C.B. Cebulski

So some fans are flipping out because it was revealed that newly minted Marvel editor in chief, C.B. Cebulski, back in 2010, violated Marvel’s rules against editors also writing comics. It’s being considered outrageous because he violated Marvel’s rules and because he adopted a Japanese pseudonym and wrote stories that played off Japanese backgrounds.

You know: the way that hundreds of people have used fake names when writing, for any number of reasons. Female SF writers adapted male pseudonyms. Even Jo Rowling chose a gender neutral name of J.K. Meanwhile C.B., who lived in Japan for many years, was inspired by his background to let it influence what he wrote, not to mention his hiring practices for bringing Japanese creators into the fold. Honestly, it’s really not surprising that he adapted a Japanese persona. These days, fans only seem comfortable with specific folks writing specific characters. Women are preferred for titles with heroines, African Americans are typically drafted for Black Panther. It’s probably felt that only creators who share the specific backgrounds of the characters are truly qualified to write their adventures, even though all the characters were typically created by white men.

As for the rule of editors not writing, when the hell did THAT happen? Back in the 1980s when I first started writing, editors were EXPECTED to write comics. It was felt that that was the best way for them to remain in touch with the process and be emotionally in touch with what the full time writers had to deal with. If C.B. violated it, well, it was a stupid rule and I would hope that Marvel has done away with it since.

PAD