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Cadence Comic Art Lawsuit Settlement Revealed

Posted on February 10, 2026 by Brett

In August 2025, Becky Cloonan, David Marquez, Wesley Craig, Paolo Villanelli, Leila Leiz, Alessandro Cappuccio, Danai Christina Kilaidoni, Elena Casagrande, Valerio Schiti, Mahmud Anjum Asrar, Joelle Jones, Yildiray Cinar, Rafael Albuquerque, Tyler Crook, Jenny Frison, Pia Guerra, and Jill Thompson filed a lawsuit against Cadence Comic Art and Paolo Belfiore over what the claim of “egregious misconduct.” In early December, attorneys asked for an adjournment until mid-January 2026 as the parties were meeting in an attempt to settle the lawsuit without the need for a trial and in January an agreement was reached. As long as the agreement was followed, no trial would follow.

Now, in a new court filing, we know the details of that settlement:

Defendants agree to provide the sum of Five Hundred Fifty Thousand U.S. Dollars ($550,000.00).
Payment of the Settlement Consideration shall be in equal monthly payments of Three Hundred and Fifty U.S. Dollars ($350.00) due on the first of each calendar month, in perpetuity, until the entire Settlement Consideration is paid in full. Larger payments may be made, and any amount shall be credited accordingly.
As long as the payments are made, there’ll be no interest but if a payment is failed to be made, the Settlement Consideration shall accrue an interest rate of 9% per annum, calculated retroactively from January 1, 2024 until the outstanding amount is paid in full.
There’ll be no further expenses for the Defendents as long as they make timely payments.
There are no admissions of any kind by the Plaintiffs or Defendents.
There’s a Non-Disparagement clause.

You can check out all of the official documents with more details of the settlement below:

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Breaking: Cadence Comic Art Lawsuit Has Been Settled and asks for Dismissal

Posted on January 13, 2026 by Brett

In early December, attorneys asked for an adjournment until mid-January 2026 as the parties were meeting in an attempt to settle the lawsuit without the need for a trial. That hearing was supposed to take place tomorrow, January 14.

Now, the court has been informed that the parties have come to an agreement and settled and have asked for the case to be dismissed with the ability to reopen the case if the settlement falls apart. The plaintiffs have until February 12, 2026 to reopen the case as per the proposed order filed with the court.

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Preview: Sisterhood: A Hyde Street Story #5

Posted on December 21, 2025 by Graphic Policy Team

Sisterhood: A Hyde Street Story #5

(W) Maytal Zchut (A) Leila Leiz

With the sorority house in flames, Violet, in control of Sophie’s body, is determined to finish what she started, while Sophie — now trapped in the desolate underwater limbo where Violet was — struggles to survive. While each one faces her own demons, the real fight falls between these two former best friends. In this battle of life or death, are there truly any winners?

Updated: Cadence Comic Art Court Case asked for Adjournment Until January 2026

Posted on December 8, 2025 by Brett

In November, the lawyer for the plaintiffs in the lawsuit against Cadence Comic Art and Paolo Belfiore asked the court for an extension of time and adjournment. With a hearing set for December 9, the lawyer has again asked for an adjournment until mid-January 2026.

The parties involved have been meeting in an attempt to settle the lawsuit without the need for a trial.

The Parties are still in the process of discussing a potential settlement and have commenced informal exchange of information to facilitate the same. Progress was made but additional time is required to complete this exchange of information and work out settlement terms.

Update: The request has been granted with the pretrial conference now set for January 14, 2026 at 11am.

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Cadence Lawsuit

Extension of Time and Adjournment Requested in Cadence Comic Art Case as Settlement Discussions Continue

Posted on November 12, 2025 by Brett

In August, 17 artists filed a lawsuit against Cadence Comic Art and Paolo Belfiore over “egregious misconduct.” They’re accused of defrauding the plaintiffs out of money. The plaintiffs include Becky Cloonan, David Marquez, Wesley Craig, Paolo Villanelli, Leila Leiz, Alessandro Cappuccio, Danai Christina Kilaidoni, Elena Casagrande, Valerio Schiti, Mahmud Anjum Asrar, Joelle Jones, Yildiray Cinar, Rafael Albuquerque, Tyler Crook, Jenny Frison, Pia Guerra, and Jill Thompson.

While the case is still in the early stages, a letter was sent to the judge presiding over the case, Hon. Jennifer L. Rochon, asking for an extension of time and adjournment.

The parties involved have been meeting to discuss a potential settlement and progress was made. The “Parties have agreed to an informal exchange of information and discussed potential settlement structures. Additional time is required to complete this exchange of information and work on settlement terms. “

The parties were required by the court to submit an order of a plan for the case, things like the timeline proposed, by November 14. The lawyer for the plaintiffs have asked that be extended to December 8. An Initial Pre-Trial Conference was scheduled for November 18 and that is being asked to now take place December 9, 10, 11, or 12.

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Cadence Lawsuit

Preview: Sisterhood: A Hyde Street Story #4

Posted on October 23, 2025 by Graphic Policy Team

Sisterhood: A Hyde Street Story #4

(W) Maytal Zchut (A) Leila Leiz

Violet’s spirit — still trapped in Sophie’s body — struck again, this time murdering several sorority sisters. With Sophie as the primary suspect, she’s taken into police custody, now aware that her friend is the culprit. As a rift begins to form, will Sophie be able to find a way out of this mess? All roads lead back to Hyde Street.

