Val Staples

Val Staples is an American comic book colorist and writer whose career spans more than two decades of work across the industry's major publishers. A versatile freelance talent, he has contributed coloring to titles at Marvel, DC, and MTV, accumulating credits on hundreds of issues between 2001 and 2025.

Staples was among the founders of MVCreations, the independent studio that launched a *Masters of the Universe* comic series in 2002, on which he also served as a writer — an early indication of his range beyond pure coloring work. That series remains one of his more distinctive credits, representing a meaningful role in building a publishing venture from the ground up rather than simply contributing to an established line.

At Marvel, he built a substantial body of work as a colorist, with his most frequently credited titles including *Deadpool*, *X-Men: First Class*, *New Mutants*, *Black Panther*, and *Marvel Two-in-One*. His consistent presence across team books and character-driven titles reflects an adaptability to varied tonal registers — from the irreverent energy of *Deadpool* to the more grounded storytelling of *X-Men: First Class*.

No specific awards or birth details are documented in available sources, but Staples' longevity in a demanding craft specialty, and his early entrepreneurial role at MVCreations, mark him as a steady and professionally significant figure in contemporary American comics.