Ajay Kumar at 14:06, 7 September 2023

2023-09-07T14:06:29Z

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{{Short description|Comic book website}}
{{Italic title}}
{{Infobox website
|name = CBR
|logo = CBR.com logo.svg
|screenshot = Cbr0.jpg
|screenshot_size = 250px
|caption = Screenshot of CBR main page from August 26, 2023
|url = {{URL|www.cbr.com}}
|commercial =
|type = [[Comic book]]
|language = English
|registration =
|editor =
|owner = Valnet Inc.
|author = Jonah Weiland
|launch_date = {{Start date|1995}}
|current_status = Online
|revenue =
|headquarters = [[Saint-Laurent, Quebec]]
}}

'''''Comic Book Resources''''', also known by the initialism '''CBR''', is a [[website]] dedicated to the coverage of [[comic book]]–related news and discussion.

==History==
''Comic Book Resources'' was founded by Jonah Weiland in 1995 as a development of the Kingdom Come Message Board, a message forum that Weiland created to discuss [[DC Comics]]' then-new [[Kingdom Come (comic)|mini-series of the same name]].<ref name="Press Kit">{{cite web |title=Press Kit |url=https://www.cbr.com/press-kit/ |website=Comic Book Resources |publisher=Wayback Machine |access-date=October 27, 2019 |archive-date=October 27, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191027231842/https://www.cbr.com/press-kit/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Arrant |first1=Chris |title=DC Hires Jonah Wiland as VP of Marketing & Creative Services |url=https://www.newsarama.com/46393-dc-hires-jonah-weiland.html |website=[[Newsarama]] |publisher=Wayback Machine |access-date=October 27, 2019 |language=en |date=August 6, 2019 |archive-date=October 27, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191027153202/https://www.newsarama.com/46393-dc-hires-jonah-weiland.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

''Comic Book Resources'' features columns written by industry professionals that have included [[Robert Kirkman]], [[Gail Simone]], and [[Mark Millar]].<ref name="Press Kit"/> Other columns are published by comic book historians and critics such as [[George Khoury (writer)|George Khoury]] and Timothy Callahan.<ref>{{cite web |title=Jorge Khoury |url=https://www.cbr.com/author/jorge_khoury/ |website=Comic Book Resources |date=9 December 2011 |publisher=Wayback Machine |access-date=October 27, 2019 |archive-date=October 27, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191027153203/https://www.cbr.com/author/jorge_khoury/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Timothy Callahan |url=https://www.cbr.com/author/timothy_callahan/ |website=Comic Book Resources |date=21 November 2014 |publisher=Wayback Machine |access-date=October 27, 2019 |archive-date=August 24, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190824122403/https://www.cbr.com/author/timothy_callahan/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Acquisition by Valnet ===
In April 2016, ''Comic Book Resources'' was sold to Valnet Inc., a [[Montreal]]-based company based known for its acquisition and ownership of media properties including ''[[Screen Rant]]''.<ref>{{cite web |author=Rich Johnston |author-link=Rich Johnston |url=http://www.bleedingcool.com/2016/04/04/comic-book-resources-sold-to-valnet-and-i-get-a-funny-feeling/ |title=How Comic Book Resources Employees Learned Their Site Had Been Sold To Valnet |website=Bleeding Cool |publisher=Wayback Machine |date=2016-04-04 |access-date=2016-06-14 |archive-date=2016-06-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160611153801/http://www.bleedingcool.com/2016/04/04/comic-book-resources-sold-to-valnet-and-i-get-a-funny-feeling/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=April 4, 2016 |title=Comic Book Resources Acquired |url=https://icv2.com/articles/news/view/34130/comic-book-resources-acquired |access-date=August 23, 2023 |website=[[ICv2]] |language=en |archive-date=August 23, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230823034913/https://icv2.com/articles/news/view/34130/comic-book-resources-acquired |url-status=live }}</ref> The site was relaunched as CBR.com on August 23, 2016, with the blogs integrated into the site.<ref>{{cite web |author=Heidi MacDonald |url=http://www.comicsbeat.com/cbr-com-has-new-design-rebrand-no-blogs/ |title=CBR.com has new design, rebrand, no blogs |website=[[Heidi MacDonald#Career|The Beat]] |publisher=Wayback Machine |date=2016-08-25 |access-date=2017-01-12 |archive-date=2016-11-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161111170552/http://www.comicsbeat.com/cbr-com-has-new-design-rebrand-no-blogs/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=McMillan |first=Graeme |date=June 12, 2023 |title=CBR layoffs: What led to the firing of three-quarters of their editors (and what happens next) |url=https://www.thepopverse.com/cbr-layoffs-june-2023-comic-book-resources-layoffs-inside |access-date=August 23, 2023 |website=[[Popverse]] |language=en |archive-date=June 18, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230618053920/https://www.thepopverse.com/cbr-layoffs-june-2023-comic-book-resources-layoffs-inside |url-status=live }}</ref> ''[[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".<ref name=":2" />

