No matter where he goes, Rob Liefeld can’t shake Deadpool — whether he’s getting gas, taking his son to the dentist or purchasing a membership to the gym, everyone wants to share their own story about the Merc with a Mouth.
Not that Liefeld, 50, is complaining.
Nearly 28 years after creating the character with Fabian Nicieza for Marvel Comics, Deadpool has grown from a fan-favorite character and a raunchy video game star to a cultural zeitgeist. And the momentum won’t be slowing down anytime soon, not with the release this month of the highly anticipated sequel, Deadpool 2, starring Ryan Reynolds.
As a featured celebrity guest at MegaCon, the four-day pop culture expo in Orlando that begins May 24, Liefeld can’t wait to get up close with fans, especially since it has taken him nearly a quarter-century to return to Orange County.
“I know how great MegaCon is. I know the great fans that are there. I already anticipate it being, quite possibly, my biggest show of the year and the last several years because of the great fans and then the fact that we’re coming seven days after the movie opens,” he said.
“I’ve been in comic books for 32 years now. I can’t even begin to tell you how many conventions I’ve been to, but I have been trying to get back to Orlando at least for two decades, so this is the first time in 20 years I will be back and I’m very excited.”
Liefeld is part of an impressive roster of A-list talent, genre film icons, renowned comic-book writers and illustrators and cosplay celebrities appearing at MegaCon, which is one of the largest conventions of its kind in the southeastern U.S. More than 100,000 fans typically pass through the turnstiles each year, and this year, there’s seriously somebody for everyone to be excited about meeting.
For film enthusiasts, the list includes Jeff Goldblum (Jurassic Park, Independence Day), Jason Momoa (Justice League, Aquaman) and Cary Elwes, Chris Sarandon and Wallace Shawn (The Princess Bride).
For television loyalists, there’s Lucy Lawless (Ash vs. Evil Dead, Xena: Warrior Princess), Stephen Moyer (True Blood, The Gifted), Amy Acker (The Gifted, Angel), Norman Reedus and Michael Cudlitz (The Walking Dead) and three veterans of The X-Files (William B. Davis, Annabeth Gish and Mitch Pileggi), to name a few.
In addition to Liefeld, comic geeks can look forward to Neal Adams, who has worked with both DC and Marvel Comics; Brian Stelfreeze (Black Panther); Jimmy Palmiotti (Harley Quinn), and others.
MegaCon has more than just cool celebrities. There are live performances, the annual costume contest, special events celebrating Dr. Who, Star Wars, Beetlejuice and Harry Potter, a horror film festival, steampunk demonstrations and, of course, more than 400,000 square feet of vendors offering vintage toys, comic books, original art and more.
There are also multiple after-parties planned, including a cosplay kick-off event on Thursday, May 24 and the Oasis After Dark Pajama Party on Saturday, May 26.
Liefeld himself will be hosting a private screening of Deadpool 2 on Friday, May 25 at Point Orlando Theaters with a question-and-answer session and free copies of collectible books featuring Deadpool and Cable. Tickets are $39.99; get them here.
For some people, it might be difficult to watch their creation become known more for an actor than its original creative brain trust, but Liefeld isn’t jealous.
Since 1991, Deadpool has sold millions of comic books, starred in multiple video games and been turned into more than three dozen different action figures. If people forever associate the character with Reynolds and his distinct voice, that’s perfectly fine with Liefeld.
“The character has always been a huge hit with fans, but I say this, 100 percent, Ryan Reynolds made Deadpool a global phenomenon. Period. End of story,” Liefeld said. “Because of Ryan, the movie expanded beyond its popular base, and having been there from the beginning and watched it, he made a very popular character a phenomenon. I didn’t know what phenomenon felt like, and now I understand it. And that is at his feet. He did that.”
John W. Allman has spent more than 25 years as a professional journalist and writer, but he’s loved movies his entire life. Good movies, awful movies, movies that are so gloriously bad you can’t help but champion them. Since 2009, he has cultivated a review column and now a website dedicated to the genre films that often get overlooked and interviews with cult cinema favorites like George A. Romero, Bruce Campbell and Dee Wallace. Contact him at Blood Violence and Babes.com, on Facebook @BloodViolenceBabes or on Twitter @BVB_reviews.
This article appears in May 17-24, 2018.