Comic Book Resources#Firings and staff turmoil

Comic Book Resources (CBR) was founded by Jonah Weiland in 1995 as a development of the Kingdom Come Message Board, a message forum that Weiland created to discuss DC Comics' then-new mini-series of the same name.{{cite web |title=Press Kit |url=https://www.cbr.com/press-kit/ |website=Comic Book Resources |via=The Wayback Machine |access-date=October 27, 2019 |archive-date=October 27, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191027231842/https://www.cbr.com/press-kit/ |url-status=live}}{{cite web |last1=Arrant |first1=Chris |title=DC Hires Jonah Wiland as VP of Marketing & Creative Services |url=https://www.newsarama.com/46393-dc-hires-jonah-weiland.html |website=Newsarama |via=The Wayback Machine |access-date=October 27, 2019 |language=en |date=August 6, 2019 |archive-date=October 27, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191027153202/https://www.newsarama.com/46393-dc-hires-jonah-weiland.html |url-status=live}}

CBR has featured columns by industry professionals such as Robert Kirkman, Gail Simone, and Mark Millar. Other columns were published by comic book historians and critics such as George Khoury and Timothy Callahan.{{cite web |title=Jorge Khoury |url=https://www.cbr.com/author/jorge_khoury/ |website=Comic Book Resources |date=9 December 2011 |via=The Wayback Machine |access-date=October 27, 2019 |archive-date=October 27, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191027153203/https://www.cbr.com/author/jorge_khoury/ |url-status=live}}{{cite web |title=Timothy Callahan |url=https://www.cbr.com/author/timothy_callahan/ |website=Comic Book Resources |date=21 November 2014 |via=The Wayback Machine |access-date=October 27, 2019 |archive-date=August 24, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190824122403/https://www.cbr.com/author/timothy_callahan/ |url-status=live}}

File:CBR.com logo.svg

By April 4, 2016, CBR was sold to Valnet Inc., a Montreal, Canada–based company that owns other media properties including Screen Rant.{{cite web |author=Rich Johnston |author-link=Rich Johnston |url=http://www.bleedingcool.com/2016/04/04/comic-book-resources-sold-to-valnet-and-i-get-a-funny-feeling/ |title=How Comic Book Resources Employees Learned Their Site Had Been Sold To Valnet |website=Bleeding Cool |via=The Wayback Machine |date=April 4, 2016 |access-date=June 14, 2016 |archive-date=2016-06-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160611153801/http://www.bleedingcool.com/2016/04/04/comic-book-resources-sold-to-valnet-and-i-get-a-funny-feeling/ |url-status=live}}{{Cite web |date=April 4, 2016 |title=Comic Book Resources Acquired |url=https://icv2.com/articles/news/view/34130/comic-book-resources-acquired |access-date=August 23, 2023 |website=ICv2 |language=en |archive-date=August 23, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230823034913/https://icv2.com/articles/news/view/34130/comic-book-resources-acquired |url-status=live }} The site was relaunched as CBR.com on August 23, 2016, with the blogs integrated into the site.{{cite web |first=Heidi |last=MacDonald |url=http://www.comicsbeat.com/cbr-com-has-new-design-rebrand-no-blogs/ |title=CBR.com has new design, rebrand, no blogs |website=The Beat |via=The Wayback Machine |date=2016-08-25 |access-date=2017-01-12 |archive-date=2016-11-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161111170552/http://www.comicsbeat.com/cbr-com-has-new-design-rebrand-no-blogs/ |url-status=live}}{{Cite web |last=McMillan |first=Graeme |date=June 12, 2023 |title=CBR layoffs: What led to the firing of three-quarters of their editors (and what happens next) |url=https://www.thepopverse.com/cbr-layoffs-june-2023-comic-book-resources-layoffs-inside |access-date=August 23, 2023 |website=Popverse |language=en |archive-date=June 18, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230618053920/https://www.thepopverse.com/cbr-layoffs-june-2023-comic-book-resources-layoffs-inside |url-status=live }} Popverse reported that following the acquisition by Valnet "comics were increasingly sidelined for coverage [...], as were both reviews and columns as focuses for publishing; instead, the site refocused on shorter news pieces and reactions to news stories". Valnet Inc. is a subsidiary of Valsef Group, which is also headquartered in Montreal.{{Cite web |title=Home - Valsef Group |url=https://www.valsefgroup.com/ |access-date=July 13, 2024 |website=Valsel Group}}

