Last week was one of the wildest in recent memory for the Nebraska football program. With the overlap of high school recruiting, transfer portal entries, coaching changes and bowl game decisions meant there were highs and lows for Nebraska fans to go through — but the program’s leader wasn’t bothered by the departures and changes that hit the Huskers. “If we have good players and we have good coaches, then people are gonna come try to get them,” Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule said on Wednesday. “If no one’s trying to take our players, it means we’re in trouble.” With news to break down in each of those areas, let’s drop into coverage: 1. Coaching changes Nebraska’s defensive coaching staff will look much different in 2025, but Rhule is hopeful that the defense itself won’t change much. People are also reading... 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Now Andi Jackson is the sport's next best thing Wisconsin officer grabbing Donovan Raiola's arm a 'misunderstanding,' UW police say 140 layoffs hit Lincoln immigration services center; more likely Taco restaurant started by brothers in Grand Island expands to Lincoln All-state volleyball: The Journal Star's postseason honors for 2024 season Lincoln Public Schools chief Gausman announces plans to retire Nebraska volleyball aces first test, sweeps Florida A&M in first round of NCAA Tournament 'Not what we want to do': Nebraska's Matt Rhule talks pregame handshake snub with Iowa Nebraska volleyball sweeps Miami to advance to Sweet 16 Defensive coordinator Tony White is off to Florida State and has taken defensive line coach Terrance Knighton with him , a major blow to a Nebraska defense that ranked inside the top 20 nationally each of the last two seasons. Knighton was one of Rhule’s best hires for his initial Nebraska coaching staff. The defensive line, presumed to be a question mark in 2023, instead became a strength. Players like Ty Robinson and Nash Hutmacher reached new heights under Knighton’s coaching, while several young Huskers also made an impact up front. There’s plenty of returning talent in the defensive line room even after some roster turnover, but NU’s next defensive line coach will have big expectations to continue Knighton’s good work at the position. As for White, he implemented his 3-3-5 scheme to great success a year ago, but Nebraska lined up slightly differently this fall with a four-man rush utilized far more often than in 2023. He’ll be a good fit at Florida State, while Nebraska has turned to John Butler in the interim to lead its defense. There’s no doubting Butler’s pedigree as a former NFL defensive mind, and his influence showed up in the way the Nebraska defense operated this season. Whether it’s Butler or an external hire who leads the Nebraska defense next season, continuity on that side of the ball is the expectation. “The defense isn’t going to change, but the offense is going to be better,” Rhule said. That optimism is underscored by the return of Dana Holgorsen as Nebraska’s offensive coordinator. Having brought in his own wide receivers coach, Daikiel Shorts Jr., Holgorsen will begin transforming the Nebraska offense this spring after the team’s bowl game. 2. Most impactful 2025 commits Nebraska signed a 20-player recruiting class on Wednesday that is loaded with talent across the board. While recruits can still sign with teams in February, expect Nebraska to be finished along the recruiting trail — and that means it’s time to take stock of the players in its 2025 recruiting class. Here are five of those signees who should impact the long-term future of the Husker football team. First up is linebacker Dawson Merritt. The highest-ranked signee in NU’s 2025 class was an Alabama commit for a reason, and it’s because the pass-rushing potential he shows. Set to be an off-ball linebacker and hybrid edge rusher at Nebraska, Merritt is the type of player who can make an impact early in his collegiate career. If he reaches his long-term potential, Merritt should be an NFL prospect when he leaves Nebraska. Nebraska also landed a top playmaking prospect in wide receiver Cortez Mills. Another wide receiver recruit, Isaiah Mozee, will provide an impact — but Mills is the all-around prospect who could dominate targets in a year or two’s time. The fast, athletic pass-catcher knows how to run himself open against coverage and excels at winning in one-on-one situations. Quarterback Dylan Raiola will like playing with Mills. In the secondary, cornerback Bryson Webber should be a starter down the road. His status as a former wide receiver gives him the ball skills Nebraska is after the spot, and Webber’s long, athletic frame will help him against opposing wide receivers. He may not be a day-one starter at cornerback, but Webber will make the position his own in the years which follow. Another explosive playmaker on offense is running back Jamarion Parker. Having signed alongside Bishop Neumann’s Conor Booth, Parker could be the lightning to Booth’s thunder as a one-two running back punch in the years which follow. A big-play threat and tough runner, Parker is an all-around talent who Nebraska and Holgorsen will find a way to utilize. The final pick is linebacker Christian Jones. Hard-nosed, athletic inside linebackers are hard to come by, but Jones is one of the rare few who could have a future at the position. He’s a top athlete who could push for playing time early in his career. For those interested, here are the five players I identified from NU’s 2024 class one year ago: Dylan Raiola, Carter Nelson, Willis McGahee IV, Mario Buford and Grant Brix. While Jacory Barney Jr. is a notable miss from that list, all but Brix played in at least 10 games and had an impact as freshmen. 