Preview: Sisterhood: A Hyde Street Story #3

Posted on September 3, 2025 by Graphic Policy Team

Sisterhood: A Hyde Street Story #3

(W) Maytal Zchut (A) Leila Leiz

A sorority sister is dead. Sophie, with Violet’s spirit still trapped in her body, was right there when it happened… but how is it that she doesn’t remember a thing? The police may let Sophie off easy, but when she’s snatched from her dorm with a bag over her head, she finds the sorority isn’t as lenient as the cops…

17 Artists File a Lawsuit against Cadence Comic Art and Paolo Belfiore

Posted on August 18, 2025 by Brett

2025 might go down as the year for comic related lawsuits. A lawsuit on behalf of 17 artists was initially filed on August 7 in the Southern District of New York against Cadence Comic Art and Paolo Belfiore.

The lawsuit is over “egregious misconduct” by Cadence Comic Art and Belfiore accusing them of defrauding the plaintiffs out of money. Cadence Comic Art is/was a popular site to purchase original comic art. In full disclosure, I’ve purchased comic art from the site, an original piece by Jenny Frison, one of the plaintiffs, about twelve years ago, and some of the complaints sound similar to that purchasing experience.

The plaintiffs include Becky Cloonan, David Marquez, Wesley Craig, Paolo Villanelli, Leila Leiz, Alessandro Cappuccio, Danai Christina Kilaidoni, Elena Casagrande, Valerio Schiti, Mahmud Anjum Asrar, Joelle Jones, Yildiray Cinar, Rafael Albuquerque, Tyler Crook, Jenny Frison, Pia Guerra, and Jill Thompson, and they are being represented by Adwar Ivko.

The 15 page complaint accuses Cadence Comic Art with Belfiore of breaching their fiduciary duties by not providing accurate and regular account statements, commingling funds, and neglecting to safeguard their work from loss, damage or theft. They claim financial harm and that the actions violate ACAL. N.Y. Arts & Cultural Affairs law (ACAL) is that when an artist consigns a work of art to a merchant, proceeds from the sale are considered property held in a statutory trust which prevents it from becoming property of the art merchant’s creditors.

The initial filing states the amount in dispute is over $473,000 and that the defendants collected over $236,253 in commissions for their services with this going back to 2008. There was also “secret sales and secret transfers” which were failed to be reported. In addition, unsold consigned artwork and inventory records weren’t returned.

Further accusations include holding over 49 pieces of art which had not been sold and refusing to return the items even after being sent a formal demand from the artist’s lawyer that also included a cease and desist from further representing the artists. A demand was sent to the defendant on September 10, 2024 and they never responded with a follow up on November 8, 2024 with no response.

They are asking the court to take action to return the art, get an accounting of all sales, transfers, or other disposition of the art, and for damages in excess of $473,000.

After some initial filing issues by the attorney for the artists, things are getting rolling with a summons issued to Belfiore and Cadence Comic Art on August 13, 2025.

Cloonan v. Cadence Comic Art Inc is being overseen by Judge Jennifer L. Rochon. A pre-trial conference is currently set for November 18.

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Preview: Sisterhood: A Hyde Street Story #1

Posted on June 30, 2025 by Graphic Policy Team

Sisterhood: A Hyde Street Story #1

(W) Maytal Zchut (A) Alex Sinclair, Leila Leiz
In Shops: Jul 02, 2025
SRP: $3.99

Lifelong friends Sophie and Violet were practically sisters. Now at college, they’ve been slowly drifting apart. But when Violet accidentally drowns at a sorority hazing, a devastated Sophie pleads with the psychic SISTER HOOD to contact her dead friend. Sometimes you get what you wish for…but on Hyde Street, there’s always a cost…and it’s a killer.

ComicsPRO 2025: Ghost Machine announces First Ghost and Hyde Street: Sisterhood

Posted on February 24, 2025 by Graphic Policy Team

Image Comics and Ghost Machine sent chills through audience members at last week’s ComicsPro event with the announcement of a duo of new thrillers for 2025—First Ghost by New York Times bestselling author Brad Meltzer, Geoff Johns, and Gene Ha launching later this year and Hyde Street: Sisterhood by Maytal Zchut and Leila Leiz launching in July.

Ghost Machine’s Unnamed Universe story settings span decades—from the future of Geiger, to the past of Redcoat—and now its present-day set series will begin with First Ghost. This new series launches later this year and will be co-written by Meltzer—who, after a short story in Marvel #1000, returns to comics for the first time in six years—and Johns with world-renowned artist Gene Ha (Top 10, Wonder Woman: Historia). First Ghost will follow on a newly elected United States President who moves into the White House with a young son. The two quickly discover the residence is more terrifying than cutthroat politicians and red tape.

But that’s not all the excitement out of Ghost Machine—fans will also soon be introduced to a new character in April, Sister Hood, in the upcoming Hyde Street #5, before she takes up residency on Hyde Street with the creepy new release, Sisterhood: A Hyde Street Story.

The new five-issue series reunites Ghost Machine writer Maytal Zchut and artist Leila Leiz, who has signed an exclusive agreement with Ghost Machine as a full-time artist. The It Happened on Hyde Street: Devour collaborators will explore themes of extreme co-dependence and revenge in a tale revolving around two life-long friends whose relationship radically changes when one accidentally drowns during a sorority hazing incident… But on Hyde Street, death takes on a terrifying new meaning.

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