Adam Swiderski, CBR's editor-in-chief since July 2022,{{Cite web |last=McMillan |first=Graeme |date=May 30, 2023 |title=The comic & pop culture journalism website CBR just laid off its editor-in-chief |url=https://www.thepopverse.com/cbr-editor-in-chief-comics-adam-swiderski |access-date=June 5, 2023 |website=Popverse |language=en |archive-date=June 5, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230605011457/https://www.thepopverse.com/cbr-editor-in-chief-comics-adam-swiderski |url-status=live }} along with "senior news editor Stephen Gerding after 18 years with CBR and senior features editor Christopher Baggett after eight years" were laid off by Valnet in May 2023.{{Cite web |last=Johnston |first=Rich |date=June 4, 2023 |title=Firings, Quittings and Valnet Fallout at Comic Book Resources |url=https://bleedingcool.com/comics/firings-quittings-and-valnet-fallout-at-comic-book-resources/ |access-date=June 5, 2023 |website=Bleeding Cool |language=en |archive-date=June 5, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230605011458/https://bleedingcool.com/comics/firings-quittings-and-valnet-fallout-at-comic-book-resources/ |url-status=live }} Heidi MacDonald, for The Beat, reported that Swiderski, Gerding and Baggett were removed for "standing up for writers" and "pushing back against" changes Valnet instituted.{{Cite web |last=MacDonald |first=Heidi |date=June 2, 2023 |title=Inside the CBR layoffs and bad week |url=https://www.comicsbeat.com/inside-cbr-layoffs/ |access-date=June 5, 2023 |website=The Beat |language=en-US |archive-date=June 5, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230605012128/https://www.comicsbeat.com/inside-cbr-layoffs/ |url-status=live }} MacDonald wrote that "writers were being asked to do more work while shrinking the pay-per-view rates. The situation was described to me by one person as 'working writers to the bone', saying "The situation is so dire that in addition to the three editors, I'm told two HR people were laid off, who also objected to the demands that management was making on writers, who, as a reminder, are contractors, not employees". Graeme McMillan, for Popverse, commented that Valnet's culture does not permit "its contributors and employees to question corporate decree" which has led to layoffs of people who have spoken out "about potential issues over Valnet's management and business practices" at CBR and other Valnet-owned sites.

In June 2023, McMillan of Popverse reported that there was a continuing "editorial exodus" at CBR.{{Cite web |last=McMillan |first=Graeme |date=June 28, 2023 |title=Three more editors leave CBR, continuing exodus pattern |url=https://www.thepopverse.com/cbr-editors-leaving-company |access-date=August 23, 2023 |website=Popverse |language=en |archive-date=August 29, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230829223527/https://www.thepopverse.com/cbr-editors-leaving-company |url-status=live }} In August 2023, Rich Johnston of Bleeding Cool commented that there appears to be "serious internal tensions" at CBR and highlighted that former CBR Comics News Editor Sean Gribbin stated between May and August ten News Editors have either left CBR or been laid off.{{Cite web |last=Johnston |first=Rich |author-link=Rich Johnston |date=August 22, 2023 |title=A Deleted CBR Post Indicates Serious Internal Tensions |url=https://bleedingcool.com/comics/cbr-post-deleted-fast-amidst-more-redundancies/ |access-date=August 22, 2023 |website=Bleeding Cool |language=en |archive-date=August 23, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230823032104/https://bleedingcool.com/comics/cbr-post-deleted-fast-amidst-more-redundancies/ |url-status=live }} Johnston reported that CBR Managing Editor Jon Arvden pushed back on speculation that CBR was eliminating its news section.