3. Transfers in, transfers out Nebraska’s transfer portal entrants have begun trickling out, and there will be many more which follow as a result of the 105-player roster limit teams must abide with next season. Many of the toughest departures to stomach have come on defense, where a veteran-heavy group will look much different in terms of its personnel next season. Defensive lineman Jimari Butler, a two-year starter at the position, has decided to move on. So have linebackers Mikai Gbayor and Stefon Thompson — who might’ve been starters next season — and rising young defenders Princewill Umanmielen, James Williams and Kai Wallin. Williams, Wallin and Umanmielen were all impactful defenders for Nebraska this fall, but their status as pass-rushing specialists still left room for improvement as all-around defenders. Butler and Gbayor, however, would’ve been pegged as no-doubt veteran starters, so their choice to move on will impact NU’s defensive strength. No entry was more surprising than that of running back Emmett Johnson, a player who emerged as NU’s top rusher late in the 2024 season. The up-and-down nature of Johnson’s Nebraska career — he showed flashes down the stretch in 2023 and was hardly utilized this fall prior to Holgorsen taking over — may have impacted his decision to seek out a new opportunity. Johnson announced his intention to return to NU in a recent social media post. Nebraska’s transfer portal targets will become clearer in the coming days, but one player has already stated his interest in the Huskers. Fresno State linebacker Phoenix Jackson, a multi-year starter at the position, announced on social media that Auburn, Indiana, Nebraska and SMU are the four teams he’s considering transferring to. 4. Bowl game practices Prior to learning its bowl opponent, Nebraska had a light week of practice before things get intense later this month. The Huskers practiced on Tuesday and Thursday last week with its veterans sitting out as younger players got reps in front of their coaches instead. Rhule said he expects Nebraska to practice from Tuesday to Thursday this week, with another day on Saturday during which the Huskers could bring transfer portal visitors to campus. “Being in bowl practice right now is exactly what this team needs, exactly what we need moving forward,” Rhule said. “I saw guys practice (Tuesday) and look like I haven’t seen them look all year.” 5. Scott Frost to UCF After his firing at Nebraska, former head coach Scott Frost didn’t need to rush into his next coaching job, instead waiting for a situation and school that made sense for him. While it didn’t work out in Lincoln, there’s no denying the success Frost had at UCF. The in-state talent around the school and Frost’s offense made for a great fit, even if he only had two seasons to show it. The Knights are no longer in the AAC, though, instead having moved to a new-look Big 12 which has the makings of a difficult conference. It’s a good fit for Frost, but there’ll still be an element of pressure for him to deliver results and show that he can rebuild the program once again.Cover Five: What to make of wild week around Nebraska football, and 5 biggest impact signees
Drop in Boxing Day footfall ‘signals return to declining pre-pandemic levels’WEST FARGO — When Happy, a sweet but oblivious-to-danger 9-year-old mare scraped up her back leg once again, owner Alicia Severson was able to call on Casselton Veterinary Service to visit her Gandin, N.D., farm and patch up Happy. But when it comes to a recurring ligament injury Happy sustained while competing in a barrel competition, Severson and many other horse and farm animal owners are finding it more difficult every year to find big animal veterinarians, and especially ones that specialize in certain care. "There is absolutely a shortage," Severson said. For decades, ranchers have been sounding the alarm about a shortage of rural veterinarians and new big animal vets, and especially those who specialize in caring for horses, cows, pigs and sheep. The problem persists despite land grant universities such as North Dakota State University, who often send undergraduates interested in the profession to far-away schools for continuing education. