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Rattlings about changes at ComicMix continue. We’ve confirmed that both publicist Martha Thomases has been laid off and and vp Glenn Hauman have been laid off has elected not to take a salary. At his blog, ComicMix news editor Robert Greenberger confirms some cuts but vows to continue despite the problems inherent in running a comics news site these days:

So here’s the deal: yes, there’s been some downsizing and it means I can no longer use outside talent for the news space. Some will do so on a pro bono basis but for the foreseeable future, it’ll be me doing the news, reviews, and interviews. … I have tried to make certain levels of journalistic standards have been applied so if we get a press release we put things into context. Same with news and notes we cull from across the internet since we cannot presume our readership is as familiar with this stuff as we are. So, I am very proud of what we have done the last two months.

Sadly, it hasn’t seemed to move the needle in terms of page views which is, of course, how we and most other websites generate ad revenue. ComicMix has some very exciting plans going forward and one hopes the current retrenchment means we can come back stronger. The technical delays behind Phase 3 have been very time consuming and daunting but when it launches, should change the playing field a bit and we hope in positive ways.


Meanwhile, Todd Allen looks at ComicMix’s business model and finds it shrouded in mystery:

There is some question, in practicality, whether ComicMix is a webcomics site with some news or a news site with webcomics. Any time the topic is brought up in person, the answer is supposed to be the webcomics are the focus of the site and the news is just there to draw some traffic. The problem with this? There are zero revenue streams currently attached to their webcomics. Click on over to Grimjack. See any ads? Haven’t been any ads on their comic pages for at least 6 months.


Still developing.

1 COMMENT

  1. I’m laid off? Um… not quite. You can’t really lay off an owner of the company.

    What I have done is taken myself off of payroll, to conserve company cash during a tough time. I’m still working for the company, still posting stories on the site, still doing all the things a production guy/utility infielder does.