Shonen Jump Editor in Chief Marc Weidenbaum Leaves VIZ Media

Manga creator and blogger Tina Anderson broke the news today that Marc Weidenbaum, Editor in Chief of Shonen Jump magazine and VIZ Media's Vice President of Original Publishing has decided to leave the San Francisco-based publishing company for other opportunities. This news set off a flurry of speculation about the fate of VIZ Media's original comics program.

Weidenbaum (pictured seated to the right of comics legend Stan Lee at San Diego Comic-Con 2008), along with editor Eric Searleman was leading the project, which has been quietly in development since last year. VIZ Media formally announced their intentions to develop homegrown comics content at San Diego Comic-Con 2008, where Weidenbaum and Searleman reviewed portfolios for prospective authors and artists. At the time, ICV2 interviewed the pair about their plans, which sounded promising, albeit a bit on the vague side.

ICV2: "Are you looking for manga-style properties?"
Weidenbaum / Searleman: "If by "manga" you mean what is generally considered manga in the United States (fantasy and romance aimed at teenagers), then no. If by "manga" you mean what is meant by manga in Japan (a broad range of comics that emphasize serial storytelling, cliffhangers, reader feedback, a supportive editorial process, and a rich creator voice), then yes we are."

Since then, there has no official word on any developments on this front.

According to Evelyn Dubocq, VIZ Media's Director of Public Relations, there's no confirmation at this time about the current status of, and future plans for their original comics program. This effectively means that it's not officially cancelled and it's not officially on hold either.

Given that Weidenbaum's departure is a very recent development, and that the original comics project has yet to be defined, it remains to be seen how things will shake out, both as far as VIZ's ventures into homegrown comics and personnel changes at Shonen Jump magazine. The current economic climate and the numerous changes in the air can... well, change things at any time, so any news coming out of the manga business nowadays is best treated with a 'wait and see' rather than a 'run for the exits' mentality.

That said, I'll miss seeing Weidenbaum on the manga circuit. His enthusiasm for artistically innovative manga and comics always made for some great conversations, so good wishes go out to him for success in whatever ventures he undertakes next.

Image credits: © Deb Aoki, © VIZ Media LLC