The restructuring of the comics and graphic novel businesses recently acquired from Diamond Comic Distributors has begun, with key executives and others laid off last Friday.  The layoffs took place as NECA and WizKids owner Ad Populum took control of the comic-related businesses when the acquisition closed last week (see "Under New Ownership").

Chris Powell, Chief Sales & Service Officer for Diamond divisions Diamond Comic Distributors, Alliance Game Distributors, Diamond Book Distributors, and others, posted on Facebook that Friday was his last day.  "The last 13 years have rarely been easy, but I’m just as grateful for my time here as I was for the prior 23 years at Lone Star Comics," Powell wrote.  "I don’t know what’s next, whether it will be in the industry where I have spent my adult life or elsewhere.  I know that whatever it is, it will have a lot to live up to."

Powell joined Diamond in 2012 as Executive Director of Business Development, moving from his longtime role as General Manager at Lone Star Comics and MyComicShop.com (see "Chris Powell to Diamond").

Rich Johnson, Vice President, Sales and Business Development of Diamond Book Distributors, posted on LinkedIn that he and his sales team (Stuart Carter and Terry Helman) were laid off on Friday.  "The sale of Diamond Comics was finalized today and few minutes after the press release went out my sales team and I (Stuart Carter and Terry Helman) were let go," Johnson wrote.  "Several others at Diamond were let go and my heart goes out to everyone affected."

Johnson joined the company in 2022 (see "Diamond Book Gets Johnson"), after several other executive positions in the graphic novel business, including at DC Comics, Yen Press, and Lion Forge (see "Diamond Book Gets Johnson").