Lion Forge announced earlier today that they have merged with Oni Press, which has recently been acquired by Lion Forge parent company Polarity, a holding company launched last year by Lion Forge co-founder David Steward II. Steward, who serves as CEO of Polarity, addressed potential layoffs in a New York Times interview with one brief statement: "We're going to take a look at efficiencies and identify a number of areas of growth as well." But several former Lion Forge and Oni employees have already revealed online that they're no longer with the company, and it appears that more may be gone but not speaking out yet.

Editor Desiree Wilson, who joined Oni Press from Dark Horse in 2017, wrote on Twitter that she was Oni's only Black employee before being laid off as part of today's merger:

I, the only black person at Oni, just got sacked. So if you want to know if Oni cares about marginalized and POC folx, there's you're answer. https://t.co/cvFMcJdTyI — bisexual lighting and murder (@swindlesoiree) May 8, 2019

I had to adjust the original version of this tweet but my work on inclusion was my best at Oni, and I'm proud of it, and NOBODY will ever strip it from me. — bisexual lighting and murder (@swindlesoiree) May 8, 2019

As an editor, Wilson says the sacking could affect ongoing projects at the publisher:

While I was at Oni, I increased the diversity of voices on my list in a huge way. I've spearheaded several books centering black and brown voices. I opened the gate for them, as a gatekeeper does. Now, those voices are in limbo and, honestly, that's the worst part of this. — bisexual lighting and murder (@swindlesoiree) May 8, 2019

One of those creators, D.J. Kirkland, tweeted:

So the one Black editor at Oni, which just so happened to be MY editor for Black Mage was axed. 🙃 — Team Rocket Grunt D.J. (@OhHeyDJ) May 8, 2019

Meanwhile at Lion Forge, now former editor Christina 'Steenz' Stewart didn't explicitly say she was laid off, but did make clear that she's no longer with the company:

If you are emailing me, please send it to oheysteenz@gmail.com. I no longer have a Lion Forge email. — Steenz⁷! (@oheysteenz) May 8, 2019

Oni's Scott Sharkey was also let go:

So, I'm one of the people who got sacked in the wake of the clusterfuck @OniPress merger. If anyone knows anyone in need of a slightly used writer/editor/carny/accountant/bartender/warehouse monkey/blackjack dealer it'd be appreciated. — Scott Sharkey (@evilsharkey) May 8, 2019

And, according to comic creator Magdalene Visaggio, who writes the creator-owned comic Morning in America at Oni, so is Oni Director of Publicity Melissa Meszaros:

I'd like to especially single out @melissmeszaros, who was Oni's Director of Publicity. She was a delight to work with on MORNING IN AMERICA, always responsive, always eager, always kind. — satan's niece 🏳️‍🌈 (@MagsVisaggs) May 9, 2019

And indeed, Meszaros's Twitter bio now lists Oni in her past, along with this tweet:

https://twitter.com/melissmeszaros/status/1126315345638117376

While other Lion Forge editors have posted tweets indicating they don't know what their future will hold.

Hey buds, I can't say much about the merger. Not sure what will happen with me yet! Thanks to those who've reached out — I love y'all and hope to share more with ya soon ❤️ — Amanda Meadows ➡️home (@amandonium) May 8, 2019

Thank you to everyone who has reached out, truly. I'm not sure what the future holds for me or how the chips will fall during this merger. But I will share more info as soon as I am able to. — Jasmine Amiri (@JasAmiri) May 8, 2019

In addition, Lion Forge told Publishers Weekly that Lion Forge Editor-in-Chief Andrea Colvin has also left the company.

Lion Forge is a black-owned company founded in 2011 by David Steward II and Carl Reed, one which has always marketed itself as a champion of diversity and representation, touting the catchphrase "Comics for Everyone." That diversity seemingly extends not only to race, gender, and sexuality but also to politics, as Steward II is a frequent donor of Republican politicians, both in Missouri and on a national level, donating to the Republican presidential campaigns of Chris Christie and Jeb Bush in 2016. Lion Forge's About page describes the publisher's mission as follows:

As a company committed to "Comics for Everyone," we strive to publish titles that reflect the diversity of our world in the characters, the creators, and the Lion Forge team, and to create content that is just as original. With both licensed favorites and brand new ideas, we are the brightest and most diverse talent in the industry creating the most awesome new comics and graphic novels that we — as fans — want to see in the world.

Oni Press, as well, is a brand associated, by design of the publisher, with the creation of diverse and inclusive comics. Today's press release announcing the merger contained no less than five statements from five different people at the company referencing that commitment in some way.

James Lucas Jones:

We want to build on our strength as a go-to destination for creators, grow our culture as an employee-first organization, and reinforce our commitment to our industry partners and friends. In an increasingly competitive marketplace, where the business of comics and graphic novels is rapidly evolving, this merger is a once in a lifetime opportunity for our two companies to pool our resources for one goal: to create the finest comics and graphic novels for everyone.