Adam Swiderski, ''CBR''<nowiki/>'s editor-in-chief since July 2022,<ref>{{Cite web |last=McMillan |first=Graeme |date=May 30, 2023 |title=The comic & pop culture journalism website CBR just laid off its editor-in-chief |url=https://www.thepopverse.com/cbr-editor-in-chief-comics-adam-swiderski |access-date=June 5, 2023 |website=Popverse |language=en |archive-date=June 5, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230605011457/https://www.thepopverse.com/cbr-editor-in-chief-comics-adam-swiderski |url-status=live }}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Johnston |first=Rich |date=June 4, 2023 |title=Firings, Quittings and Valnet Fallout at Comic Book Resources |url=https://bleedingcool.com/comics/firings-quittings-and-valnet-fallout-at-comic-book-resources/ |access-date=June 5, 2023 |website=Bleeding Cool |language=en |archive-date=June 5, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230605011458/https://bleedingcool.com/comics/firings-quittings-and-valnet-fallout-at-comic-book-resources/ |url-status=live }}</ref> [[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.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=MacDonald |first=Heidi |date=June 2, 2023 |title=Inside the CBR layoffs and bad week |url=https://www.comicsbeat.com/inside-cbr-layoffs/ |access-date=June 5, 2023 |website=The Beat |language=en-US |archive-date=June 5, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230605012128/https://www.comicsbeat.com/inside-cbr-layoffs/ |url-status=live }}</ref> MacDonald wrote that "writers were being asked to do more work while shrinking the Pay Per View rates. The situation was described to me by one person as 'working writers to the bone'. The situation is so dire that in addition to the three editors, I'm told 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".<ref name=":0" /> 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.<ref name=":2" />

In June 2023, McMillan of ''Popverse'' reported that there was a continuing "editorial exodus" at CBR.<ref>{{Cite web |last=McMillan |first=Graeme |date=June 28, 2023 |title=Three more editors leave CBR, continuing exodus pattern |url=https://www.thepopverse.com/cbr-editors-leaving-company |access-date=August 23, 2023 |website=Popverse |language=en |archive-date=August 29, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230829223527/https://www.thepopverse.com/cbr-editors-leaving-company |url-status=live }}</ref> In August 2023, [[Rich Johnston]] of ''[[Bleeding Cool]]'' commented that there appears to be "serious internal tensions" at CBR and highlighted that former CBR Comics News Editor Sean Gribbin stated between May and August ten News Editors have either left CBR or been laid off.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Johnston |first=Rich |author-link=Rich Johnston |date=August 22, 2023 |title=A Deleted CBR Post Indicates Serious Internal Tensions |url=https://bleedingcool.com/comics/cbr-post-deleted-fast-amidst-more-redundancies/ |access-date=August 22, 2023 |website=[[Bleeding Cool]] |language=en |archive-date=August 23, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230823032104/https://bleedingcool.com/comics/cbr-post-deleted-fast-amidst-more-redundancies/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Johnston reported that CBR Managing Editor Jon Arvden pushed back on speculation that CBR was eliminating its news section.<ref name=":1" />

==Comic Book Idol==
'''Comic Book Idol''', also known as '''CBI''', is an amateur comic-book art competition created and hosted by comics writer [[J. Torres]], and sponsored by ''Comic Book Resources'' and its participating advertisers.<ref name="Torres">{{cite web|last1=Torres|first1=J|title=Just the FAQs, m'am|url=http://cbi.comicbookresources.com/cbi3/just-the-faqs-mam/|website=Comic Book Resources|publisher=Wayback Machine|access-date=February 27, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080428145020/http://cbi.comicbookresources.com/cbi3/just-the-faqs-mam/|archive-date=April 28, 2008|date=September 5, 2007}}</ref> Inspired by the singing contest ''[[American Idol]]'', CBI is a five-week and five-round competition in which each contestant is given one week to draw a script provided by guest judges. These invited comic-book professionals comment on the artists' work in each round. The contestants to move on to subsequent rounds are selected by fans who vote in a weekly poll.<ref name="Torres"/>