Comic Book Idol, also known as CBI, is an amateur comic-book art competition created and hosted by comics writer J. Torres, and sponsored by CBR and its participating advertisers.{{cite web|last1=Torres|first1=J|title=Just the FAQs, m'am|url=http://cbi.comicbookresources.com/cbi3/just-the-faqs-mam/|website=Comic Book Resources |via=The Wayback Machine |access-date=February 27, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080428145020/http://cbi.comicbookresources.com/cbi3/just-the-faqs-mam/|archive-date=April 28, 2008|date=September 5, 2007}} Inspired by the singing contest American Idol, CBI is a five-week and five-round competition in which each contestant is given one week to draw a script provided by guest judges. These invited comic-book professionals comment on the artists' work in each round. The contestants to move on to subsequent rounds are selected by fans who vote in a weekly poll.

• Patrick Scherberger won CBI1 and has since worked on a number of Marvel Comics titles like Marvel Adventures: Spider-Man, Marvel Adventures: Hulk and GeNext.{{comicbookdb|type=creator|=3298|title=Patrick Scherberger}}{{cite web|last1=Cronin|first1=Brian|title=Idol Thoughts 9/26|url=http://cbi.comicbookresources.com/cbi3/idol-thoughts-926/|website=Comic Book Resources |via=The Wayback Machine |access-date=February 27, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090527005128/http://cbi.comicbookresources.com/cbi3/idol-thoughts-926/|archive-date=May 27, 2009|date=September 26, 2007}}
• Jonathan Hickman was the runner-up in CBI1 and went on to work for Virgin Comics (Guy Ritchie's Gamekeeper and Seven Brothers), Image Comics (Pax Romana, A Red Mass for Mars and Transhuman) and Marvel Comics (Fantastic Four, Astonishing Tales).{{comicbookdb|type=creator|=10792|title=Jonathan Hickman}}{{cite web|last1=Cronin|first1=Brian|title=Jonathan Hickman on "Comic Book Idol… what!?!"|url=http://www.cbr.com/jonathan-hickman-on-comic-book-idolae¦-what|website=Comic Book Resources |access-date=January 9, 2017|date=September 4, 2007}} {{dead link|date=October 2021}}
• Carlos Rodríguez won CBI2 and went on to work on Shadowhawk for Image and Batman and the Outsiders for DC Comics.{{comicbookdb|type=creator|=5240|title=Carlos Rodríguez}}{{cite web|last1=Cronin|first1=Brian|title=Idol Thoughts 10/4|url=http://cbi.comicbookresources.com/cbi3/idol-thoughts-104/|website=Comic Book Resources|publisher=Wayback Machine|access-date=February 27, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090527005123/http://cbi.comicbookresources.com/cbi3/idol-thoughts-104/|archive-date=May 27, 2009|date=27 May 2009}}
• Billy Penn also competed in CBI2 and went on to work on Savage Dragon.{{comicbookdb|type=creator|=10583|title=Billy Penn}}
• Joe Infurnari, another CBI2 contestant, went on a couple of titles from Oni Press, including Wasteland and Borrowed Time, as well as on the back-up feature of Jersey Gods with Mark Waid.{{comicbookdb|type=creator|=15213|title=Joe Infurnari}}
• Dan McDaid, writer and artist on various Doctor Who comics for Panini and IDW and Jersey Gods for Image Comics, as well as strips for DC Comics, competed in CBI3.{{cite web |last1=Cardwell |first1=Mark |title=Talking Doctor Who with CBI Finalist Dan McDaid |url=https://www.cbr.com/talking-doctor-who-with-cbi-finalist-dan-mcdaid/ |website=Comic Book Resources |publisher=Wayback Machine|access-date=October 27, 2019 |date=April 3, 2018 |archive-date=October 27, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191027154545/https://www.cbr.com/talking-doctor-who-with-cbi-finalist-dan-mcdaid/ |url-status=live}}
• Nick Pitarra competed in CBI3 and went on to do work for Marvel Comics on books such as Astonishing Tales.{{cite web |last1=Tarbys |first1=Jason |title=Nick Pitarra Talks Conspiring with Hickman On 'Manhattan Projects'|url=https://www.cbr.com/nick-pitarra-talks-conspiring-with-hickman-on-manhattan-projects/ |website=Comic Book Resources |publisher=Wayback Machine|access-date=October 27, 2019 |date=January 22, 2013 |archive-date=October 27, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191027154543/https://www.cbr.com/nick-pitarra-talks-conspiring-with-hickman-on-manhattan-projects/ |url-status=live}}
• Charles Paul Wilson III, artist on The Stuff of Legend, competed in CBI3.{{cite web |title= Comic Book Idol Finalists Announced; Winner to Draw "Popgun" Story for Image |url=https://www.cbr.com/comic-book-idol-finalists-announced-winner-to-draw-popgun-story-for-image/ |website=Comic Book Resources |publisher=Wayback Machine|access-date=October 27, 2019 |date=October 12, 2017 |archive-date=October 27, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191027154542/https://www.cbr.com/comic-book-idol-finalists-announced-winner-to-draw-popgun-story-for-image/ |url-status=live}}

