Jonah Weiland launched Comic Book Resources in 1995 from the ashes of a single message board dedicated to a specific DC Comics mini-series. The site began as a digital extension of the Kingdom Come Message Board, a forum Weiland created to discuss the then-new mini-series of the same name. This humble origin story transformed into a massive news hub that would eventually cover movies, television, anime, and video games alongside traditional comic book news. The transformation from a niche discussion group to a global media property illustrates the rapid evolution of internet culture in the late 1990s. Weiland's decision to expand the scope beyond just the Kingdom Come series allowed the platform to capture the growing interest in superhero narratives and pop culture phenomena. By 2008, the University at Buffalo's research library described CBR as the premiere comics-related site on the Web, a testament to its early dominance in the digital space. The site's ability to adapt to changing reader interests while maintaining a core focus on comic book culture set the stage for its future success and eventual acquisition.
The Valnet Acquisition Shift
On the 4th of April 2016, Comic Book Resources was sold to Valnet Inc., a Montreal, Canada-based company that owns other media properties including Screen Rant. The site was relaunched as CBR.com on the 23rd of August 2016, with the blogs integrated into the site. Popverse reported that following the acquisition by Valnet, comics were increasingly sidelined for coverage, as were both reviews and columns as focuses for publishing. Instead, the site refocused on shorter news pieces and reactions to news stories. This strategic pivot marked a significant departure from the site's original identity as a community-driven hub for comic book enthusiasts. The shift in editorial direction led to a gradual transformation into what Heidi MacDonald, for The Beat, described as a more generic content farm turning out less and less comics content and more and more listicles and inane click-baity articles. The change in ownership also brought about a new corporate culture that prioritized volume and speed over depth and community engagement. This period of transition set the stage for future conflicts between the site's original mission and its new corporate objectives.The Editorial Exodus
Adam Swiderski, CBR's editor-in-chief since July 2022, along with senior news editor Stephen Gerding after 18 years with CBR and senior features editor Christopher Baggett after eight years, were laid off by Valnet in May 2023. Heidi MacDonald, for The Beat, reported that Swiderski, Gerding and Baggett were removed for standing up for writers and pushing back against changes Valnet instituted. Writers were being asked to do more work while shrinking the pay-per-view rates, and the situation was described by one person as working writers to the bone. The situation was so dire that in addition to the three editors, two HR people were laid off, who also objected to the demands that management was making on writers, who, as a reminder, are contractors, not employees. Graeme McMillan, for Popverse, commented that Valnet's culture does not permit its contributors and employees to question corporate decree, which has led to layoffs of people who have spoken out about potential issues over Valnet's management and business practices at CBR and other Valnet-owned sites. In June 2023, McMillan of Popverse reported that there was a continuing editorial exodus at CBR, and in August 2023, Rich Johnston of Bleeding Cool commented that there appears to be serious internal tensions at CBR. Former CBR Comics News Editor Sean Gribbin stated between May and August ten News Editors have either left CBR or been laid off, highlighting the scale of the turmoil.