The Joe Kelly Explains

(Taken from Newsrama, thanks to Pickle J)

KELLY EXPLAINS... Source: Newsarama "Just when you think it's safe to check your e-mail in the morning," Joe Kelly, now former Deadpool writer, began, when asked to explain his reasons behind his quitting the title. "Let me start by saying that this is not exactly how I wanted to break the news to you guys. I was surprised as anyone to see the little 'announcement' of my departure on the Deadpool board of AOL this morning, as I expected to be the one to tell you myself. Unfortunately, sometimes the world plows ahead of you, or over you, and you're caught playing catch up. So, here I am, officially announcing that after almost 3 years of writing Deadpool, it's time for me to mosey on into the sunset. For those of you who had already heard the rumours or read the post, I'm sorry you didn't hear it from me first. That wasn't my intention, but hopefully, this'll put everything in perspective."

"In the never ending attempt to be a straight shooter with you guys - ESPECIALLY you Deadpool fans in particular (rabid wonderful asylum escapees that you are) - Here's the scoop: As you all know, earlier this year, and late last year... and the middle of last year, we were being told that Deadpool was cancelled. For many moons we skated by on a wing and a prayer (not to mention the occasional threat to the bodily person of certain muckety-mucks) and kept Deadpool from cancellation. This was due in no small part to the AMAZING outpouring of support, letters, and e-mails from you crazy folks in Dead-land! And yet, everytime we thought that the waters were safe and we toed up to dive back in, someone would drain the pool."

"Finally, early this year, Matt Idelson and I were told very clearly that Deadpool would come to an end with issue #33. It sounded serious this time, so we began to plan accordingly. We took the current T-Ray/Mercedes story (which ideally would have run in the background of 12 issues, building up to a big crazy fracas) and figured out a way to pull it off in 6. We started planning the big finale, the commemorative stamp and toilet-brush set, and even commissioned Aerosmith to write a farewell song. Lastly, being as that Marvel doesn't pay writers to work on cancelled books, I started to scare up other assignments. I was extremely lucky to score not only a great gig writing Action Comics for DC, but also two creator-owned projects, which is almost like the holy grail of this crazy business. All was in place for us to go out with a bang... when the Guv'nor called and gave us a reprieve... again."

"Thanks to John Cerilli, Peter Kelly, and the maniacs in Marvel Online, Deadpool was blessed with the 'Save Deadpool site', perhaps one of the single most touching outpourings of love and affection since Sally Field cried "You really like me" at the Oscars. (Thanks, guys!) Quite unexpectedly, the site pulled in a significant number of subscriptions to the Merc with a Monthly, and lo... The Great and Almighty Dollar did speaketh... and Deadpool was saved... Only now, I had 4 monthlies, a limited series, and 2 one-shots to work on, not to mention a brand new baby girl generating poopie-diapers like Bullseye racks up bodies. I was stuck. Hence began the long and torturous process of figuring out what to do next. I was thrilled that Deadpool would live on, but for how long? We'd already done the cancel-uncancel thing three times in the last eight months, and to be perfectly honest, it was getting old. I had changed around stories and planned the final issue three times, gone through the mental and emotional processes of saying hasta to my favorite project three times, and suddenly, I had three new projects to boot. I took a long hard look at my relationship with the book, and somewhere between thinking I could go for another round and preparing to run screaming to the nearest bar - Matt Idelson left."

"Matt Idelson is, without question, one of the most inspired, hard working, enthusiastic editors working in the business of comics today. He was as much a part of Deadpool as I could ever hope to be, if not more so, and brought an energy to the project that was very specific. He would be sorely missed. While I was sure that whoever inherited the book after Matt would be a workable substitute, I knew it would never be the same... and the scales started to tip."

"I took a look at Deadpool, what we'd done, what was left to do, and realized that while there were still many stories I wanted to tell (including his true origin, the origin of Blind Al, the return of Weasel, the return of Vanessa and Kane, a team-up with Spidey, Batman, Alfred E. Neuman, a touching reunion with Siryn, a year of vicious wandering as a dark ronin, a live action fumetti adventure, a pop-up book, and a particularly cathartic ending that finally determined once and for all whether he was good or evil...) this was not the time. The team was breaking up, I was contractually obligated to start new projects, and I would be forced to rush, cut corners, and shove Deadpool to a low spot on the priority list... and that wouldn't be right. Deadpool would have killed me. You would have killed me... and I would have deserved it, because truthfully, it was time."

"Nothing is more painful than watching someone struggle on a book they should have let go, and I didn't want to become that someone. I didn't want to crank out weak stories, less madcap hijinx, and inferior 'Poolness, just for the sake of staying on the book. So I decided to bow out while we were all still having a good time. I would finish the last arc, hopefully with a bang, and let my little maniac run off to new asylums. Believe me when I tell you, the decision to quit a certain X-book was nothing compared to this. Big Time. But that's how it goes in Wade's world, doesn't it? Tough decisions with no easy answers? So, the dice are cast, and I, your humble lunatic, must move on to new asylums of my own."

"I had almost 3 full years on Deadpool, and they've been fantastic. I could not have asked for a better assignment, a better bunch of guys to work with, or better fans. It's been the greatest ride of my short career, and I am certain that as time rolls on, it will be one of the most memorable. Big thanks to Marvel for taking a chance on a book as strange as this one for as long as they have, especially those editorial allies and comic-biz buddies who championed this book through thick and thin. (You know who you are!) Thanks to the fantastic art teams who managed to make my fever dreams come true, month after month, for the most part on time. You're all sick in your own special ways."

"Lastly, of course, I thank all of you readers for your dedication, sense of humor, and very vocal support of this book. Economics aside, we would never have lasted as long as we did if you weren't such a loud, passionate bunch who were willing to not only stand by Deadpool, but shove all your friends towards it, kicking and screaming. You're a twisted group of people to enjoy this stuff, and I wouldn't have you any other way. Thank you for executing your good taste. Thanks for all the letters, the comments, the posts, the strange and varied gifts, the bizarre requests (like that guy who wanted me to sign his butt... -shudder-) but most of all, thanks for reading. Knowing that you were out there, watching Wade get beat up by life with me, made the dark times of creating this stuff a little lighter, and the light times damn well explosive. With all of my heart, I hope you've had as fun a time with Deadpool as I have, and that you'll remember our time together with a smile. (I also hope you'll check out what I'm doing next, but that would be a shameless plug that has no place here... heh... oops!) Seriously, thanks from my boxers to my bald head." "So that's it. Da Scoop. Stay good, eat your peas, and if you're ever nearby at a convention or on-line, always feel free to say hi, cause I'll still be around... just look for the guy with the Sheep Gun and the Mack-daddy battletech suit kicking Captain America in the ding-ding. Thanks for getting the joke."