Artists, Writers & Artisans, Inc., a new company formed by former Marvel (and Double Take) Publisher Bill Jemas, has raised $5 million in venture capital from Lightspeed Venture Partners, Jemas told ICv2. Lightspeed is best known as an early investor in Snapchat and DoubleClick; it’s currently investing in early stage companies out of Lightspeed X1, a $715 million fund.
The financing round was set up at $7.5 million; the remaining $2.5 million position has been left open for a potential strategic investor such as a TV network or motion picture studio, Jemas said.
The board of Artists, Writers & Artisans is made up of Jemas, Lightspeed partner Alexander Taussig, and Jon Miller, who’s currently rolling up digital media companies, including Fandom, with money from Texas Pacific Group.
Jemas was Publisher at Marvel during the turbulent early 00s, and more recently ran Double Take, the comic publishing arm of Take Two Interactive, which shut down in late 2016 (see "Double Take to Shut Down").
The first comics from Artists, Writers & Artisans will be launched in "2019 or later," according to Jemas.

From Lightspeed Ventures
Posted by Milton Griepp on October 16, 2018 @ 6:18 am CT

MORE COMICS
Plus: Middle-Grade Peach-Pit, New Titles from Creators of 'That Wolf-Boy Is Mine,' 'Otomen'
July 10, 2025
Other newly announced shojo titles include a middle-grade series by Peach-Pit and new series by the creators of That Wolf-Boy Is Mine and Otomen.
Day and Date with Print Release
July 10, 2025
GlobalComix is now offering IDW Publishing titles day and date with print release.
MORE NEWS
Robot-fighting Card Game by DV Games
July 10, 2025
DV Games will release Rumblebots, a new card game, into retail.
Former Chairman and CEO of Hasbro
July 10, 2025
Former Chairman and CEO of Hasbro Alan Hassenfeld has passed away on July 8, 2025.