In 2008, the University at Buffalo's research library described CBR as "the premiere comics-related site on the Web."{{cite web|title=Comic Books: Internet Resources|url=http://library.buffalo.edu/libraries/asl/guides/comics.html|publisher=University of Buffalo Libraries|access-date=November 6, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081211080454/http://library.buffalo.edu/libraries/asl/guides/comics.html|archive-date=December 11, 2008}}

In April 2013, comics writer Mark Millar said he read the site every morning after reading the Financial Times.{{Cite comic|cartoonist=|story=The Third Degree: Mark Millar|title=Jupiter's Legacy|volume=1|issue=1|date=April 2013|publisher=Image Comics|location=|page=27|panel=|id=}}

In 2014, an article by guest author Janelle Asselin criticized the cover of DC Comics's Teen Titans,{{cite web|last1=Asselin|first1=Janelle|title=Anatomy of a Bad Cover: DC's New 'Teen Titans' #1|url=http://www.cbr.com/anatomy-of-a-bad-cover-dcs-new-teen-titans-1/|website=Comic Book Resources|publisher=Wayback Machine|access-date=January 10, 2017|date=April 11, 2014|archive-date=January 13, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170113171258/http://www.cbr.com/anatomy-of-a-bad-cover-dcs-new-teen-titans-1/|url-status=live}} leading to harassment of and personal threats against Asselin in the website's community forums. Weiland issued a statement apologizing for the incident, condemning the way some community members had reacted, and rebooted the forums in order to establish new ground rules.{{cite web|title=Out With the Old: Introducing the New CBR Community|url=http://www.cbr.com/out-with-the-old-introducing-the-new-cbr-community/|website=Comic Book Resources|publisher=Wayback Machine|access-date=January 10, 2017|date=April 30, 2014|archive-date=January 13, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170113170028/http://www.cbr.com/out-with-the-old-introducing-the-new-cbr-community/|url-status=live}}{{cite magazine |last=Polo |first=Susana |url=http://www.themarysue.com/comic-book-resources-new-forums/ |title=CBR Overhauls Forums In Wake of Widespread Discussion of Treatment of Women in Comics |magazine=The Mary Sue |date=2014-05-01 |access-date=2016-02-27 |archive-date=2016-02-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160221182349/http://www.themarysue.com/comic-book-resources-new-forums/ |url-status=live}}

Heidi MacDonald, for The Beat in June 2023, commented that after CBR was purchased by Valnet in 2016 it "gradually became a more generic 'content farm' turning out less and less comics content and more and more listicles and inane click-baity articles".

