Eric J. Moreels
Jan 30, 2002, 01:40 am
{Originally posted at X-Fan v3.0 on January 11, 2002}
<img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/logos/marveldotcom_logo.jpg" align=left alt="Marvel.com logo"></a>X-Fan has learned from various sources that Marvel Comics have laid off several staff members over the recent Christmas/New Year's holiday period.
Those having exited include Director - Publishing Operations Bob Greenberger, Marvel.com Online Associate Editor Kwanza Johnson (better known to fans as "Marvel Dog"), Executive Assistant to the CIO and Marvel Authorized Fan Site Program administrator Deborah Krier, Special Projects Manager Ben Abernathy, Special Projects Co-ordinator Mike Farah, Designer Camille Murphy, Digital Assistant Jessica Schwartz, and Marvel.com Designer Charles Lam.
Greenberger announced his exit in a recent post at the Psi Phi Star Trek BBS (http://www.psiphi.org/book-bbs/get/startrek/32671.html). Greenberger was recruited by Marvel in early 2001 to assist in curing the lateness plague that continues to affect many of the publisher's titles. Prior to working at Marvel, Greenberger had worked for over fifteen years at DC in a variety of positions, which included editing and scheduling.
Greenberger later provided additional information regarding his exit in a post at The Warren Ellis Forum (http://forums.delphiforums.com/ellis/messages/?msg=28564.30) early Saturday morning.
"For the record, I was fired, not laid off," Greenberger posted. "Additionally, the layoffs that have happened around Marvel came as a result of departmental restructuring. For example, the Web site isn't generating the revenue they had hoped so layoffs were a necessity (poor Kwanza)."
"In my case though, Joe (Quesada, Marvel Comics Editor-in-Chief) lured me back into comics after 10 months at a dotcom and my portfolio of responsibilites changed along the way which provided me with plenty of (mostly welcome) challenges. His hope was for me to help get the trains running on time but there was less and less time for that. When that became apparent, we added David Bogart, and we're finally starting to see some progress. However, Bill (Jemas, Marvel Comics President and COO) decided things under my watch were not going as hoped and I got the ax. That's the short of it."
It is unclear as to whether David Bogart, former Editor-in-Chief of Harris Comics who was hired by Marvel in October last year to work with Greenberger as well as edit select titles such as X-Men Unlimited, will be taking over Greenberger's former duties. Greenberger's Marvel e-mail account now automatically forwards to Bogart.
The Marvel.com lay-offs came on the heels of the dotcom and New Media divisions of Marvel being merged into the Marketing division. Johnson and Lam had been folded into that division, whilst Krier had been moved over to the Licenses division. With the departure of much of the dotcom staff, only the Your Man @ Marvel and dotComics sections of the Marvel.com Web site will be updated in the near future. Creator of Marvel's "trailers", John D. Roberts, will apparently be handling those updates.
The Editorial division remains unaffected by the recent lay-offs. Indeed the situation there is quite the opposite, with Marvel currently hiring Assistant Editors.
As for the Authorized Fan Site Program, its future is unclear. X-Fan will endeavour to provide an update on its status as soon as possible.
<img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/logos/marveldotcom_logo.jpg" align=left alt="Marvel.com logo"></a>X-Fan has learned from various sources that Marvel Comics have laid off several staff members over the recent Christmas/New Year's holiday period.
Those having exited include Director - Publishing Operations Bob Greenberger, Marvel.com Online Associate Editor Kwanza Johnson (better known to fans as "Marvel Dog"), Executive Assistant to the CIO and Marvel Authorized Fan Site Program administrator Deborah Krier, Special Projects Manager Ben Abernathy, Special Projects Co-ordinator Mike Farah, Designer Camille Murphy, Digital Assistant Jessica Schwartz, and Marvel.com Designer Charles Lam.
Greenberger announced his exit in a recent post at the Psi Phi Star Trek BBS (http://www.psiphi.org/book-bbs/get/startrek/32671.html). Greenberger was recruited by Marvel in early 2001 to assist in curing the lateness plague that continues to affect many of the publisher's titles. Prior to working at Marvel, Greenberger had worked for over fifteen years at DC in a variety of positions, which included editing and scheduling.
Greenberger later provided additional information regarding his exit in a post at The Warren Ellis Forum (http://forums.delphiforums.com/ellis/messages/?msg=28564.30) early Saturday morning.
"For the record, I was fired, not laid off," Greenberger posted. "Additionally, the layoffs that have happened around Marvel came as a result of departmental restructuring. For example, the Web site isn't generating the revenue they had hoped so layoffs were a necessity (poor Kwanza)."
"In my case though, Joe (Quesada, Marvel Comics Editor-in-Chief) lured me back into comics after 10 months at a dotcom and my portfolio of responsibilites changed along the way which provided me with plenty of (mostly welcome) challenges. His hope was for me to help get the trains running on time but there was less and less time for that. When that became apparent, we added David Bogart, and we're finally starting to see some progress. However, Bill (Jemas, Marvel Comics President and COO) decided things under my watch were not going as hoped and I got the ax. That's the short of it."
It is unclear as to whether David Bogart, former Editor-in-Chief of Harris Comics who was hired by Marvel in October last year to work with Greenberger as well as edit select titles such as X-Men Unlimited, will be taking over Greenberger's former duties. Greenberger's Marvel e-mail account now automatically forwards to Bogart.
The Marvel.com lay-offs came on the heels of the dotcom and New Media divisions of Marvel being merged into the Marketing division. Johnson and Lam had been folded into that division, whilst Krier had been moved over to the Licenses division. With the departure of much of the dotcom staff, only the Your Man @ Marvel and dotComics sections of the Marvel.com Web site will be updated in the near future. Creator of Marvel's "trailers", John D. Roberts, will apparently be handling those updates.
The Editorial division remains unaffected by the recent lay-offs. Indeed the situation there is quite the opposite, with Marvel currently hiring Assistant Editors.
As for the Authorized Fan Site Program, its future is unclear. X-Fan will endeavour to provide an update on its status as soon as possible.