A lot of people have come and gone in recent weeks. Let’s get started!
§ One of the hottest new positions in the comics industry was who Scholastic would hire to run its line of children’s comics. The answer is Nikolai Mut, who joins us as senior editor for Manga & Graphics. Mr. Muth was previously a freelancer for Scholastic and most recently served as a project manager for the Americas representative office in Yokohama. He wrote on LinkedIn:
I’ve always been drawn to publishing, and I’m so excited to be able to translate great manga and comics into English and help new readers of young children around the world fall in love with them just like I have.
§ We have to catch them now, industry veteran Jan Jones wrote on LinkedIn, joining the Pokémon company’s events department.
I’m very excited to announce that I’ve joined The Pokémon Company International as Manager of Convention Programming. Anyone who knows me and my love for Pokemon knows how much this means to me. I’m trying to be very calm about this… #catchacareer #pokemon
Jones was most recently at GalaxyCon.
§ Another industry veteran, Chris Powell, has joined Coliseum of Comics, a major comics chain in the Southeast, in a senior role. Powell recently had a prominent role at Diamond Comics, so I’m sure people will be happy to see him do a new job. From PR:
Powell’s extensive background in both the retail and distribution aspects of the business makes him a unique asset to the Colosseum of Comics team. His career began in the early 1990s at Lone Star Comics, where he rose to the position of general manager and helped form one of the most successful comics retail operations in the country. In 2012, Powell transitioned to Diamond Comic Distributors, where he held positions including Executive Director of Business Development and Vice President of Retail Services, working closely with thousands of comic shops nationwide to strengthen operations and community engagement.
At Coliseum of Comics, Mr. Powell will play a key role in optimizing operations while focusing on business expansion as the company continues to grow throughout Florida and beyond.
“Chris has been one of the most respected figures in comics retail for decades,” said Phil Boyle, founder and president of Colosseum of Comics. “He understands the comics business on all levels and has tremendous experience running great stores. His insight will be invaluable as Coliseum continues to grow and evolve.”
Expressing his enthusiasm for his new role, Mr Powell said:
“I’ve long admired what Phil and his team have built at the Coliseum of Comics, a store that not only serves customers, but truly celebrates the culture of comics and fandom, and I’m excited to help take that vision to the next level.”
§ IDW added and promoted several people, including a new editor for the Turtles line, and everyone received a cute profile photo by Megan Levens to celebrate.
Jake Thomas has joined the team as group editor. Jake, who spent 11 years at Marvel and four years at Humanoids, brings his passion for comics to the TMNT line while also supporting other lines like Godzilla and Sonic the Hedgehog. “We’re thrilled to have IDW’s Jake Thomas at the helm of our TMNT line. We’ve been extremely impressed with Jake’s creativity, organization, and dedication to working with artists and business partners alike to find the best path forward in any situation,” commented Editor-in-Chief Bobby Curnow. “I’ve enjoyed seeing Jake’s leadership in action and am confident he will lead the Turtles into a great new era. I can’t wait to read all the great comics Jake has in store!”
IDW is proud to welcome Darran Robinson and Corey Wells to the company. As Art Director, Daran will primarily focus on design, logos, etc. for various IDW comics and projects. He worked at DC for about eight years and also worked on design projects for Disney, WWE, Activision, and more. As Fan Engagement Coordinator, Corey will expand IDW’s community engagement through social media, video, events and more. Corey’s previous experience includes working at Comic Book Shops (Fantom Comic, Showcase Comic) and TKO Studios.
“We are thrilled to welcome Corey and Darran to the IDW team,” said Orb Driver, Vice President of Marketing. “Cory brings a deep understanding of fandom and community engagement that will help us strengthen our connections with our readers across all platforms, while Darran’s creative eye and design expertise will elevate the way we present our stories visually. Both bring fresh energy and perspective to IDW’s next chapter, and we can’t wait to see what impact they will have on our brand and our fans.”
Ryan Balkam has been promoted from Specialty Sales Manager to Director of Sales. With over two years of experience at IDW, Ryan will focus on sales analytics, publishing and retailer strategy. During his time at IDW, he heavily promoted the best-selling re-release of TMNT, created the hit TMNT #13 blind bag program, and built a compelling Whatnot partnership. “Ryan’s insight and dedication to our retail and distribution partners has been invaluable,” Driver added. “His ability to blend data with a true passion for the comics industry makes him an incredible asset to IDW. This promotion is well-deserved, and we look forward to watching him continue to drive growth and collaboration across our sales ecosystem.”
Cassandra Jones has been promoted from editorial assistant to associate editor. Cassandra, who has been with IDW for almost two years, will continue to help create and coordinate comics for the Star Trek and Monster High series, as well as select horror comics from IDW DARK publications. “Cassandra Jones has consistently gone above and beyond in every editorial task she has been assigned,” Curnow said. “She provides critical support to our Star Trek series and always brings us exciting new projects and ideas. IDW knows Cassandra will be an integral part of our team, so we are pleased to see her take on more responsibilities in her new role as associate editor.”
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