* [[Patrick Scherberger]] won CBI1 and has since worked on a number of [[Marvel Comics]] titles like ''[[Marvel Adventures]]: Spider-Man'', ''[[Marvel Adventures]]: Hulk'' and ''GeNext''.<ref>{{comicbookdb|type=creator|=3298|title=Patrick Scherberger}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Cronin|first1=Brian|title=Idol Thoughts 9/26|url=http://cbi.comicbookresources.com/cbi3/idol-thoughts-926/|website=Comic Book Resources|publisher=Wayback Machine|access-date=February 27, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090527005128/http://cbi.comicbookresources.com/cbi3/idol-thoughts-926/|archive-date=May 27, 2009|date=September 26, 2007}}</ref>
* [[Jonathan Hickman]] was the runner-up in CBI1 and went on to work for [[Virgin Comics]] (''[[Guy Ritchie's Gamekeeper]]'' and ''[[Seven Brothers (comic book)|Seven Brothers]]''), [[Image Comics]] (''[[Pax Romana (comics)|Pax Romana]]'', ''A Red Mass for Mars'' and ''Transhuman'') and [[Marvel Comics]] (''[[Fantastic Four]]'', ''[[Astonishing Tales]]'').<ref>{{comicbookdb|type=creator|=10792|title=Jonathan Hickman}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Cronin|first1=Brian|title=Jonathan Hickman on "Comic Book Idolâ€¦ what!?!"|url=http://www.cbr.com/jonathan-hickman-on-comic-book-idolae¦-what|website=Comic Book Resources |access-date=January 9, 2017|date=September 4, 2007}} {{dead link|date=October 2021}}</ref>
* Carlos Rodríguez won CBI2 and went on to work on ''[[Shadowhawk]]'' for Image and ''[[Batman and the Outsiders]]'' for [[DC Comics]].<ref>{{comicbookdb|type=creator|=5240|title=Carlos Rodríguez}}</ref><ref name="Cronin">{{cite web|last1=Cronin|first1=Brian|title=Idol Thoughts 10/4|url=http://cbi.comicbookresources.com/cbi3/idol-thoughts-104/|website=Comic Book Resources|publisher=Wayback Machine|access-date=February 27, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090527005123/http://cbi.comicbookresources.com/cbi3/idol-thoughts-104/|archive-date=May 27, 2009|date=27 May 2009}}</ref>
* Billy Penn also competed in CBI2 and went on to work on ''[[Savage Dragon]]''.<ref name="Cronin"/><ref>{{comicbookdb|type=creator|=10583|title=Billy Penn}}</ref>
* Joe Infurnari, another CBI2 contestant, went on a couple of titles from [[Oni Press]], including ''[[Wasteland (comic)|Wasteland]]'' and ''Borrowed Time'', as well as on the back-up feature of ''[[Jersey Gods]]'' with [[Mark Waid]].<ref name="Cronin"/><ref>{{comicbookdb|type=creator|=15213|title=Joe Infurnari}}</ref>
* [[Dan McDaid]], writer and artist on various ''[[Doctor Who]]'' comics for [[Panini Comics|Panini]] and [[IDW Publishing|IDW]] and ''[[Jersey Gods]]'' for [[Image Comics]], as well as strips for [[DC Comics]], competed in CBI3.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Cardwell |first1=Mark |title=Talking Doctor Who with CBI Finalist Dan McDaid |url=https://www.cbr.com/talking-doctor-who-with-cbi-finalist-dan-mcdaid/ |website=Comic Book Resources |publisher=Wayback Machine|access-date=October 27, 2019 |date=April 3, 2018 |archive-date=October 27, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191027154545/https://www.cbr.com/talking-doctor-who-with-cbi-finalist-dan-mcdaid/ |url-status=live}}</ref>
* Nick Pitarra competed in CBI3 and went on to do work for Marvel Comics on books such as ''Astonishing Tales''.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Tarbys |first1=Jason |title=Nick Pitarra Talks Conspiring with Hickman On 'Manhattan Projects'|url=https://www.cbr.com/nick-pitarra-talks-conspiring-with-hickman-on-manhattan-projects/ |website=Comic Book Resources |publisher=Wayback Machine|access-date=October 27, 2019 |date=January 22, 2013 |archive-date=October 27, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191027154543/https://www.cbr.com/nick-pitarra-talks-conspiring-with-hickman-on-manhattan-projects/ |url-status=live}}</ref>
* Charles Paul Wilson III, artist on ''[[The Stuff of Legend]]'', competed in CBI3.<ref>{{cite web |title= Comic Book Idol Finalists Announced; Winner to Draw "Popgun" Story for Image |url=https://www.cbr.com/comic-book-idol-finalists-announced-winner-to-draw-popgun-story-for-image/ |website=Comic Book Resources |publisher=Wayback Machine|access-date=October 27, 2019 |date=October 12, 2017 |archive-date=October 27, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191027154542/https://www.cbr.com/comic-book-idol-finalists-announced-winner-to-draw-popgun-story-for-image/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