• 1999, 2000, 2001: Won the "Favourite Comics-Related Website (professional)" Eagle Award.{{cite web|title=2001|url=http://www.eagleawards.co.uk/category/previous-winners/2001/|website=Eagle Awards|publisher=Wayback Machine|access-date=February 27, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110206165337/http://www.eagleawards.co.uk/category/previous-winners/2001/|archive-date=February 6, 2011|date=February 6, 2011}}
• 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008: Nominated for the "Favourite Comics-Related Website" Eagle Award.{{cite web|title=2008|url=http://www.eagleawards.co.uk/category/previous-winners/2008/|website=Eagle Awards|publisher=Wayback Machine|access-date=February 27, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111130205251/http://www.eagleawards.co.uk/category/previous-winners/2008/|archive-date=November 30, 2011|date=November 30, 2011}}
• 2009: Won the "Best Comics-Related Periodical/Journalism" Eisner Award.{{cite web|title=2000s|url=https://www.comic-con.org/awards/2000s|website=San Diego Comic-Con|publisher=Wayback Machine|access-date=November 6, 2017|language=en|date=December 2, 2012|archive-date=April 11, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080411234840/http://www.comic-con.org/cci/cci_eisners_07win.shtml|url-status=dead}}
• 2010, 2011: Won the "Favourite Comics-Related Website" Eagle Award.{{cite web|title=2010|url=http://www.eagleawards.co.uk/category/previous-winners/2010/|website=Eagle Awards|publisher=Wayback Machine|access-date=February 27, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928202503/http://www.eagleawards.co.uk/category/previous-winners/2010/|archive-date=September 28, 2011}}{{cite web|title=2011|url=http://www.eagleawards.co.uk/category/previous-winners/2011/|website=Eagle Awards|publisher=Wayback Machine|access-date=February 27, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111130205312/http://www.eagleawards.co.uk/category/previous-winners/2011/|archive-date=November 30, 2011|date=November 30, 2011}}
• 2011: Won the "Best Comics-Related Periodical/Journalism" Eisner Award.{{cite web|title=2010-Present|url=https://www.comic-con.org/awards/eisner-award-recipients-2010-present|website=San Diego Comic-Con|publisher=Wayback Machine|access-date=November 6, 2017|language=en|date=December 2, 2012|archive-date=February 13, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140213024118/http://www.comic-con.org/awards/eisner-award-recipients-2010-present|url-status=live}}
• 2013: Won the "Best Biographical, Historical or Journalistic Presentation" Harvey Award for its Robot 6 blog.{{cite web|title=Your 2013 Harvey Awards Winners|url=http://www.comicsreporter.com/index.php/your_2013_harvey_awards_winners/Winners|website=The Comics Reporter|publisher=Wayback Machine|access-date=March 23, 2015|date=September 8, 2013|archive-date=September 23, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923222608/http://www.comicsreporter.com/index.php/your_2013_harvey_awards_winners/Winners|url-status=live}}
• 2014: Won the "Best Comics-Related Periodical/Journalism" Eisner Award.{{cite web|title=2014 Will Eisner Comic Industry Award Winners|url=http://www.comic-con.org/awards/gallery/2014-will-eisner-comic-industry-award-winners|website=San Diego Comic-Con|publisher=Wayback Machine|access-date=March 23, 2015|language=en|date=July 26, 2014|archive-date=April 1, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150401182733/http://www.comic-con.org/awards/gallery/2014-will-eisner-comic-industry-award-winners|url-status=live}}
• 2021: Nominated for "Best Comics-Related Website/Publication Tripwire Awards.{{Cite web |last= |date=2021-08-27 |title=Tripwire Awards 2021 Results In Full |url=https://tripwiremagazine.co.uk/headlines/tripwire-awards-2021-results-in-full/ |access-date=2024-03-23 |website=TRIPWIRE MAGAZINE |language=en-GB}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{official website|http://www.cbr.com/}}

{{Comics information sources}}

Category:American entertainment news websites

Category:Eisner Award winners for Best Comics-Related Periodical/Journalism

Category:Internet properties established in 1995

Category:Websites about comics