It seems that the masthead of the new issue of sci-fi/fantasy comics anthology Heavy Metal Magazine #298 was deliberately not included in previews of the magazine, which hit stores this week. After all, Heavy Metal had plenty of stories about appointing and moving around their executives and pushing out Kevin Eastman as Publisher, and wanted to spread them out a bit.

But through the journalistic endeavour of sitting down and reading the really rather good Heavy Metal Magazine #298, (I mean, David Hine and Mark Stafford in this mag? Come on, that's brilliant), Bleeding Cool discovered one very senior unannounced appointment. That of Tim Seeley being appointed Editor-In-Chief.

Tim Seeley is the creator of Hack/Slash, as well as co-creator of Revival at Image, Money Shot at Vault and for writing many Batman-related titles for DC Comics. He was officially appointed Managing Editor of Heavy Metal back in May last year. Grant Morrison was previously announced as Editor-In-Chief, though his contract ended sometime in 2018/2019, though he is currently in dispute with the publishers. The magazine has operated without an appointed EIC, just a Managing Editor. We also note the appointment of Chris Chiang as Chief Financial Officer. Chris used to perform a similar role for DC Comics back in the day. So if there are any Heavy Metal freelancers who have yet to be paid, you now have a new person to bother. And, from past experience, he's a good egg.

Talking of which, we also noted the addition of Bleeding Cool former EIC, Hannah Means-Shannon as Managing Editor to the Heavy Metal masthead for the first – and presumably the only time, as she has now departed – though we understood she had been carrying out that position for some time.

Hannah told me "I operated internally in the role of Managing Editor from mid-October 2019 to the end of January 2020 under two different regimes at Heavy Metal Magazine. I was encouraged not to make this change in status public, was promised it would be announced a few times, which never happened, and also promised a pay increase for this role, which never happened. I'm glad my hard work in that role is finally being acknowledged in #298, at least, even though I'm no longer with the company. "

Bleeding Cool there, getting with our usual technique of actually sitting down and reading the print copies of whatever it is we are covering. Maybe it will catch on. And maybe this will encourage Heavy Metal Magazine to send out a press release confirming the news. More than actually publishing it on their opening page, that is. Here are the rest of the masthead credits…

HEAVY METAL #298 CVR A ESCORZA & VILLAS (MR)

(W) Various (A) Various (CA) Esau Escorza, Carlos Villas

It's the return of the world's greatest illustrated science fiction taking readers to the edge of the cosmos and beyond with The Furthest Reaches Special. David Hine & Mark Stafford create bone-chilling intersections with insectoid life in "Bug House." Alex Smith will take us through a "Body Jack" as modification reaches new frontiers. Matt Emmons plumbs the robot psyche with "The Incubator." Emilio Balcarce & Marcelo Perez explore "A New Life" in the collapse of a robot army. James Maddox & Ben Templesmith plunge us into the "Abyss of Souls" with partners lost in space. Dwayne Harris stars in a double bill with "Dowser" following vicious gangs who guard Earth's water supply and "Philip K. Dick's Head" with Michael David Nelsen, based on a true story. In Shops: Mar 11, 2020 SRP: $9.99