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture , 500 counties across 46 states reported critical shortages of big animal vets. And while large animal veterinarians have long been a challenge to find in rural areas, where they are most needed, veterinarians who specialize in horses are also waning. That's despite the increasing popularity and availability in North Dakota and Minnesota for younger generations to compete in equine activities. According to an online database, about 43,200 horses call North Dakota home, which is about one horse per 18 people in the state. Leon Glasser, president of the North Dakota Quarter Horse Racing Association, has been breeding, raising and racing horses for more than 40 years, working to improve the quality of racehorses born in North Dakota. Over the years, he's watched the number of veterinarians willing to work with horses dwindle quickly. "Are we short of equine vets in this area? Absolutely, we are," Glasser said. He said a veterinary clinic in New Salem, N.D., will now only provide simple paperwork needed for owners to transport horses across state lines for care and Missouri Valley Vet Clinic in Bismarck has also limited equine services in the same way. Most newer veterinarians prefer to work on dogs and cats exclusively, he said. Severson agreed, noting it is also difficult to find a veterinarian who has experience treating goats, as the Seversons have two goats at their farm along with the horses and a cat. For Happy's ligament issue, of which she's had recurring surgeries and needs sporadic treatment, Severson worked with an equine sports medicine specialist based in the Twin Cities but would travel into western Minnesota. However, that veterinarian recently retired, leaving Severson on the hunt to find another specialist within a few hundred miles of the Red River Valley. "Nothing takes the place of a seasoned veterinarian," Severson said. "Thankfully, Casselton [Veterinary Service] is fabulous when it comes to when my horse is injured. But when it comes to long-term stuff that she's dealing with, it's difficult." Dr. Alexa Weyer at Casselton Veterinary grew up in Snohomish, Wash., a farm town north of Seattle, and graduated with a bachelor's degree in biology from the University of North Dakota before finishing her doctorate in Veterinary Medicine at Auburn University in Alabama. Following graduation, she began working at Casselton Veterinary in early 2021. "There is definitely a shortage of people interested in large animal practice, and we would love to see more interest," Weyer said. To be a veterinarian requires a doctorate degree from a veterinary school or program accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association and passing the North American Veterinary Licensing Exam, which is an extensive 360-question exam on all species (dogs, cats, horses, cows, goats, pigs, birds, reptiles, rabbits, fish and more) and all aspects of veterinary medicine. Veterinarians can choose to either go straight into general practice after graduation or they can seek further education to become a specialist. To be a veterinarian technician requires a two- or four-year veterinary technology degree, depending on the program. Derine Winning, a veterinarian at Valley Veterinary Hospital in Fargo and public policy adviser for the North Dakota Veterinary Medical Association, said the vast majority — about 70% — of new graduate veterinarians became companion animal practitioners in 2023. Almost 10% became mixed animal practitioners and only 6% became equine practitioners. The data comes from the American Veterinary Medical Association's 2024 Economic State of the Profession Report. "There are a lot of different areas in which veterinarians can become board certified through advanced education and training," Winning said. Animal specialists of any kind can be difficult to find locally, although Winning said the Red River Animal and Emergency Hospital and Referral Center in Fargo does have some specialists in oncology, surgery, internal medicine and emergency and critical care. Casselton Veterinary provides many large animal services from emergency on-call care to posting a doctor and technician for nights and weekends. In addition to their vets traveling to farms, the clinic has a large treatment area with two stocks and stalls for hospitalization and breeding care. The clinic also has several portable imaging tools. Weyer said the trend of vets moving away from rural areas can be seen in the growing need for referrals. "Unfortunately, most referral facilities across the country for large and small animals are in areas of high population density. For large animals, there are even fewer facilities and they tend to be at universities with veterinary schools or in areas of high equine concentration," she said. While the Casselton doctors work with a variety of places for specialty referrals, Sturgis Equine in western South Dakota and the University of Minnesota are probably most used by the clinic. Still, the closest drive is about four hours. Weyer said referrals are typically needed for colic surgery, arthroscopic surgery, advanced imaging or advanced hospitalizations. "In general practice like we are, there are always times to