“X-Men ’97” creator and head writer Beau DeMayo claims he was fired from the Marvel series earlier this year for posting about gay pride, but the company recently issued a statement refuting that charge following some posts DeMayo made on social media.
“Mr. DeMayo was terminated in March 2024 following an internal investigation,” the studio said in a statement, per Variety. “Given the egregious nature of the findings, we severed ties with him immediately and he has no further affiliation with Marvel.”
A source told the outlet that DeMayo was accused of sexual misconduct and also violated his termination agreement. Those charges were not officially confirmed.
DeMayo shared his thoughts in a social post on Thursday night.
Firstly, I’m so grateful to have worked on #XMen97, collaborating with some amazingly talented folks. Creating this revival was a dream come true and the support fans have shown is so touching. However, I felt it pressing for me to speak up in the wake of leaving the show… pic.twitter.com/kbOTL3IQJj
— Beau DeMayo (@BeauDemayo) August 16, 2024
“Firstly, I’m so grateful to have worked on #XMen97, collaborating with some amazingly talented folks,” he wrote in an X post alongside an illustration of a character with a strong physical resemblance to himself. “Creating this revival was a dream come true and the support fans have shown is so touching. However, I felt it pressing for me to speak up in the wake of leaving the show.”
“Above is #XMen fan-art I posted on Instagram for Gay Pride in June,” DeMayo added. “On June 13, #Marvel sent a letter notifying me that they’d stripped my Season 2 credits due to the post. Sadly, this is the latest in a troubling pattern I suffered through while on working on #XMen97 and #Blade.”
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The former Marvel employee also reacted to the company statement, writing in a reaction posted later the same evening.
“The truth will be revealed. After their Disney Plus disaster, Marvel wants to mislead with alleged contract breaches over tweets. It’s tragic it’s come to this but unsurprising. Stay tuned,” he wrote.
Like so many other businesses, Marvel leaned into Pride month this year just like in years prior. The entertainment company released a series of Pride-focused comic book covers throughout the month of June featuring LGBTQ characters.
The company also posted on social media throughout June to celebrate Pride month.
DeMayo frequently tweeted about “X-Men ’97” on his personal social media account, revealing details and storylines there. He also advertised a non-explicit OnlyFans account and posted topless photos of himself.
The LGBTQ publication Out named DeMayo, “the Sexy, Gay Marvel Showrunner and Writer to Know” in 2022.