David Steward II:

What the team at Oni has built over the past 20 years is not only remarkable, but aspirational. When we first approached Joe (Nozemack), James, and Charlie (Chu) about the idea of working together, we hoped it would be a natural fit, as our shared mission is to bring diverse content to a global audience. The more we spoke, the more the relationship evolved to the point that we knew our combined experience and resources would align to achieve that goal and advance our unique position in the marketplace.

Charlie Chu:

This exciting partnership promises to supercharge Oni's efforts in navigating all facets of media and gaming, with publishing and advocating for creators still at the core of our values. As always, we are committed to working with a vibrant and diverse roster of creators and being the best partner in comics, graphic novels, and beyond.

Joe Nozemack:

Oni Press was started with the mission to publish comics and graphic novels that would appeal to a diverse group of readers and broaden the audience for the medium. 20 years later, I couldn't be prouder of the books we've published and the wide array of new readers and creators who have joined our community. It was obvious from our first meeting that the Polarity/Lion Forge team had these same passions and goals as the Oni Press team. And I have complete faith that the pairing of the two is going to continue that mission to make sure that there is an authentic and inspiring comic book for any and everyone who wants to join the comic-book faithful.

And Sarah Gaydos:

With our ability to target and develop talent, first-rate editorial guardianship and production of books, and sales and marketing expertise under HarperCollins alum Margot Wood, we'll be getting incredible, inclusive comics into even more hands. We will be the destination for creators who are looking for our high level of editorial curation.

And both companies, prior to the merger, have delivered on those promises so far, building a fanbase that appreciates the focus. And there's no reason to think that the people who remain at both companies have any intention of neglecting that commitment. But the merger has sparked concerns that some of the newly-combined company's plans are incongruent with that branding, with at least two prominent women of color losing their jobs in the merger, and probably more news to come. Additionally, writer, editor, and general comics luminary Cheryl Lynn Eaton posted a thread on Twitter about the implications of Lion Forge moving operations to Oni's home city of Portland (click through to read more):

The fact that the new company will be run out of Portland, a city that is above and beyond the pale (no pun intended) abusive to black people defeats the purpose of this merger. https://t.co/VvPBOYJvom — Cheryl Lynn Eaton (@cheryllynneaton) May 8, 2019

If you're not familiar with why one might criticize a move to the city of Portland, a renowned center of comics arts which is also home to Image Comics and Dark Horse, as well as creators like "The Great One" Brian Bendis and Kelly Sue DeConnick, information is readily-found online that sheds light on the subject. Portland, the whitest major city in America, is also known for being a hotbed of far-right activity, with the Patriot Prayer group holding frequent rallies which Neo-Nazis have reportedly described as "fertile recruitment grounds." Earlier this year, the Mayor of Portland opened an investigation after a city police lieutenant was found to be exchanging friendly texts with a Patriot Prayer leader. An article from The Atlantic by Alana Semuels in 2016 details Portland's historical and ongoing problems with racism.

In the wake of all of this, former Oni Press Marketing Manager Rachel Reed, who left the company in 2018, has been tweeting her take on things, with no contractual obligations to temper her thoughts.

A lot of amazing people are being laid off at Oni Press and Lion Forge today, and it completely breaks my heart I learned this lesson last year: no matter how cool and fun your job is, at the end of a day you work for a company whose goal is making money and you are expendable — 🌸 Rachel UNIONIZE COMICS Reed 🌸 (@RachelLeeReed) May 8, 2019

Reed goes on to address incongruities between the companies' mission statements and the results of the merger:

"We want to grow our culture as an employee-first organization" says the companies that laid off black, queer, and disabled women pic.twitter.com/kHcUERyMlm — 🌸 Rachel UNIONIZE COMICS Reed 🌸 (@RachelLeeReed) May 9, 2019

"It is worth noting that Lion Forge and Oni Press each bring impressive track records of championing under-represented creators and fans with inclusive and authentic content." Y'ALL REALLY GONNA BRAG, YOU FIRED THE PEOPLE RESPONSIBLE FOR CHAMPIONING INCLUSIVE CONTENT, I sweAR https://t.co/FitYp5bT88 — 🌸 Rachel UNIONIZE COMICS Reed 🌸 (@RachelLeeReed) May 9, 2019

Some comics industry folks, such as creator Vita Ayala, are also using the merger to make a renewed call for unionization in comics.

Said it before, but we need a union. — ✊🏾Vita Ayala🇵🇷🏳️‍🌈 (@definitelyvita) May 8, 2019

It's been a rough couple of days for employees of Oni and Lion Forge affected by the merger, as well as the people affected by proxy, such as creative teams who no longer have an editor, or have a new editor, or even readers wondering about the status of their favorite books. Our hearts go out to everyone affected by the situation.

Bleeding Cool reached out to Lion Forge for comment, but they have not gotten back to us with one yet. We'll update this article if and when they respond.