This morning Amazon introduced its worldwide layoffs and it seems that the remnants of Comixology – the main digital comics service controversially-absorbed into Amazon Kindle in February 2022 – took a major hit. According to at least one former worker let go at this time between 50 and 75% of its staff might have been jettisoned.
Scott (@CocktailsAndInk), a ten+ 12 months Comixology veteran let go by Amazon this morning, took to Twitter to provide us an concept of the scenario and likewise how dispiriting it’s for former staff, clients, and the realm of digital comics.
The destiny of particular person staff and packages together with the Comixology Originals program, stays unknown at press time.
Can affirm.
There have been quite a few cuts at @comixology this morning.
Myself included. https://t.co/Hzgo9WW5qK
— Scott (@CocktailsAndInokay) January 18, 2023
So. Comixology.
My identify is Scott and I spent my ~10 years at Comixology engaged on the pages and lists clients clicked on, the pulllist (approach again when)…. and the low cost gross sales that everyone likes.
It’d the very best job I ever had, and the very best folks I ever labored with. 1/
— Scott (@CocktailsAndInokay) January 18, 2023
The 11-part thread in full:
“So. Comixology.
“My identify is Scott and I spent my ~10 years at Comixology engaged on the pages and lists clients clicked on, the pulllist (approach again when)…. and the low cost gross sales that everyone likes.
“It’d the very best job I ever had, and the very best folks I ever labored with.
“This morning, there have been vital cuts to the Comixology staff. I’ve no numbers to share, but it surely appears to be like like, from the surface, that no less than 50% of the staff have been let go.
“Possibly 75%.
“One of the issues I’ve seen through the years is that CMX staff hardly ever point out a lot about their jobs on social. Obviously, there’s clauses in contracts about all this, however we typically saved our mouths shut, even on the worst days.
“But there’s another excuse.
“We beloved our jobs.
“We beloved comics.
“We beloved manga, we beloved super-heroes, we beloved younger grownup & center grade, we beloved graphic novels, single points, all of it.
“All of it.
“And we beloved working with one another.
“We actually did – that’s not horseshit.
“See, rather a lot of folks at tech corporations transfer round each 2-3 years. They go someplace new, study one thing new, tackle new duties, get promoted, after which transfer on to their subsequent journey.
“Not us. Many of us stayed.
“Because our ardour for comics and respect for one another was off-the-charts.
“How typically in life do you get work with folks like this? How typically do you receives a commission a wage and healthcare and advantages that let you go on trip and take sick time, and all that in comics?
“It’s very uncommon.
“I’m so grateful for the alternatives I used to be given.
“And at all times, at all times, at all times grateful for the folks I labored with.
“You actually don’t know, as a result of we by no means talked about it.
“But we labored our asses off as a result of of our love of the medium – and one another.
“As for what occurs subsequent, I don’t know. You’ll must ask @comixology or @amazon .
“I suppose a press release will likely be coming ahead in some unspecified time in the future.
“Or not.
“I don’t know what the long run of digital comics (@comixology) is at Amazon. Sadly, I’m not optimistic.
“But I do know that for ten years, 100’s of folks busted their ass in each approach doable to make Comixology occur.
“And even realizing the way it ended, I’d do it over again.
“To my co-workers, whom will at all times have my everlasting respect: It’s time to inform your tales. Tell the nice elements. Let folks understand how a lot we beloved comics.
“And nonetheless do.
“Don’t lose religion or hope, my pals.
“Tom & Jeff – for those who see this: It’s not your fault.
“We all did the very best we might.
“As for me, I’m, uh, gonna be in search of new work. Don’t know if I’ll keep in comics – though 15+ years in thee {industry} does add up.
“I believe although, this week, I’ll have a bourbon, perhaps two.
“And take into consideration the good work we did collectively, and all the nice instances (and a pair of the dangerous).
“To you, my pals, and now-former co-workers. We didn’t deserve this ending, however what an journey.
“Thank you for everything.”
According to Bloomberg, some 18,000 Amazon staff have been let go at this time throughout all ranges of the big worldwide company entity; the most important job cuts in Amazon’s historical past. This transfer was signposted again in November however the hit was solely confirmed at this time.
Similar job losses are being introduced throughout the tech sector – together with at Microsoft. Comixology was purchased by Amazon in 2014 and allowed to run as a strong go-to, industry-leading digital comics service impartial of Kindle till February 2022. In late 2021 the service knowledgeable clients and publishers adjustments have been coming and the service was being built-in totally into the Kindle code structure. The transfer was criticized as being rushed and full of bugs, and solely just lately has the platform change into extra secure and usable, though customers say it lacks many of the options that made Comixology a market chief.
With the service subsumed into Amazon and the workforce reported downsized to half or 1 / 4 of its earlier measurement, one wonders if Comixology actually exists anymore – and if Comixology is gone, the place do digital comics go from right here? Currently no service supplied as complete entry to all kinds of publishers (although Global Comix is catching up).
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