ComicMix cutbacks?
Looks like ComicMix is downsizing in the widespread economic slowdown. First, all the columns have ended — Michael Davis and Martha Thomases did farewell columns — and one of their programmers Twittered about his comics job being on hiatus. Inquiries to various parties suggested that a bunch of folks have been let go; an announcement of some sort is forthcoming. However, news editor Robert Greenberger remans on board. He has turned the news element of the site into a wide ranging pop culture news outlet.
Launched back in 2007, featuring comics news, ComicMix started presenting webcomics under editor Mike Gold last October. Webcomics were viewed as the main purpose of the site and the mix included returning titles with lengthy print histories, such as Jon Sable and Hammer of the Gods, and new comics such as Original Johnson. ComicMix dipped a toe into publishing with some POD books at Baltimore, but several observers have wondered just where their revenue stream was coming from, and these personnel cutbacks may be part of that.
Developing.
11/4/08 at 9:01 am
Sad to hear. My only two criticisms of the site are:
1) membership is required to comment.
2) the name is a speedbump to those who remember the name, but not exactly. Comixmix? Comicsmix?
While the comics feature some great talent, I always visited to read the commentary. (My cell phone converts every image into a thumbnail.) I hope, and I am certain, that the commentators will find other places to prognosticate and pontificate.
11/4/08 at 10:40 am
The columns were the sole reason I visited ComicMix. It was a real treat to read the personal ramblings of some of Comics’ most respected names. Michael Davis, in particular, will be missed because his observations were both amusing and poignant.
I know that I can follow them individually, but having them collected was so much better.
And couldn’t they have kept one of the Martha Thomases?
11/4/08 at 11:22 am
I was curious about what was going on at ComicMix, too, and glad to see others have noticed. It just sort of dawned on me that multipe columns were discussing finality and closure, so something must be up, but there wasn’t any larger conspicuous “our new direction!” piece to explain what was going on.
Like you say, developing…
11/4/08 at 3:08 pm
I moved on a couple months back, though thankfully of my own choosing. Best wishes and good luck to all the ComicMix folks.
11/4/08 at 3:56 pm
[…] News of ComicMix’s contraction is starting to slip out, with the cancellation of all their columns and the Beat reporting one of their programmers twittering about a job hiatus. As one of the people the Beat refers to as “have wonder[ed] just where their revenue stream was coming from,” let’s take a look at the state of business affairs over at ComicMix. […]
11/4/08 at 4:23 pm
I thought the news part was always pop-culture rather than comics-specific. At least I tried to do that when I was (the first) ComicMix news editor.
I feel unloved; you didn’t even mention my farewell column.
11/4/08 at 4:45 pm
The site’s comics were too cumbersome to navigate—perhaps a homepage for each title would have been a good start.
I passed on the columns and op/ed stuff.
Too bad, though. ComicMix could have been something really nice.
11/4/08 at 9:41 pm
[…] Heidi MacDonald reports on cutbacks at ComicMix. The columns have all ended, leaving only the news (which under editor Robert Greenberger is much more pop-cult widespread than comic-focused, and not particularly unique to the site) and the online comics. Under his last column, Editor-in-Chief Mike Gold says that the decision came after months of conversation. Simply put (if that’s at all possible), the columns didn’t reach as big an audience as some of us had hoped for. Really, it’s that simple. We need to put our attention elsewhere. […]
11/5/08 at 12:55 am
I liked their columns a lot, but they don’t seem to have an RSS feed, so it was hard to keep up with them.
11/5/08 at 6:41 am
[…] [Publishing] ComicMix facing difficulties? Link: Heidi MacDonald […]
11/5/08 at 8:38 am
I have to say, I’ve never read the site unless specifically directed there by someone.
11/5/08 at 1:30 pm
[…] November 5th, 2008Author Kevin Melrose Heidi MacDonald reports that news and commentary website ComicMix is scaling back, ending its editorial columns and leaving just online comics and pop-culture news. […]
12/3/08 at 4:32 pm
Here’s a very late reply. But you can still find columns from many former ComicMix columnists and new columns on Michael Davis’ site, Michael Davis World
http://www.michaeldavisworld.com