with Fabian Nicieza
CBR reports former Marvel Comics Executive Vice President Michael Z. Hobson has died at the age of 83. Per his obituary in The New York Times, Hobson died on November 12, three months after suffering heart failure.
Hobson was born on December 8, 1936, and was adopted as a baby by novelist Laura Zametkin Hobson. He graduated from Phillips Exeter Academy and Harvard College, and began his career at Little, Brown and Company. After working at Publishers Weekly and as a literary agent at William Morris, he joined Scholastic, and served in various roles there. By the time he left to join Marvel in 1981, he had become publisher of the company’s paperback book clubs.
Hobson was appointed executive vice president by then-Marvel CEO Jim Galton, and was responsible for the editorial, marketing, distribution and production of all of Marvel’s comics, magazines and graphic novels until 1994. He then served for two years as the director of Marvel Europe, including its divisions in the United Kingdom and Italy.
According to ICV2, “Hobson was an important figure in the growth of comic stores,” and “a pleasant, decent man who exuded common sense but still kept Marvel moving forward in a very dynamic publishing and business environment.” During his tenure, Hobson saw the publication of “licensed material, creator-owned releases, and a broad range of titles targeted at audiences from children to adults, often in new formats with higher production values than the old newsstand comics.”
When Hobson then returned to the US, he became president of Parachute Publishing, which specialized in fiction and non-fiction series aimed at teens and preteens. After retiring in 2003, he continued to serve as consultant to several publishing ventures, including Cracked magazine. He is survived by his wife Ann Gould Hobson, their children, Sarah Martin and Kate Henrickson, as well as his brother Christopher, and his grandchildren Kevin Martin and Holly Henrickson.
The Marvel Twitter page stated, “The Marvel family mourns the passing of Mike Hobson, a visionary and pillar of what Marvel Comics is today. Mike’s passion and love of storytelling opened the doors for fans around the world to join the Marvel Universe, and his legacy will live on for generations to come. Mike brought Stan Lee’s tapestry of heroes to millions. Our hearts and thoughts go out to his family and loved ones.”
