In 2018, Marvel alumni Bill Jemas (CEO) and Axel Alonso (CCO) founded AWA with the ambitious goal of building a truly creator first company where a diverse group of the world’s most outstanding artists, writers, and artisans could pursue their best work and retain ownership of their ideas. This approach has made AWA one of the industry’s foremost developers of bold and relevant stories with an innovative and diversified growth strategy across publishing, film, television and NFTs. Veteran media executive, Jon Miller chairs the company which counts Lupa Systems, Sister, and Lightspeed as strategic investors. Creative luminaries like J. Michael Straczynski, Frank Cho, Christa Faust, Mike Deodato, and Garth Ennis have developed some of the freshest and most critically-acclaimed, original graphic fiction in a generation.
Building on its expertise in graphic fiction, AWA was founded to be an industry leading, full-service entertainment company. In early 2021, the company established AWA Studios, its Film and TV division, which is led by Hollywood veteran Zach Studin. AWA Studios announced its first feature film project, CHARIOT, which was bought by Warner Bros. with Joe Kosinski (Top Gun: Maverick) directing and producing in partnership with AWA. To date, AWA Studios has more than 10 Feature Films and TV series in development with a diverse slate of creators.
Leadership
Axel Alonso
Chief Creative Officer
Axel Alonso is a comic book creator and renowned comic book industry executive. He is Chief Creative Officer of AWA which he co-founded with Bill Jemas. Axel is well known for his tenure as Marvel’s Editor-In-Chief from 2011 to 2018 where he oversaw all story development, and a number of important milestones in adding diversity to the industry including the introduction of Miles Morales as the first half-black, half–Puerto Rican Spider-Man, the makeover of Jane Foster into the new female Thor and the installation of Carol Danvers as the new female Captain Marvel. Previously, Axel was an Executive Editor at Marvel from 2001-2011, Senior Editor at DC Comics and Vertigo. He is a graduate of Columbia University with a master's degree in journalism. The New York Times said: “The fate of the Marvel Universe rests on Axel Alonso’s shoulders….”
Bill Jemas
Chief Excecutive Officer
Bill Jemas is CEO, Publisher and co-founder of AWA. As Marvel’s COO and President of Publishing, Licensing and Online Media (2000-2004), Bill quarterbacked the team that transformed Marvel from a bankrupt comic book publisher and toy manufacturer into one of the best turnaround stories of the millennium. As the first “suit” since Stan Lee to play a hands-on role in creative, he launched Marvel’s Ultimate imprint and co-plotted two best-selling comic series. Even longer ago, Bill was NBA EVP Business Development, Fleer/SkyBox President, and MSG EVP Sports & Entertainment. He is a graduate of Harvard Law School and Rutgers College. The New York Times referred to Bill as “The Man who put the spring back in Spidey’s web.”
Jon Miller
Co-founder and Chairman of AWA
Jon miller is co-founder and Chairman of AWA. He is CEO of Integrated Media Co (IMC) and Senior Advisor to Advancit Capital. IMC owns Fandom.com amongst other media properties. Jon was Chairman and CEO of the Digital Media Group of News Corp and Fox where he also served on the Board of Hulu. Previously, Jon was Chairman and CEO of AOL, inc, President and CEO of USA Interactive (now IAC), President of Nickelodeon International and General Manager of NBA Entertainment. He sits on the Boards of Interpublic Group, Ziff Davis and Nielsen, inc. as well as the Paley Center for Media and the American Film Institute.
