Marvel Comics is headed to the Golden State.<\/p>\n
The Disney-owned publisher is relocating its comics and franchise division from New York City to Burbank, California <\/a>\u2014 ending nearly nine decades in the Big Apple as the company seeks to bring its publishing, film and television operations under one roof.<\/p>\n The move, announced to employees during a Thursday town hall and outlined in a company-wide memo obtained by\u00a0The Hollywood Reporter<\/a>, will see more than 100 New York-based staff members asked to relocate to Southern California over the next year. <\/p>\n Marvel Comics is headed to the Golden State. \u00a9Columbia Pictures\/Courtesy Everett Collection<\/p>\n The overhaul also includes a leadership shakeup, with longtime Marvel editor Stephen Wacker returning to become the company\u2019s new editor-in-chief, while current Editor-in-Chief C.B. Cebulski transitions to a new Japan-based role overseeing Asia-originated graphic fiction and manga.<\/p>\n \u201cAs we look toward the future, we\u2019ve made the decision to relocate the Comics and Franchise division to Marvel\u2019s central headquarters in Burbank, California,\u201d Marvel executives Brad Winderbaum and David Abdo wrote in the memo.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\tSign up for the California Morning Report newsletter\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCalifornia’s top news, sports and entertainment delivered to your inbox every day.\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\tThanks for signing up!\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \u201cThis move will position the team beside our broader creative organization and create opportunities for collaboration across both Marvel and Disney. Our goal is simple: to continue to make the best comic books in the business.\u201d<\/p>\n The relocation marks the end of an era for one of comics\u2019 most iconic publishers. <\/p>\n Marvel traces its roots back to Timely Comics and Atlas Comics, both of which were based in Manhattan, while New York famously served as the backdrop for many of the company\u2019s best-known heroes, including Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four and the Avengers.<\/p>\n Acknowledging those ties, Winderbaum and Abdo told staff that the city would always remain central to Marvel\u2019s identity.<\/p>\n \u201cNew York has played a huge part in who Marvel is as a company, and in the pages of our comics,\u201d they wrote. \u201cWhile our network of writers and artists is now an international operation, New York is still woven into our DNA and that will never change.\u201d<\/p>\n The reshuffle also brings a change at the top of Marvel\u2019s publishing arm. Getty Images for ReedPOP<\/p>\n \u201cOur colleagues in New York have helped shape generations of stories and characters, and their contributions to Marvel\u2019s legacy cannot be overstated.\u201d<\/p>\n Marvel said it hopes affected employees will move west, adding: \u201cWe sincerely hope they choose to continue that journey with us in California. We are committed to supporting every affected employee throughout this transition, which will take place over the next 12 months.\u201d<\/p>\n The company plans to begin orientation sessions for employees and their families as it prepares for the transition, with the relocation expected to be completed by July 2027.<\/p>\n The reshuffle also brings a change at the top of Marvel\u2019s publishing arm.<\/p>\n The relocation leaves New York without a major comic book publisher. GC Images<\/p>\n Wacker, who previously spent more than 15 years at Marvel before departing in the early 2020s, will return as editor-in-chief. During his previous tenure, he oversaw acclaimed runs on\u00a0Spider-Man,\u00a0Daredevil\u00a0and\u00a0Hawkeye, helped introduce Kamala Khan as Ms. Marvel and also worked across Marvel\u2019s animation and television businesses.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Cebulski, who has led Marvel Comics since 2017, will relocate to Japan to oversee the company\u2019s growing manga and Asia-focused publishing initiatives.<\/p>\n \u201cThis opportunity reflects both C.B.\u2019s passion for the medium and the tremendous potential we see in that space,\u201d Winderbaum and Abdo wrote. \u201cWe\u2019re deeply grateful for his leadership, partnership, and stewardship of the Marvel line over the past decade.\u201d<\/p>\n The relocation leaves New York without a major comic book publisher. <\/p>\n The move also comes as Hollywood continues to undergo significant consolidation. Getty Images<\/p>\n Rival DC Comics<\/a> moved its editorial operations to Burbank in 2015 to be closer to parent company Warner Bros., consolidating its entertainment businesses in California.<\/p>\n Marvel\u2019s decision follows a similar strategy of bringing creative divisions together under one corporate hub, reflecting a broader trend across the entertainment industry as media companies look to streamline operations and maximize collaboration between publishing, film, television and streaming businesses.<\/p>\n The move also comes as Hollywood continues to undergo significant consolidation. <\/p>\n \u201cWe know this has been a year of significant change for Marvel,\u201d Winderbaum and Abdo told employees. \u00a9Walt Disney Co.\/Courtesy Everett Collection<\/p>\n This month, Warner Bros. Discovery announced plans to split into two standalone publicly traded companies, separating its streaming and studio businesses from its cable television networks. Meanwhile, Paramount Skydance is navigating an antitrust lawsuit<\/a> led by California and 11 other states over its proposed acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery.<\/p>\n By placing comic creators alongside film, television and franchise executives in Burbank<\/a>, the company hopes ideas can move more seamlessly across its entertainment empire while strengthening the comic books that inspired many of its biggest global hits.<\/p>\n \u201cWe know this has been a year of significant change for Marvel,\u201d Winderbaum and Abdo told employees. \u201cThrough all of it, this team has continued to show up with creativity, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to great storytelling. That commitment is the foundation of everything we do, and it\u2019s what will carry us into this next chapter.\u201d<\/p>\n Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters <\/p>\n California Post News: Facebook<\/a>, Instagram<\/a>, TikTok<\/a>, X<\/a>, YouTube<\/a>, WhatsApp<\/a>, LinkedIn<\/a> \t\t\t\t\t\t
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