Published May 18, 2026, 4:50 PM EDT
CBR senior staff writer Brian Cronin has been writing professionally about comic books for over fifteen years now at CBR (primarily with his “Comics Should Be Good” series of columns, including Comic Book Legends Revealed). He has written two books about comics for Penguin-Random House – Was Superman a Spy? And Other Comic Book Legends Revealed and Why Does Batman Carry Shark Repellent? And Other Amazing Comic Book Trivia! and one book, 100 Things X-Men Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die, from Triumph Books. His writing has been featured at ESPN.com, the Los Angeles Times, About.com, the Huffington Post, Vulture and Gizmodo. He features legends about entertainment and sports at his website, Legends Revealed and other pop culture features at Pop Culture References. Follow him on Twitter at @Brian_Cronin and feel free to e-mail him suggestions for stories about comic books that you'd like to see featured at brianc@cbr.com!
Longtime head of Marvel Comics, Dan Buckley, who has been the President of Marvel Comics since 2017, is stepping down after nearly 30 years with Marvel, and he will be replaced by Brad Winderbaum, who was already the Head of Marvel Television and Marvel Animation. Winderbaum will now be Head of Marvel Television, Animation, Comics & Franchise.
Winderbaum will be joined by David Abdo as General Manager, Comics & Franchise. Abdo comes over from Disney's Music Group, where he served as the General Manager of the group. Abdo will report to Winderbaum. Buckley will continue at Marvel through 2027 to help with the transition.
How Did Dan Buckley Announce His Departure From Marvel?
Buckley started at Marvel all the way back in 1990, working in various departments for the company before leaving in the mid-1990s. He returned in 2003 as the new Publisher at the company. He received a series of promotions at the company, and by 2017, he was Marvel's President. After a recent reshuffling of titles, Buckley was the Head of Comics and Franchise, which is the title that Winderbaum is inheriting to go with his current Head of Marvel Television and Animation.
Buckley sent the following letter to staff today:
To my friends and colleagues at Marvel,
I am reaching out to share some personal news.After much consideration and conversations with both my family and Kevin, I am making plans to step away from Marvel.
I’ve had a relationship with Marvel for a very long time, and I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve all built together over the last 30 years. Marvel has given so much to me, and I’m grateful to have been able to give so much back to it.
I truly believe it’s the characters – and, most importantly, the people who bring them to life — that have always made Marvel great. So, to you all I say, thank you. Thank you for making stories that matter to you, to us, and to the world outside our window. As I have often discussed with Kevin and others, you represent the best of the business, and I know we will keep pushing to embrace new ideas that excite fans and engage new readers. I am confident the editorial and publishing roadmap we have set will accomplish that and so much more.
Marvel has been a huge part of my life, and it will continue to be, just in a new way.
Kevin will share more on the new leadership structure very soon. And I will remain on through mid-2027 to help with the transition.
Take care,
Dan
What Does Kevin Feige Have to Say About Buckley, Winderbaum, and Abdo?
Kevin Feige, President, Marvel Studios and Chief Creative Officer, had this to say about Winderbaum and Abdo in a press release from Marvel, "Brad’s exceptional creative leadership and David’s deep experience in operations and digital innovation will be a powerful pairing as we begin building out the next 90 years of Marvel’s comic book legacy. Brad brings a proven ability to lead creative teams and craft ongoing, episodic narratives that resonate with our fans around the world, while David offers a strong track record of operational excellence and strategic growth. I’m excited for what they’ll be able to do together.”
Regarding Buckley, Feige added, "From events like Civil War, Secret Wars, X-Men: Age of Krakoa, and the soon to be released Marvel Midnight imprint, to the expansion into video games, television, animation, and more, Marvel’s influence on popular culture expanded under Dan’s leadership, bringing our characters and stories to new fans around the world. Dan has left a lasting mark on Marvel’s legacy and on the comics industry, and I’m deeply grateful to him and pleased we will have his full support through this transition.”
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