DeMayo.
Illustration: Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney

X-Men ’97 Creator Beau DeMayo claims Marvel removed his credits from the show’s second season after he posted a photo of gay fan art. On August 15, DeMayo wrote on X: “Creating this reboot was a dream come true and the support fans have shown is so touching. However, after my exit from the show, I felt the need to say something… Above is #XMen fan art I posted on Instagram in June for Gay Pride. On June 13, #Marvel sent me a letter telling me that because of the post, they had pulled my Season 2 credits. Sadly, this is the latest example of a disturbing pattern I suffered while working on #XMen97 and #Blade.” The post was an illustration of a shirtless and muscular DeMayo as Cyclops with the text: “To me, my X-Men!”

A few hours later, the studio responded with its own claims specifically related to DeMayo’s conduct. “Mr. DeMayo was terminated in March 2024 following an internal investigation,” a Marvel spokesperson said in a statement to THR“Given the egregious nature of the results, we immediately severed ties with him and he has no further ties to Marvel.”

He was reportedly fired before the premiere of the first season, after having already worked on the second season of the series. A specific reason for his initial dismissal was never given at the time, but Marvel Studios CEO Brad Winderbaum said Weekly entertainment that DeMayo was not fired, but that they simply “parted ways.” He explains, “I can’t speak to the specifics, but I can say that Beau had real respect and passion for these characters and, in my opinion, wrote excellent scripts that the rest of the team could really draw inspiration from to create this amazing show that is on the screen.”

Artist Jneyde also responded to DeMayo’s message on Instagram Stories, expressing his support for the creator: “I was the artist responsible for creating the fanart for Beau in honor of his work on X-Men and Pride Month. I am disappointed that Marvel, who claims to be inclusive, would do something like this. I and millions of fans will always stand behind you.”

This post has been updated.