Just a week-and-a-half ago Marvel Entertainment announced that C.B. Cebulski would jump up to the position of editor-in-chief, but a hidden past (based upon a decision that he made 13 years ago) has come to light in tandem with his new promotion.
According to Bleeding Cool, Cebulski confirmed rumors that he formerly moonlighted for Marvel as Japanese comic book writer "Akira Yoshida," due in part to the fact that Marvel policy prevented their staff from writing/drawing for their comics for extra pay. Though Cebulski lived in Japan, and was a self-proclaimed fan of the culture, the fact that he has posed as a Japanese person while very clearly not being a Japanese person has led to some blowback over Marvel's decision:
That Yoshida’s résumé includes writing on titles such as “Wolverine: Soultaker” and “X-Men: Kitty Pryde — Shadow & Flame” adds additional complications to Cebulski’s reveal. Both series took popular Marvel characters to Japan as they encountered ancient gods, demons and ninjas.
In addition to attaching a fake name to his work, which I would've done had I known I'd be asked to write about celebrity babies, the Kardashians, and other stuff (though not a Japanese one), Cebulski's pseudonym apparently had a backstory to explain how he became interested in the job. This story included how "Yoshida" grew up in Japan reading manga, and how he learned English by being exposed to American comics through his businessman father's job. Yoshida was listed on Marvel's site as being a writer that started there back in 2004 and, as stated by the LA Times:
"I stopped writing under the pseudonym Akira Yoshida after about a year. It wasn’t transparent, but it taught me a lot about writing, communication and pressure," Cebulski said to Bleeding Cool. "I was young and naïve and had a lot to learn back then."
Furthermore, several people claim to have met a "Akira Yoshida," though it actually turns out that they had mistaken a Japanese translator for the fictional person. The Times reached out to Marvel for comment, who did not have a statement, but did confirm that the story is accurate. Additionally, Cebulski says that the matter was "dealt with" at the company after he came clean about it earlier in 2017.
Though it's unclear if that's just wishful thinking, especially when it comes to potential external pressure.
