Digital Comics | Similar to a move they made on iOS devices about eight years ago, Comixology has announced that they have removed the ability to purchase comics from their Android app. The email to users said that the change was made to “remain in compliance with updated Google Play Store policies,” which, as The Beat points out, are intended to close loopholes that allowed companies to sell items in their Android apps without paying fees to the Google Play Store. The move follows those made by two other Amazon entities, Audible and Kindle Books, earlier this year.
People | ICv2 reports on Bill Jemas leaving AWA Studios, the company he co-founded in 2018. Jemas is moving on to start a new company, Be Good Studios, LLC.
People | Via press release, Image Comics has announced they’ve hired Matt Parkinson as vice president of sales & publishing planning. He will oversee Image’s sales department and will report directly to Eric Stephenson, publisher and chief creative officer. Parkinson was previously at Dark Horse Comics as vice president of marketing.
The announcement also detailed several other promotions at Image, as five employees all become VPs: Lorelei Bunjes is being promoted up to VP of digital strategy, Dirk Wood has been promoted to VP of international sales and licensing, Heather Doornink is being promoted to VP of production, Nicole Lapalme is being promoted to VP of finance and Kat Salazar is being promoted to VP of PR and marketing.
Interviews | At Polygon, Susana Polo talks with Joshua Williamson about Dark Crisis and the reactions he’s seen to the Justice League “dying.”
“It’s been fascinating to watch the range of reactions [to the death of the Justice League],” he told Polygon over Zoom. “Some people are skeptical and very dismissive of it. But on the other side of that there are people who are really upset, and really concerned, and they worry because they believe it. It’s just fascinating to watch that in the real world […] [while] having our characters react the same way.”
Interviews | Uproxx talks with writer and actor Al Madrigal about Primos, his comic with Carlo Barberi that draws inspiration from ancient Mayan and Aztec mythology.
Creators | The Berkeley High Jacket, the high school newspaper for Berkeley High School, reports on a recent presentation given by comics creator Gene Luen Yang for Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month.
Conventions | At Publisher’s Weekly, Heidi MacDonald has a round-up on recent and returning comics conventions, as she talks with publishers and organizers about the return to live events.
Reading Lists | The School Library Journal rounds up “15 Returning Faces for Graphic Novels Shelves,” as Thomas Maluck shares details on different graphic novel series with librarians and whether the new entries stand on their own.