New EIC Stephen Wacker
Marvel Comics Editor-in-Chief C.B. Cebulski will take a new role as the new Marvel management brings in a new EIC, and the company’s offices are moving to Burbank, according to a pair of announcements today.
The new Editor-in-Chief is Stephen Wacker, who spent over 20 years at DC Comics and Marvel in editor and management roles. In Editor and Senior Editor roles during his 15 years at Marvel (ending in 2022), Wacker oversaw the Brand New Day and Superior Spider-Man eras of Amazing Spider-Man, the Eisner Award-winning Daredevil and Hawkeye series, the relaunch of Captain Marvel, and the introduction of Kamala Khan, A.K.A. Ms. Marvel.
Wacker also spent time working in other media at Marvel, including VP stints in Television & New Media, Creative Development, and Digital Media. In those roles, he co-produced the Rocket & Groot animated series, and served as co-exec producer on the Avengers Assemble, Ultimate Spider-Man, and Guardians of the Galaxy animated series.
Wacker also spent over two years as Head of Content, Digital Media from 2019-2022, exec-producing the Wastelanders audio series. He also oversaw the Marvel Infinity Comic series It’s Jeff!
Since leaving Marvel in 2022, Wacker served as EIC for Jonathan Hickman’s 3W3M, and co-founded entertainment studio Stone Kite.
In May, Marvel announced that longtime Marvel Comics head Dan Buckley would be moving on next year after a transition period and would be replaced by Brad Winderbaum as Head of Marvel Television, Animation, Comics & Franchise, and David Abdo as General Manager, Comics & Franchise (see “Marvel Shake-up Continues”).
Winderbaum lauded Wacker’s credentials for his new role. “He is a tremendous editor, a passionate advocate for creators, and someone who deeply understands that Marvel Comics is the source code of our entire enterprise, with a publishing resume that includes some of our most beloved modern runs,” he said in a statement accompanying the announcement.
Departing EIC C.B. Cebulski
Cebulski, who served as EIC since he replaced Axel Alonso in 2017 (see “Alonzo’s Out, Cebulski’s In“), had the third-longest tenure of any Marvel EIC. He will be moving to Japan to become Editor, Asia Originals, for Marvel. This announcement is undoubtedly connected to the announcement by Shueisha that its contract for manga featuring Marvel characters (published in the U.S. by VIZ Media) is ending September 30, as reported by Anime News Network. In that role, he will report to Wacker.
Winderbaum had kind words for Cebulski. “Few editors have had as long and accomplished a career as C.B..” he said. “I’m grateful for his partnership over the past decade and thrilled that he’ll be on the ground in Japan, connecting with local artists and overseeing Marvel’s original graphic fiction and manga in the region.”
The EIC change comes after a couple of years of flagging fortunes for Marvel editorial, which has seen its top position as comics publisher taken over by DC (see “DC Continues to Be Biggest‘). Given Wacker’s experience in digital comics, television, and audio content, the move reflects a growing emphasis on a broader range of storytelling media as the core of Marvel’s intellectual property.
As part of that growing expansion and integration of other media into Marvel, the publishing company will be moving its offices to Burbank, California, the home of corporate parent Disney and Marvel Studios, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Marvel’s New York employees were informed at a town hall meeting today at the New York offices. The comics and franchise teams in New York, just over 100 people, are being offered relocation to California, which is scheduled to be complete by July 2027.
DC Comics announced a move from New York to Burbank in 2013 and completed it in 2015 (see “DC Comics Leaving New York“). About half of its employees ended up making the move (see “Half of DC’s Employees Made the Move“).
Source: ICv2
