Mike Zagari Leaves AMC Networks Publishing, Comics Future Uncertain

Mike Zagari is a former art director of DC Comics, from 2004 to 2010, an executive producer at Marvel from 2011 to 2016, SVP Brand manager of Aftershock from 2016 to 2018 then Head of AMC Networks Publishing from 2018 to.., well, last week.

The AMC Networks Publishing CEO Christina Spade abruptly left the company on November 29th, and there were subsequently hundreds of layoffs across the entire organization at all levels. Mike Zagari was one of many let go, and his last official day was the 9th of December.

Mike Zagari was the principal figure at AMC Networks Publishing involved in bringing in Kelly Sue DeConnick, Bill Sienkiewicz, Brenden Fletcher, Tula Lotay, Kirk Hammett, Christine Norrie, Cecil Castellucci, and others to the new planned comic book publishing line, that intended to work with established and up-and-coming talent in developing, producing and selling fan-focused speciality books, comics, original graphic novels and more.

Series would have included Kelly Sue DeConnick and Bill Sienkiewicz‘s Parisian White. Nights of Lono, by Kirk Hammett, Marcel Feldmar and Christine Norrie, Oubliette by Brenden Fletcher and Tula Lotay, with those first three titles promising  a promotional edition comic debut at San Diego Comic Con 2023, followed by series launch later in the year. And a new original graphic novel, Miss Fisher’s First Mysteries, based on the Acorn TV series adapted from the novels by Kerry Greenwood and written by Cecil Castelluci was to debut in 2023.

 Variety reports high-profile cuts made at the cabler since James Dolan, AMC Networks’ chairman, released a memo saying “significant cutbacks in operations” were coming and projected “a large-scale layoff as well as cuts to every operating area of AMC Networks.”

As for the comic book projects, it is time for the creators’ agents and representatives, and AMCN Business Affairs, to discuss next steps. And I’m sure Mike Zagari will have no shortage of suitors wanting to talk to him about his future in the comic book industry.