SVP of Sales & Marketing Alex Segura, Marketing Manager Henry Barajas, Senior Editor Amanda Meadows, and Senior Editor Jasmine Amiri are no longer on staff at Oni. Both Meadows and Amiri Tweeted that they had just been laid off, implying that they had no warning this was coming.
Oni hired Segura in May 2021 (see “Segura to Oni from Archie”). Segura started his comics career as Publicity Manager at DC comics, then went to Archie as VP-Publicity and Marketing, back to DC as Executive Director of Publicity, and back again to Archie, where he served as Co-President for three years. He also has experience in journalism and editing and has written several mystery novels.
Barajas came to Oni in August 2021, after a five-year stint as Director of Operations at Top Cow. In December, Segura credited him with encouraging the publisher to expand its options for the direct market (see “Oni-Lion Forge Adds Lunar for Distro”). Barajas is also a journalist and the author of several comics, including Helm Greycastle and La Voz de M.A.Y.O., and he currently writes the syndicated comic strip Gil Thorp.
Meadows came to Lion Forge in 2018, shortly before it merged with Oni Press (see “Lion Forge, Valiant Hire Editors”). Prior to that, she was the co-founder, publisher, and editor of the humor publisher The Devastator, and Publishers Weekly named her a “Rising Star” in 2015. Her humor books include We Don’t Think You’re Racist: Soothing Affirmations from People of Color and The Best American E-Mails.
Amiri was hired by Lion Forge in 2017 (see “Lion Forge Expands Editorial Staff”) after six years at BOOM! Studios, where she edited John Allison’s Eisner-nominated Giant Days and James Tynion IV and Michael Dialynas’ GLAAD Award-winning The Woods, among others.
Updated: July 14, 10:45 CT. Oni released a statement on Twitter Wednesday night that appears designed to tamp down shutdown and sale rumors. "[R]ecent personnel changes at Oni-Lion Forge Publishing Group were made with the sole purpose of evolving the company and brand, and positioning it for long-term success," the company said in part. "Within a new framework that is being worked on now, we remain committed to publishing groundbreaking content, embracing pioneering creators, and advancing authentic diversity and inclusion."