refer. For our clients, it would be nice to have a closer option, but a lot of areas in the country are even farther from referral than we are," Weyer said. Beth Carlson, deputy veterinarian with the North Dakota Department of Agriculture, said rural areas most in need of large animal veterinarians may not attract college graduates with those abilities. "The ratio of large animal veterinarians has shifted quite a bit," Carlson said. "Certainly there are areas of the state where it is difficult to hire veterinarians for a variety of reasons. In some cases it's challenging to hire veterinarians even in urban areas as well." One challenge is the cost of becoming a veterinarian. The USDA offers a program that provides up to $75,000 in veterinary school loan repayment to graduates who agree to work in underserved rural communities a minimum of three years. While some in Congress have recently proposed increasing that amount, it can still be daunting as new veterinarians, on average, face about $190,000 in school debt over the eight years needed to become a veterinarian. According to the American Veterinary Medicine Association, the mean starting salary for a veterinarian working predominantly in the treatment of food animals is about $85,000, but it was more than $100,000 for those who specialize in pet care. The North Dakota Department of Agriculture does work with residents interested in attending veterinary school. Carlson said her office assists with applications for veterinary loan repayment programs. "There are a few different ways that the state and federal government has approached that issue," Carlson said. While NDSU has a veterinarian technician program, there are currently no veterinary schools in North Dakota. In fact, there are only about 30 veterinary schools nationwide. The closest to North Dakota and some of the most renowned veterinary medicine schools are the University of Minnesota, University of Iowa and Kansas State. "NDSU is a great agricultural school and has a great veterinary technician program," Weyer said. "It might be nice to have a veterinary doctorate program at NDSU, but I am not sure that the population is there yet to support one."
The Coalition has pledged to establish a dedicated national taskforce aimed at combating rising antisemitism across Australia. Opposition Leader Peter Dutton made the announcement in Melbourne on Monday after a synagogue was targeted in a suspected arson attack on Friday. The Adass Israel Synagogue was allegedly broken into by three men who poured liquid on the floor and set the building ablaze with worshippers inside. Following the attack, Mr Dutton announced an antisemitism taskforce led by the Australian Federal Police, ASIO and other law enforcement and intelligence bodies. The taskforce would focus on addressing offences including doxing, hate speech, terror symbols, incitement, harassment and other crimes. Shadow home affairs minister James Paterson said the taskforce would be “up and running from day one” of a Dutton Coalition government after the next election. The taskforce would investigate any future acts of antisemitism as well as any outstanding complaints or unsolved crimes against the Jewish community since October 7, 2023. The opposition has blamed the Albanese government’s “weakness” for the rising level of antisemitism in Australia. “The Prime Minister's failure to lead and his weakness since October 7 has directly led to the tragic events that we saw at the Adass Israel synagogue,” Mr Paterson said. The Opposition Leader said antisemitism had been “exacerbated over the last 13 months”. “The government’s initial response to the protests on the steps of the Sydney Opera House was completely inadequate,” Mr Dutton said. “The months of hatred displayed on university campuses and in public forums have been completely unacceptable. “The blatant racism against people of Jewish faith has been obvious and pervasive.” There have been many anti-Israel and antisemitic incidents since the October 7 attacks, including the Sydney Opera House protests where “gas the Jews” was chanted. There were then months of university encampments protesting ties to Israel, which were investigated by police for unlawful behaviour . Mr Dutton blamed Mr Albanese for allowing a climate of antisemitism to fester and said the recent firebombing attack was “entirely predictable”. “I just think it's dangerous that the Prime Minister's been so weak for all of his time in office,” he said. “It was entirely predictable that there was going to be an attack on a mosque or on a school or some other place of gathering. “The armed guards at Jewish schools are there because of the threat level. They're not at Christian schools. They're not at Islamic schools. “That is the level of threat that is faced by the Jewish community. And it's been exacerbated by the Prime Minister's incompetence.” Mr Albanese expressed concern about the “worrying rise in antisemitism” but maintained he had consistently “called out” incidents. “We've done a range of programs. We've had a landmark ban on