Yesterday, comic book publisher AWA (Artists, Writers, & Artisans) announced that Michael Cotton, longtime comic book editor, and journalist, has joined the company as an Executive Editor.
Cotton is no stranger to the comics industry, having previously worked as a journalist reporting on the publishing and entertainment industries for WIZARD and Champion! magazines and most recently as the Senior Editor of the Superman line at DC Comics. As an Executive Editor, Cotton will work alongside former Marvel executives and AWA Co-Founders Axel Alonso, Chief Creative Officer, and Bill Jemas, CEO & Publisher, and will be tasked with assembling an all-new group of diverse creators to deliver fresh, original stories for the company.
In a press release from AWA, Cotton said the following about working with the publisher:
“I’ve followed AWA since its inception and have been amazed by the quality of their stories and vision for working with creators in new and exciting ways. The opportunity to carve my own path among this incredibly talented editorial team by assembling an all-new group of diverse creators to deliver fresh original IP for the AWA portfolio is something that I couldn’t pass up. I can’t wait to begin developing content that will excite and resonate with both long-time fans, retailers and new audiences.”
Bill Jemas, CEO & Publisher, said about the addition of Cotton:
“Axel is, in my opinion, the best there is at what he does and Mike is, in my opinion, the best at what he does. At AWA, Axel has had, and Mike will have, the freedom to do what they each do best and the resources they’ll need to succeed.”
Co-Founders Axel Alonso added:
“Since my days at Marvel, Mike has been a mainstay and one of the leading voices in the comic book industry. From his time at WIZARD, his whole purpose has been to advance the industry forward and to support the diverse voices that are so valuable to the medium. AWA continues to assemble an incredible team of executives, editors and creators and adding Mike to the team will be invaluable to our ability to continue to develop and diversify the content we produce.”
Mike Cotton’s AWA Studio Portrait at the Sunset Marquis Hotel in Los Angeles, CA, on Wednesday, December 15, 2021.
(photo: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages)
Stay tuned to Comic Watch for what’s coming next from AWA (Artists, Writers, & Artisans) and Mike Cotton in the coming months.