==Reception==
In 2008, the [[University at Buffalo]]'s research library described ''Comic Book Resources'' as "the premiere comics-related site on the Web."<ref>{{cite web|title=Comic Books: Internet Resources|url=http://library.buffalo.edu/libraries/asl/guides/comics.html|publisher=University of Buffalo Libraries|access-date=November 6, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081211080454/http://library.buffalo.edu/libraries/asl/guides/comics.html|archive-date=December 11, 2008}}</ref>

In April 2013, comics writer [[Mark Millar]] said he read the site every morning after reading the ''[[Financial Times]]''.<ref>{{Cite comic|cartoonist=|story=The Third Degree: Mark Millar|title=[[Jupiter's Legacy (comic)|Jupiter's Legacy]]|volume=1|issue=1|date=April 2013|publisher=[[Image Comics]]|location=|page=27|panel=|id=}}</ref>

In 2014, an article by guest author [[Janelle Asselin]] criticized the cover of [[DC Comics]]'s ''[[Teen Titans]]'',<ref>{{cite web|last1=Asselin|first1=Janelle|title=Anatomy of a Bad Cover: DC's New 'Teen Titans' #1|url=http://www.cbr.com/anatomy-of-a-bad-cover-dcs-new-teen-titans-1/|website=Comic Book Resources|publisher=Wayback Machine|access-date=January 10, 2017|date=April 11, 2014|archive-date=January 13, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170113171258/http://www.cbr.com/anatomy-of-a-bad-cover-dcs-new-teen-titans-1/|url-status=live}}</ref> leading to harassment of and personal threats against Asselin in the website's community forums. Weiland issued a statement apologizing for the incident, condemning the way some community members had reacted, and rebooted the forums in order to establish new ground rules.<ref>{{cite web|title=Out With the Old: Introducing the New CBR Community|url=http://www.cbr.com/out-with-the-old-introducing-the-new-cbr-community/|website=Comic Book Resources|publisher=Wayback Machine|access-date=January 10, 2017|date=April 30, 2014|archive-date=January 13, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170113170028/http://www.cbr.com/out-with-the-old-introducing-the-new-cbr-community/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |last=Polo |first=Susana |url=http://www.themarysue.com/comic-book-resources-new-forums/ |title=CBR Overhauls Forums In Wake of Widespread Discussion of Treatment of Women in Comics |magazine=The Mary Sue |date=2014-05-01 |access-date=2016-02-27 |archive-date=2016-02-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160221182349/http://www.themarysue.com/comic-book-resources-new-forums/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

Heidi MacDonald, for ''The Beat'' in June 2023, commented that after ''CBR'' was purchased by Valnet in 2016 it "gradually became a more generic '[[content farm]]' turning out less and less comics content and more and more [[Listicle|listicles]] and inane [[Clickbait|click-baity]] articles".<ref name=":0" />

