Marvel Comics will relocate its publishing division from New York City to Burbank, California, ending an almost 90-year presence in the city where the company was founded, a source familiar with the matter confirmed. Employees were informed during a town hall meeting at Marvel's Midtown Manhattan office. Main Developments The move will affect just over 100 New York-based employees of the comics and franchise group, who are being asked to relocate to California by July next year. The source spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the plans publicly. Alongside the relocation, a leadership change is underway. Stephen Wacker, a longtime Marvel editor and producer, has been named editor-in-chief, replacing C.B. Cebulski, who had led the division since 2017. Read also: Pakistan Gold Rises Rs2,400 Per Tola Amid Global Rally Background Marvel was founded in New York City in the late 1930s, and the city became central to the company's identity. Legendary creators including Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and Steve Ditko worked out of New York, and the city served as the setting for iconic characters such as Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, and the Avengers. Burbank is already home to Marvel Studios and the broader Walt Disney entertainment operations, making it the logical hub for aligning the comics division with Marvel's film, television, and animation businesses. Why It Matters This relocation underscores Marvel's strategy to more tightly integrate its comics division, which generates the characters and storylines, with its blockbuster film and TV production. The move comes as Marvel looks to rebuild momentum after several recent film releases underperformed compared to earlier hits. The company is betting heavily on the year-end release of Avengers: Doomsday to revive its franchise's box-office strength. What's Next Employees in New York have until July next year to decide whether to relocate to California. The transition of the publishing operations to Burbank is expected to be completed by that time. Further details on the timeline for Wacker's editorial leadership and any additional restructuring have not been announced.