In what isn’t going to help them at all Oni Lion Forge Publishing Group released a statement regarding the recent staff layoffs as well as rumors about the publisher. The oddly worded statement called the rumors “sensationalistic” and “false information”. The statement opens stating that the recent “personnel changes” (aka firings) were done to “evolve the brand” with a focus on long-term success. As of this article, no one that we know of, has been named to replace anyone let go in the past two weeks which included many key decision makers at the publisher.

About two weeks ago publisher James Lucas Jones and vp of creative & business development Charlie Chu both were fired. There has been no announcement of replacements. The recent layoffs include the Senior VP of sales, a sales manager, a senior editor, and an editor. Again, no replacements announced.

The word salad of a statement goes on to celebrate the long history of both publishers, though Oni’s celebration of 25 years at SDCC has been canceled, and a commitment to embracing “pioneering creators” and “advancing authentic diversity and inclusion.” One of the narratives that has emerged since yesterday is numerous creators with projects at the publisher whose contact/editor/whomever has been fired and they don’t know if the project is still going on. Like above, it points to a lack of planning regarding the “personnel changes.” And while Oni has done a fantastic job of comics and graphic novels focused on LGBTQ+ representation, Lion Forge’s Catalyst Prime universe has languished.

The message has gone over as well as you’d expect online and seems to only have worsened the situation. As usual, comics shows its inability to manage crisis.

So content consumers, what do you think?

It looks like Polarity is slashing Oni Press to the bare minimum as today news broke that there were four more layoffs at the publisher. This is the latest round as two top staffers, James Lucas Jones and Charlie Chu, were laid off two weeks ago. Senior VP of sales and marketing Alex Segura, sales manager Henry Barajas, senior editor Amanda Meadows, and editor Jasmine Amiri were all let go today.

With less than a week to go before San Diego Comic-Con, the layoffs make no sense and are sure to further fuel discussion as to what’s going at the publisher. Creators with projects unannounced and already published are in the dark as to what’s going on based on comments on Twitter. Many have talked about regaining their rights and pulling their projects from the publisher as well as questionable sales/payment reporting.

We’ve heard through the rumormill the parent company Polarity is focused on their animation division and cutting Oni to focus on licensed IP after the publisher was hit hard during the pandemic. Rumors have swirled about a sale as well.

With the publisher celebrating 25 years, it has canceled two panels at San Diego Comic-Con celebrating that achievement.

Oni Press was purchased and merged with Lion Forge in May of 2019. Soon after the announcement, Oni staff were laid off eclipsing the news of the acquisition. With SDCC coming, it looks like Polarity again fumbles putting itself even more in the spotlight with negative news and with a timing that it’ll be dragged out.