the Nazi salute and hate symbols that came into effect in January of this year,” he said on Sunday. “We've appointed Jillian Segal as Australia's first ever envoy on anti-Semitism. “We have criminalised doxing in legislation that was passed just a week ago as part of our privacy laws legislation.” The Coalition’s policy measures have gone further still, with strengthened provisions under the Migration Act. The changes will ensure immigrants engaging in antisemitic conduct would be deported by a Dutton government. “We will amend Section 501 of the character provisions of the Migration Act to ensure that this antisemitic conduct is captured by the law,” Mr Paterson said. The Coalition has also pledged a $32.5 million funding package for the Jewish community, ensuring armed guards at schools, synagogues and community centres.How to protect your communications through encryption
Mikel Arteta is hoping Gabriel Martinelli can help to fill the void created by , with the England forward likely to miss key fixtures including the north London derby next month. Arteta confirmed on Monday that Saka was expected to be absent for “many weeks” after tearing a hamstring during the first half of . That would rule him out of Premier League fixtures including Arsenal’s game with Tottenham on 15 January, the Carabao Cup semi‐final first leg against Newcastle and an FA Cup third‐round tie with Manchester United. With Raheem Sterling also facing an extended spell on the sidelines with a knee injury, Martinelli is likely to start on the right when Arsenal host Ipswich on Friday after switching flanks at Palace and providing a goal and an assist. The Brazilian scored 15 Premier League goals in 2022‐23 but has only 10 since, however Arteta believes Martinelli is capable of stepping up while Saka is unavailable. “I think so. Gaby loves it: you give him a challenge and he wants to do it today if he can. He’s a player that likes responsibility and likes having a bigger role. But it’s for all the players to take responsibility. I think it’s something collective. Everybody is going to have to add something else because Bukayo, who we rely a lot on, is not going to be with us.” Arteta has played down suggestions that Arsenal could bring in reinforcements in January after Gabriel Jesus made a timely return to form against Palace by scoring five times in two matches. With Sterling, signed on loan from Chelsea to provide backup for Saka, due to have more tests to discover the extent of his knee injury, it could provide more opportunities for Ethan Nwaneri. The 17-year-old has yet to start a league game but has made 10 league substitute appearances this season and scored three goals in the Carabao Cup, although Arteta remains cautious about rushing him. “He needs to understand a few things,” he said. “Obviously again for Ethan there’s been a massive step in the last 12 months. But he’s on the journey with us and every time he plays I think he changes games for the better, so that’s a really good sign.”The Ministry of Health (MOH) will not subsidise the cost of the shingles vaccine because of its high price. A check by The Straits Times found that the price of the two doses of the Shingrix vaccine, which are administered two to six months apart, ranges from $720 to $950, inclusive of goods and services tax and any consultation fees. “At the price proposed by the manufacturer, the vaccine is not considered cost-effective for the prevention of shingles at the population level,” MOH said on Nov 12 in response to a parliamentary question. Mr Christopher de Souza (Holland-Bukit Timah GRC) had asked in Parliament in November whether MOH planned to include the vaccine in the National Adult Immunisation Schedule, “such that it will be eligible for subsidies, especially for vulnerable seniors”. Produced by British pharmaceutical company GSK, Shingrix was approved for use here in 2021. It provides over 90 per cent protection against shingles, although its effectiveness may be lower for older people and those with weakened immune systems. Protection lasts at least seven years, and possibly longer, as the vaccine is relatively new, having been first approved for use in the US in October 2017. Social isolation makes teenage girls' brains age faster Only people who had chicken pox are at risk of getting shingles, as it is caused by the same varicella-zoster virus, which remains dormant but may flare up later in life. Shingles causes a painful and itchy rash, usually on one side of the body or face. For the majority of patients, the blisters scab in a week, and clear up totally within four weeks. However, up to one in five people might suffer from complications, the most common being long-term nerve pain, known as postherpetic neuralgia. Other complications include pneumonia, encephalitis or inflammation of the brain, and hearing loss. The risk of complications is higher in older people. The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention says that one in three adults will get shingles in their lifetime. In Singapore, an estimated 30,000 people suffer from the illness each year. People can get shingles more than once. The treatment focuses on pain relief. Antivirals, if taken within the first 72 hours, are most effective. They may help reduce some symptoms if taken within the first five days, but they do not entirely prevent nerve pain. The best protection against shingles is to get vaccinated. Although MOH will not subsidise the cost of the shingles vaccine, there are other vaccines for seniors that it does subsidise. These include the annual influenza vaccine, and two doses of the pneumococcal vaccine to protect against conditions like pneumonia, meningitis and infection of the blood.FACT FOCUS: Inspector general’s Jan. 6 report misrepresented as proof of FBI setup
