Looks like 2026 and 2027 will be the year of leadership changes for major comic publishers. DC Comics will be facing a lot of questions as their parent company Warner Bros. Discovery gets bought Paramount Skydance. Marvel will be getting new leadership as current Marvel president Dan Buckley will depart the company in 2027. Marvel Studios’ Brad Winderbaum will become the Head of Marvel Television, Animation, Comics & Franchise and Disney executive David Abdo will be the General Manager, Comics & Franchise. Winderbaum will be focused on the creative direction and global brand while Abdo will report to Winderbaum. C.B. Cebulski, Editor-in-Chief of Marvel Comics, will report to Winderbaum, according to the announcement.  Buckley will remain at Marvel through mid-2027 to support the leadership transition.

Winderbaum was previously the Head of Marvel Television and Marvel Animation and served as an executive producer for Marvel Studios’ shows. His career goes back to the first Iron Man film. Abdo was at Disney Music Group as the General Manager. Buckley’s career at Marvel goes back to its bankruptcy in the 90s and its road back.

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.

-Kevin Feige, President, Marvel Studios and Chief Creative Officer, Marvel

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.

-Kevin Feige, President, Marvel Studios and Chief Creative Officer, Marvel