Marvel Comics has called New York home for close to 90 years, but like The Avengers once upon a time, the company is heading to the West Coast and moving to Hollywood.
The Hollywood Reporter has revealed that Marvel Comics' publishing division is being transferred to Burbank, California, the current headquarters of Marvel Studios and its corporate parent, The Walt Disney Company. This comes after Brad Winderbaum's promotion to Head of Marvel Television, Animation, Comics & Franchise. David Abdo, meanwhile, was appointed the new general manager of comics and franchise.
Another big change is coming, though, as Stephen Wacker has been appointed the new Editor-in-Chief of Marvel Comics. He replaces C.B. Cebulski, who has been in charge since 2017 (Cebulski is moving to Japan to oversee Marvel's manga push).
According to the trade, "Both changes are meant to reinvigorate the comic book side of the company, which has been overshadowed in recent years by the success of Marvel’s movies, and by a creative slump that saw it lose its position as comics market share leader for the first time this century."
"Marvel chief Kevin Feige's [installation] of the new leadership and the relocation of its comics side to Disney’s Burbank base represent a long-term investment in what he believes underpins the source of Marvel’s storytelling," the report adds.
Cebulski's stint in charge hasn't been hugely popular with fans, and in many ways, has been defined by initiatives with potential—the Krakoan Age and Ultimate Universe relaunch, for example—that ended on a bum note.
DC Comics departed New York in 2015, but this is still a shocking development. Before becoming Marvel Comics, the publisher went by Timely Comics and Atlas Comics, and was originally headquartered on 42nd Street (the publisher's lease on its Avenue of the Americas location expires next year). Marvel intends to move over 100 New York employees to California.
Wacker left Marvel Comics in the early 2000s, but spent 15 years with the company, overseeing the critically acclaimed and best-selling "Brand New Day" era of Amazing Spider-Man and Superior Spider-Man as editor. He was also the editor on titles like Daredevil and Hawkeye when they won Eisner Awards, and later worked in Marvel's animation, television and digital media divisions.
Here's the full memo that was sent to staff today:
Team,
We just wrapped a town hall with the team in New York and wanted to share some important Marvel Comics and Franchise news with everyone.
As we look toward the future, we’ve made the decision to relocate the Comics and Franchise division to Marvel’s central headquarters in Burbank, California. This 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. Bringing our comics, film, television, and other creative teams together will help us learn from one another, collaborate, and build on the strengths that make Marvel the true House of Ideas.
New York has played a huge part in who Marvel is as a company, and in the pages of our comics. While our network of writers and artists is now an international operation, New York is still woven into our DNA and that will never change. Our colleagues in New York have helped shape generations of stories and characters, and their contributions to Marvel’s legacy cannot be overstated. We 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.
We also announced today that Stephen Wacker has been named Marvel Comics’ new Editor-in-Chief. Many of you know Stephen from his years at Marvel between 2006 and 2022. 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. Stephen will be at SDCC and will officially join us in Burbank the week of July 27 before spending time in New York the first week of August. We’re excited for everyone who doesn’t know him to get to know him.
At the same time, longtime Editor-in-Chief C.B. Cebulski will be stepping into a new role overseeing APAC-originated graphic fiction and manga, based in Japan. This opportunity reflects both C.B.’s passion for the medium and the tremendous potential we see in that space. We’re deeply grateful for his leadership, partnership, and stewardship of the Marvel line over the past decade and are fortunate to have him spearheading this new endeavor for us.
We know this has been a year of significant change for Marvel. Through 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’s what will carry us into this next chapter.
For our New York colleagues, we’ll be sharing additional details very soon, and we’re available to answer questions and support you through the transition.
Thank you for everything you do for Marvel and for the fans we serve.
Brad & David