Posted in: Comics, Comics Publishers, Current News, Vault | Tagged: Aethon Books, Damian Wassel

Aethon Books Buys Majority Share Of Vault Comics

Aethon Books buys a majority share of Vault Comics but promises no layoffs

In 2023, Bleeding Cool reported that comic book/graphic novel publisher Vault Comics and ebook and audiobook publisher Aethon Books had announced a new partnership to publish titles across each other's fields of specialisation. So, Aethon would publish ebook and audiobook adaptations and tie-ins of titles from the Vault library, while Vault would publish comic book and graphic novel adaptations and tie-ins of titles from the Aethon library. However, we didn't see much movement in either field.

Well, two years later, and with Aethon now a publishing partner of Webtoon, Aethon has acquired a majority stake in Vault Comics. And Aethon co-founders Rhett Bruno and Steve Beaulieu will join the Vault board of directors, with Vault's management led by founders and former owners CEO Damian Wassel and CCO Adrian Wassel and current staffing levels will not be affected. Other investors in Vault Comics, including Jeff Ubben, UTA, Crush Ventures, and Metallica's investment arm Black Squirrel Partners, retain their interest in Vault Comics.

Since we met the team at Vault, we have shared a vision of creating a one-stop shop for the next generation of market-leading fantasy and science fiction authors and their stories. By joining forces with Vault, we believe we are one step closer to that dream," said Aethon CEO, Rhett C. Bruno.

"The goal is to expand what we've been able to offer everyone we've been working with across the publishing line," said Damian Wassel and that we would see "additional product categories and a significantly expanded marketing budget and resources behind everything we're bringing to the comic and graphic novel categories." New projects and licenses are yet to be announced.

Vault Comics was one of many comic book publishers hit by Diamond Comic Distributors' Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Lately, it has switched away from comics to light novels and then back again with Post Malone's Big Rig, Money Shot, Kid Malone, and more.

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