Archie Taps Deadpool Creator Rob Liefeld to Reboot Mighty Crusaders

“I’ve been chomping at the bit to work with the folks at Archie and do something with these legendary characters,” Liefeld told Deadline. “The Shield is the first patriotic comic book icon, pre-dating Captain America. These are the original comic book super heroes, with a glorious history behind them. I’m so psyched to tell this story and turn my fans on to these characters!”

Created by Jerry Siegel, Paul Reinman and Mike Sekowsky, the Mighty Crusaders debuted in 1965’s Fly-Man #31 before receiving their own title, which ran for just seven issues under the Mighty Comics imprint. It was then revived in 1983 under Red Circle Comics and licensed by DC in 1992, published as The Crusaders under the !mpact line. The original team consisted of Black Hood, The Comet, The Fly, Flygirl and Shield, and elements of the team have since made their way into The CW’s Riverdale.

“When I learned that Rob – a creator of the highest caliber with a long, sterling track record – was a fan of our characters, I knew we had to act fast,” Archie Comics CEO/Publisher Jon Goldwater said. “Along with Marvel and DC, Archie Comics is one of the few media companies with an entire catalog of superheroes dating back to the earliest days of comics that are beloved and bursting with potential. I knew right away that Rob Liefeld was the person to make them shine again. This series will remind people why these characters matter, and put them in the A-list, where they have always belonged.”

“Rob’s work has always been dynamic, in terms of storytelling, action, character, and style,” Archie Comics Co-President Alex Segura added. “One of my earliest comic book memories was picking up a copy of X-Force #1 and being completely enamored. To have Rob bring that same energy and fearless creativity to Archie’s stable of superhero characters is a dream come true. I’m so excited for people to read these stories, and to show everyone why heroes like the Shield, Jaguar, Comet, Fly-Girl, and others matter more today than ever before.”

The Mighty Crusaders #1, by Rob Liefeld, goes on sale in 2021 from Archie Comics.