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Chesapeake native Brandon Osmundson scored the winning goal 3:22 into the extra period off assists from Darick Louis-Jean and Ben Zloty. The Admirals will be at Scope for their next six games. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Click to share on X (Opens in new window) Most Popular Cause of underground fire at Williamsburg Premium Outlets still unknown — and may stay that way, fire chief says Cause of underground fire at Williamsburg Premium Outlets still unknown — and may stay that way, fire chief says Hampton’s superintendent just got a massive raise. Here’s how it compares. Hampton’s superintendent just got a massive raise. Here’s how it compares. Man taken into custody after shooting at Suffolk church staff member Man taken into custody after shooting at Suffolk church staff member Colonial Williamsburg’s Grand Illumination has echoes across the US Colonial Williamsburg's Grand Illumination has echoes across the US John Hinckley Jr. nixes plans to open Williamsburg music store John Hinckley Jr. nixes plans to open Williamsburg music store Disney influencer Dominique Brown dies at 34 after allergic reaction at food event, report says Disney influencer Dominique Brown dies at 34 after allergic reaction at food event, report says VHSL state semifinal scoreboard: Oscar Smith, Maury, Phoebus advance to championship games VHSL state semifinal scoreboard: Oscar Smith, Maury, Phoebus advance to championship games Williamsburg-area Democrats announce candidacy for House seats Williamsburg-area Democrats announce candidacy for House seats Hokies will play in Duke’s Mayo Bowl against Minnesota in Charlotte Hokies will play in Duke’s Mayo Bowl against Minnesota in Charlotte Hampton Roads native’s acting career grows with role on NBC’s ‘Brilliant Minds,’ airing Monday Hampton Roads native’s acting career grows with role on NBC’s ‘Brilliant Minds,’ airing Monday Trending Nationally Killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO spotlights complex challenge companies face in protecting top brass MAGA influencer Nick Fuentes charged with battery of woman he maced: report ‘America’s Got Talent’ comedian Kabir ‘Kabeezy’ Singh dead at 39 Police may search a vehicle based on the smell of raw cannabis, Illinois Supreme Court rules ‘Oppenheimer’ actor Emma Dumont comes out as transmasculine, changes name
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San Francisco gang rivalry believed to be behind two still-unsolved Oakland killingsFor the past decade, Deadpool has become an unlikely success story as the raunchy outsider upended Hollywood norms, broke box office records and reached new heights with this summer’s $1.3 billion grosser, . The character also transformed Ryan Reynolds into one of the biggest movie stars in the world. But more quietly, the man who birthed Deadpool has parlayed that success into rewards almost unheard of for any comic book creator. Over the past year, writer-artist capitalize on the cachet from the character with a multiple deals involving producers and studios hoping to find “the next Deadpool.” In April, ahead of ’s July opening, Warner Bros. picked up the rights to , based on a fallen angel character cast down to Earth comic from the 1990s. The A-list package has Olivia Wilde attached to direct and Margot Robbie and Simon Kinberg attached to produce. That deal involved a $2 million payday for Liefeld for the purchase price, according to multiple sources. And while it was a sign of how strongly Warners wanted to remain in the Robbie business after last year’s , having a comic by Liefeld gave the package extra heft. Then in October, Liefeld accomplished something that had escaped him for decades: securing the movie and publishing rights to Youngblood under one roof. It was a personal victory, as it was the very first comic published by Image Comics, the company Liefeld co-founded with other superstar artists who defected from Marvel in the early 1990s. To make the deal, Liefeld made peace with Scott M. Rosenberg, a publisher and producer whose claim to fame was turning an obscure black and white indie comic titled into a hit Will Smith movie. Rosenberg also held certain rights to Young Blood creations, a point that bedeviled Liefeld for years. With that issue settled, Liefeld and Rosenberg