==Awards==
*1999: Won the "Favourite Comics-Related Website (professional)" [[Eagle Award (comics)|Eagle Award]].<ref name="Press Kit"/>
*2000: Won the "Favourite Comics-Related Website (professional)" Eagle Award.<ref name="Press Kit"/>
*2001: Won the "Favourite Comics-Related Website (professional)" Eagle Award.<ref>{{cite web|title=2001|url=http://www.eagleawards.co.uk/category/previous-winners/2001/|website=[[Eagle Award (comics)|Eagle Award]]s|publisher=Wayback Machine|access-date=February 27, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110206165337/http://www.eagleawards.co.uk/category/previous-winners/2001/|archive-date=February 6, 2011|date=February 6, 2011}}</ref>
*2004: Nominated for the "Favourite Comics-Related Website" Eagle Award.<ref name="Press Kit"/>
*2005: Nominated for the "Favourite Comics-Related Website" Eagle Award.<ref name="Press Kit"/>
*2006: Nominated for the "Favourite Comics-Related Website" Eagle Award.<ref name="Press Kit"/>
*2007: Nominated for the "Favourite Comics Related Website" Eagle Award.<ref name="Press Kit"/>
*2008: Nominated for the "Favourite Comics-Related Website" Eagle Award.<ref>{{cite web|title=2008|url=http://www.eagleawards.co.uk/category/previous-winners/2008/|website=Eagle Awards|publisher=Wayback Machine|access-date=February 27, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111130205251/http://www.eagleawards.co.uk/category/previous-winners/2008/|archive-date=November 30, 2011|date=November 30, 2011}}</ref>
*2009: Won the "Best Comics-Related Periodical/Journalism" [[Eisner Awards|Eisner Award]].<ref>{{cite web|title=2000s|url=https://www.comic-con.org/awards/2000s|website=Comic-Con International: San Diego|publisher=Wayback Machine|access-date=November 6, 2017|language=en|date=December 2, 2012|archive-date=April 11, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080411234840/http://www.comic-con.org/cci/cci_eisners_07win.shtml|url-status=dead}}</ref>
*2010: Won the "Favourite Comics-Related Website" Eagle Award.<ref>{{cite web|title=2010|url=http://www.eagleawards.co.uk/category/previous-winners/2010/|website=Eagle Awards|publisher=Wayback Machine|access-date=February 27, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928202503/http://www.eagleawards.co.uk/category/previous-winners/2010/|archive-date=September 28, 2011}}</ref>
*2011: Won the "Favourite Comics-Related Website" Eagle Award.<ref>{{cite web|title=2011|url=http://www.eagleawards.co.uk/category/previous-winners/2011/|website=Eagle Awards|publisher=Wayback Machine|access-date=February 27, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111130205312/http://www.eagleawards.co.uk/category/previous-winners/2011/|archive-date=November 30, 2011|date=November 30, 2011}}</ref>
*2011: Won the "Best Comics-Related Periodical/Journalism" Eisner Award.<ref>{{cite web|title=2010-Present|url=https://www.comic-con.org/awards/eisner-award-recipients-2010-present|website=Comic-Con International: San Diego|publisher=Wayback Machine|access-date=November 6, 2017|language=en|date=December 2, 2012|archive-date=February 13, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140213024118/http://www.comic-con.org/awards/eisner-award-recipients-2010-present|url-status=live}}</ref>
*2013: Won the "Best Biographical, Historical or Journalistic Presentation" [[Harvey Awards|Harvey Award]] for its Robot 6 blog.<ref>{{cite web|title=Your 2013 Harvey Awards Winners|url=http://www.comicsreporter.com/index.php/your_2013_harvey_awards_winners/Winners|website=The Comics Reporter|publisher=Wayback Machine|access-date=March 23, 2015|date=September 8, 2013|archive-date=September 23, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923222608/http://www.comicsreporter.com/index.php/your_2013_harvey_awards_winners/Winners|url-status=live}}</ref>
*2014: Won the "Best Comics-Related Periodical/Journalism" Eisner Award.<ref>{{cite web|title=2014 Will Eisner Comic Industry Award Winners|url=http://www.comic-con.org/awards/gallery/2014-will-eisner-comic-industry-award-winners|website=Comic-Con International: San Diego|publisher=Wayback Machine|access-date=March 23, 2015|language=en|date=July 26, 2014|archive-date=April 1, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150401182733/http://www.comic-con.org/awards/gallery/2014-will-eisner-comic-industry-award-winners|url-status=live}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==

* {{official website|http://www.cbr.com/}}
{{Comics information sources}}

[[Category:American entertainment news websites]]
[[Category:Eisner Award winners for Best Comics-Related Periodical/Journalism]]
[[Category:Internet properties established in 1995]]
[[Category:Websites about comics]]

Comic Book Resources - Revision history

Ajay Kumar at 14:06, 7 September 2023