Posted in: Comics, Mad Cave Studios | Tagged: Holly Aitchison, Marion Copeland

Two Very Recent Resignations At Mad Cave Studios

Two very recent resignations at Mad Cave Studios, for Marion Copeland and Holly Aitchison

Recently, Bleeding Cool reported on a number of layoffs at the comic book publishing company Mad Cave Studios, as they laid off James Emmett, Senior Editor of Creator-Owned Projects, Maya Vee, also known as Maya Lopez, Senior Marketing Manager, and Chas! Pangburn, Senior Editor. But since then, I have been given two names, Marion Copeland and Holly Aitchison, with the note that they resigned and were not laid off.

I was first told that the Director Of Accounting, Marion Copeland, resigned last week. She was previously Royalty Accounting Manager at IDW Publishing from 2014 to 2016, and then a Financial and Contract Analyst at IDW from 2018 to 2020, and then working for RGP first as Royalty and Athlete Compensation Consultant for Nike from 2021 to 2024, and then as a Senior Royalty and Licensing Analyst for NBCUniversal from 2024 to 2025. She then became Director Of Accounting at Mad Cave Studios in 2025. Siurave Topete was hired from IDW to Mad Cave as Director of Accounting in January 2025, but left soon after to rejoin IDW Publishing as a Senior Business Analyst, with Marion Copeland taking over around a year ago.

Another marketing employee, Holly Aitchison, resigned earlier this week. Holly joined a year ago as the Trade Marketing Manager, responsible for trade-facing campaigns, metadata optimisation, and direct contact with retailers in the direct market, book channel, and library market. Previously, they were at IDW, responsible for the Top Shelf Productions line, Oni Press, Humanoids, and BOOM! Studios. Holly confirmed the news and told me, "I made the decision to leave Mad Cave Studios for a combination of reasons, many of which were health-related. I will say the layoffs in my relatively short time with the company were really disheartening, especially after experiencing layoffs in my previous position. I don't regret my time there, as I got to work with amazing creators and colleagues, and I've built friendships that will really stick with me. I have so much praise for so many of the people I worked with during my time there, including people who are no longer with the company. As for what's next, I feel privileged to have a little time before I decide. I'm certainly not done with comics, though, and hopefully, comics isn't done with me."

On her Substack, Mad Cave Studios Senior Editor Kris Simons posted, "This week, our company went through layoffs. And we had a town hall about it that, like these things often are, was intense. There was a lot of emotion in the room. A lot of questions. A lot of uncertainty. And also, underneath all of that, a reality that I think most people in this industry already know, even if we don't always say it out loud: There isn't an independent publisher out there that isn't doing all it can to keep making comics. Margins aren't just thin —they are miracles. Books that make more than they cost? Their profit is devoured by five other books that did not. The business isn't just volatile —it's quicksand. Every one of you out there that is publishing comics right now, or making comics right now, or selling comics, or part of this community in any way whatsoever, all of you give yourself and each other some compassion. Because damn. It is amazing that anyone wants to be part of a field that is so unforgiving right now."

Previously, in regard tro the earlier layoffs, Mark Irwin, President of Mad Cave Studios, former Editorial Director, Consumer Products at IDW, and graduate of the Joe Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Art told Bleeding Cool, "These changes were necessary to ensure the long-term health of the company, so that we can continue forward-focused, resilient, and able to invest in the areas that will sustain and grow our business. We're very thankful for the contributions of those affected by these changes, as well as the whole of the Mad Cave team."

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