By Alex Jones and Heidi MacDonald
The timing may have nothing to do with last week’s Twilight of DC’s office, but Marvel Comics Executive Editor Mike Marts leaving a post where he was clearly being groomed for big things to go to a START-UP, is an interesting comment on the state of the American comics industry. Marts confirmed on Twitter that he was leaving Marvel for AfterShock Comics, a new venture with writer Joe Pruett. Deadline has more details. Pruett has written X-Men titles for Marvel. Marts was working on various high profile titles including Guardians of the Galaxy and X-Men comics. Marts will become Editor-in-Chief of Aftershock comics after pingponging back between Marvel and Dc for a career that started in 1996.
By now some of you may have heard that last week I gave notice at Marvel. I leave amicably and on great terms with my "M" Family…
— Mike Marts (@mikemarts) April 13, 2015
But it's time for exciting new adventures as I join Aftershock as their Editor-in-Chief: http://t.co/p4gJA2yiB4
— Mike Marts (@mikemarts) April 13, 2015
I could not be more excited about my future and the creative adventures that lie ahead of me. After years of honing my skills…
— Mike Marts (@mikemarts) April 13, 2015
…at the two best publishers in the business, I am breaking to build a fun, safe, creative & competitive new home.
— Mike Marts (@mikemarts) April 13, 2015
According to Deadline:
The upstart AfterShock is in build mode. Pruett was the man behind Negative Burn and also is a former Marvel writer on X-Men Unlimited, Wolverine and Cable. Pruett, who has won numerous awards for his work, is no stranger to starting new businesses: He also founded Desperado Publishing in 2004.
AfterShock also has among its ranks co-CEO Michael Richter, who was a senior exec at eBay and Facebook, serving as the latter’s chief privacy officer. He also was the head of development at Fog City Pictures. The other co-CEO, Jon Kramer, has been involved in production of reality TV and features for many years. AfterShock President Lee Kramer was the head story analyst at Endeavor and before that worked with Cathy Schulman at Mandalay Pictures on such films as Crash and The Illusionist. The last of its executive team is SVP Investor Relations Jawad Qureshi, who worked in Silicon Valley investing in various companies.
While AfterShock has some experienced entertainment hands behind it—and a smart industry vet in Pruett—it has a way to go to match Marvel Comics, to say the least. It definitely speaks to Marts adventurous and experimental nature that he’s taking on this venture.
Who says Marts and co are building a company to match Marvel? Maybe they have very different aspirations in mind….
Marts took Marvel guys and years of experience from the company with him. Surely there will be some Marvel influence built in the start-up.
Mike is one of the nicest guys in comics and a real class act. Wishing him much luck on the new venture.
With Joe Pruett? That does sound promising!
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