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"Where else are they gonna go?": The culture clash at the heart of ComiXology and Amazon

According to insiders, there has been tension between Amazon and ComiXology since the latter was purchased nine years ago

Amazon Comixology — Image credit: Amazon

Features by Graeme McMillan, Editor

Published on Thu May 25 2023

In January 2023, Amazon’s digital comics platform ComiXology was hit by significant layoffs as part of wider budget cuts at the parent company, with what was considered at the time to be somewhere between 50 and 75% of the roughly 100-strong workforce let go in one fell swoop. It was seen by many former staffers and customers alike as the beginning of the end for the company — but, as Popverse has discovered through conversations with multiple sources, the reality is far more complicated.

ComiXology: From origin to Amazon

ComiXology was founded in 2007 by David Steinberger, John D. Roberts, and Peter Jaffe. The company wasn’t originally in the business of selling digital comics; that element, which would come to define the brand, wasn’t part of things for the first couple of years of its existence, with the company

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Graeme McMillan: Popverse Editor Graeme McMillan (he/him) has been writing about comics, culture, and comics culture on the internet for close to two decades at this point, which is terrifying to admit. He completely understands if you have problems understanding his accent.