Sorry haters I'm still on the CB Cebulski Train

Recently, Marvel internal affairs have become far more interesting than the comics they publish.  All year long they have had troubles with sales and finding their narrative footing.  The Secret Empire Event was a complete and total disaster and the company wisely began to take a harder look at its leadership.  . This led to Alex Alonso being removed from his position as Editor and Chief and a replacement by CB Cebulski.

Many who have been critical of the quality (Or lack there of) in Marvel comics recently have applauded the move and are hopeful that he can turn the giant comic publisher around.

Then another bombshell hit.

CB Cebulski once wrote beneath a pen name and the internet went all  SHOCK spasms GASP.  What was worse is that his pen name was Asian sounding and the internet went SHOCK spasms GASP.  There has been a long running rumor that Cebulski wrote beneath the name of Akira Yoshida.  Akira was a seeming Japanese comic writer who came out of almost no where and was picked up by Marvel to write some more Asian stylized works for them.   Akira went on to write X-Men: Age of Apocalypse, five of Elektra: The Hand, five of Wolverine: Soultaker, five of X-Men: Kitty Pryde – Shadow & Flame, five of X-Men/Fantastic Four.  The rumor was that CB was actually Akira and had used the name to get around Marvel policy that forbid Marvel editors from also writing stories.  CB always denied the rumor as did Marvel.  However, when CB was promoted this old rumor came up again.

Hey comics journo friends: we should definitely be asking Marvel and new EiC CB Cebulski on why he chose to use the pen name Akira Yoshida in the early 2000s to write a bunch of "Japanese-y" books for them. https://t.co/jXGKZdmyD4

— pshaw brothers (@hermanos) November 27, 2017

This time CB admitted that he indeed write beneath the name of Akira Yoshida in the early 2000s.


Lets talk about Pseudonyms
There are some people who seem very offended by the idea of a pseudonym.  I have heard many say its dishonest.   Let me just say that I am shocked that you are shocked.  I hate to break it to you but for a long time, lets even say since Biblical times fake identities have been used to market the written word.  The names are used for a variety of reasons.  Sometimes they are used because someone wants to maintain their anonymity, other times they think the name has a better chance of being published. and at other times its just branding a particular work.

I am going to say a truth now that will startle you.  I have met thousands of successful writers and the bulk of them at one point or another used a different name or identity to publish something in.  The reasons for this are legion.

Let me throw out some names for you.

• Steven King wrote beneath the name of Richard Bachman
• JK Rowling initially used the name of Robert Galbraith
• CS Lewis used two other pen names N. W. Clerk and Clive Hamilton
• Joyce Carol Oates used the pen names of Lauren Kelly, Rae Jolene Smith,  
• Isaac Asimov used the name of Paul French
• Agatha Christie wrote using the name of Mary Westmacott
• Dean Koontz used over 10 different identities in his writing career including Aaron Wolfe, Brian Coffey, David Axton, Deanna Dwyer, John Hill, K.R. Dwyer, Leigh Nichols, Anthony North, Owen West, and Richard Paige.
• Anne Rice used the names A. N. Roquelaure, and Anne Rampling two write various erotic, fantasy novels.
• Michael Crichton used the names John Lange, Michael Douglas, Jeffery Hudson