tom and I discussed several possibilities of me staying, some of which I can’t really discuss openly, because they concern internal workings of the company, but in no way was this an easy decision, and I feel bad if my readers think I’m bailing, because that wasn’t the case.

Towards the end of the interview, Brubaker was asked if he had any thoughts on how his legacy on Captain America would be remembered, to which he responded…

I’m probably still too close. I mean, Bucky and Steve are my Marvel characters, in the same way Ultimate Spider-man and Luke Cage are Bendis’s. They’re the people I see that universe through the eyes of. And other than a few times here or there, I’m pretty much the only person to really write Bucky until now. If anything, it feels like I’m not really ready to say goodbye, and I’m nervous about other people writing him, but I always knew it would happen eventually. I have faith that Lauren [Sankovitch] and Tom get the character. I’ve heard the new team’s plans, and they’re good ones, so I hope all our readers will stick around and give them a shot.  And like I said, hopefully I’ll get to come back and do more Bucky stories down the line.

As for what he’s doing next, Ed Bubaker went back to Twitter and posted a bit of insight into what his immediate future holds, along with some reaction…

My next comic project, beside Fatale, will be announced in December or January. And you’ll shit when you hear about it. In YOUR PANTS.

— Ed Brubaker (@brubaker) August 24, 2012

@brubaker I’m gonna shit my heart instead of my pants.

— Bryan Lee O’Malley (@radiomaru) August 24, 2012

@altonncf This is like you are told you’re being laid off, so you line up another job. And there were other complications I can’t talk about

— Ed Brubaker (@brubaker) August 24, 2012

First time Winter Soldier has trended when they weren’t talking about the Cap movie.

— Ed Brubaker (@brubaker) August 24, 2012

When I do finally turn in my last Marvel scripts, I will tweet many memories I have from these last 8 years. But right now I’m still working

— Ed Brubaker (@brubaker) August 24, 2012

Thanks for all the kind words and farewells, but I still have a few more Cap issues coming out, and 6 more Winter Soldier issues #notoveryet

— Ed Brubaker (@brubaker) August 24, 2012

So don’t forget to buy those. And the great Steve Epting is drawing my last Cap issue, so it’s a can’t miss thing.

— Ed Brubaker (@brubaker) August 24, 2012

Seriously, you guys are going to be tired of saying nice things when my last issues actually come out, and then where will I be?

— Ed Brubaker (@brubaker) August 24, 2012

@brubaker dead to me.

— Jamie McKelvie (@McKelvie) August 24, 2012

Thank God @brubaker is moving on. Time for some new blood. #RevitalizeMarvel

— Erik Arneson (@erikarneson) August 24, 2012

I heard @brubaker read Liefeld’s tweets & was inspired to tell off Brevoort today. Wonder how that went?

— Christos Gage (@Christosgage) August 24, 2012

So what are your thoughts on Ed Brubaker leaving Marvel Comics and Winter Soldier?  Let us know in the comments below.