then teamed with producer Adrian Askarieh to begin setting up the IP. The trio took meetings at CAA, WME, UTA and Range Media in October, hyping the title as the last great superhero comic that isn’t taken. The trio ultimately signed with CAA for the endeavor. Those two developments are on top of the royalties Liefeld enjoys from the surge of Deadpool’s popularity. Liefeld has a deal unique among creators of Marvel and DC characters. Some enjoy royalties for certain books or receive discretionary bonuses for movie or TV usage from the companies (Marvel pays some creators $5,000 for character’s a movie appearance, for example). But Liefeld receives payment any time Deadpool appears onscreen, in merch, in video games and in comics. It’s a deal that not even Stan Lee, the late co-creator of Spider-Man and Iron Man, benefited from. Nor Jim Starlin, co-creator of Thanos, Gamora and Shang-Chi, or Todd McFarlane, co-creator of Venom. “When Deadpool exploded into Fortnite, was that really good for my kids’ private education? Yes. Yes, it was,” he told in an 2020 interview. “I have Deadpool revenue streams that have existed since 1991.” In some ways, 2024 is an unlikely third act for Liefeld. Liefeld burst onto the comics scene as a wunderkind creator, only in his early 20s when he led the Marvel comic from a low-selling title on the verge of cancelation to revitalizing it in such a way that when it was relaunched over a year later as , the first issue sold a record four million copies. Deadpool proved enduringly popular, especially after Liefeld left with other Marvel creators in 1992 to launch Image. And while Liefeld flooded the comic racks with creations, his tenure at Image was short-lived. By 1996, he contentiously parted ways with the publishing house and his partners. But while his comic and artistic fortunes sagged, his Hollywood life began. After a New Line deal for in the mid-‘90s, more followed. Few involved an actual published comic. In 1998, an action concept The Mark was set up in a seven-figure deal at Universal with Will Smith attached to star and Steven Spielberg eying to direct. was set up at Columbia in 2002 with Jenifer Lopez attached to star and produce the movie, described as with superheroes. The pitch involved just five Liefeld-drawn visuals, and the producers hoped it would eventually launch a comic. ultimately shriveled in development hell but was re-set up in 2019. In 2003, New Line Cinema acquired the sci-fi action-comedy pitch in a deal valued at mid-six against seven figures. The pitch, centered on an intergalactic witness protection program, came with 10 pages of an unpublished comic. It was re-optioned twice, generating more fees for Liefeld. As these deals took place, Liefeld enjoyed the Hollywood life, attending premieres and hanging out at celebrity-packed house parties. But as with the whimsies of the business, Liefeld saw a dip in Hollywood fortunes and tried to return to comics. The first movie revived interest in the artist, however, and Liefeld, never one to miss an opportunity, hustled. In 2016, was optioned by Paramount for $300,000 against $600,000 and had Akiva Goldsman producing. (A bargain when compared to the recent Warners deal.) Graham King, in a reported seven-figure deal, tried to launch a Liefeld-verse with characters from the creator’s Extreme Studios imprint ion 2017. And the Captain America-like Prophet was semi-close to getting off the ground with Jake Gyllenhaal and Studio 8 in the late 2010s, also in six-figure deals. It is likely that Liefeld has made between $10 million to $20 million off his creations and reputation as Deadpool’s co-creator, making him the most financially successful American comic artist or writer. “He is the most successful comic book creator with the least things actually made,” notes one producer. “There’s nobody else is in his category. He has managed to take all his titles and build a little empire.” The asterisk here is Mark Millar, the author of comics such as , and , who not only found hit adaptations of his work while influenced the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but also sold his entire comic publishing empire to Netflix in 2017. That deal alone was worth $45 million, according to insiders. (There were rumors that Liefeld attempted to sell his universe of creations to Netflix a la Millar, but that didn’t not get up the chain too far, the insiders said.) There’s also creator Robert Kirkman, who has transcended comics to become a small media mogul via his Skybound Entertainment, which also is behind and is actively involved with showrunning and other aspects of running a wide-ranging media company. But Liefeld’s superpower has been to build an empire without needing to build a big company as well. “There is a real appetite for Rob’s titles because of the success of Deadpool,” notes one producer THR Newsletters Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day More from The Hollywood ReporterDoctors Review: Sharad Kelkar, Harleen Sethi’s Series Is A Gripping Medical Drama Of Choices, Chaos, And Humanity