After years overseeing projects such as Avengers vs. X-Men and Secret Wars, Axel Alonso has stepped down as editor in chief of Marvel Entertainment. The company has since released a statement announcing that C.B. Cebulski will replace Alonso. In an interview with the New York Times, Marvel President Dan Buckley shared that Alonso’s departure was a “mutually agreed upon parting of ways.”
“It’s crazy. It’s an honor. I’m blown away by the opportunity. We always hear about the writers and artists, but people forget the inkers and the colorists and the letters. Each of them is an artist in their own right,” said Cebulski.
Prior to joining Marvel as an associate editor in 2002, Cebulski briefly worked as a translator and a freelance writer. Cebulski was promoted to vice president of international brand management at Marvel in 2011. While he has assisted on a variety of projects, one of his most favorable was Brian K. Vaughan and the Adrian Alphona’s critically acclaimed Runaways. That title has since been adapted into a television series and will premiere on Hulu on November 21, 2017.
“I remember when the pitch came in from Brian. It blew us away. It was the little book that could ‒ and now it’s the little book that’s turned into a TV show,” Cebulski added.
As editor and chief, Cebulski will be tasked with overseeing Marvel’s editorial and creative divisions, as well as recruiting new writers and artists. Cebulski already has prior experience with this, having negotiated agreements with artists in Japan, China, and South Korea.
“It is important for our growth. Mr. Cebulski is not a new guy, but he looks at the world differently than a traditional editor. And most critically, Mr. Cebulski knows how to put together creative teams to spark the right mojo,” Buckley said.