This will be my last day as Publicity Manager at DC Comics.

Apologies for the overly dramatic intro sentence, but I figured I’d get the newsy aspect of this blog post out of the way sooner rather than later.

Fear not, though. I’m not leaving the comic book industry. Still, leaving DC was far from easy. As a lifelong Batman fan and DCU reader, I’ve been bowled over by the exciting stuff coming out and in the works for these books. Trust me when I say you’re all in for a treat. As for where I’m going – that’s stuff to discuss at another time. Like, say, Monday morning.

I promised myself I wouldn’t get too sappy and emotional with this, my goodbye post, but as I type this, I find that might be hard to accomplish.

This job, and THE SOURCE in particular, have meant a lot to me over the last few years. It’s impossible to explain how exactly, so I’m not going to try. Suffice to say, the opportunity to be the conduit for so much news, information and excitement to the fans is an opportunity and experience I’m always going to cherish. It’s really been an honor to connect with so many people – in and out of the company and industry – on a regular basis. The chance to say, with little to no irony, that I had a hand in spreading the word about Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and DC’s endless array of wonderful characters is amazing. And I’m certain 12-year-old Alex would be pretty stoked if I could get my DeLorean running long enough to tell him. So, yeah. Thank you for reading. I’m not deluded enough to think anyone came to this piece of Internet real estate because of my ability to turn a phrase, but it was an honor to be a messenger of such great and exciting news each day.

Now, if you haven’t dozed off yet, I’d like to take a quick moment to offer up some thanks. I’ll try to keep it short, but how often does one get to write these kind of things?

First off, I’d like to thank my dad for not hesitating to drop some cash down when his son started begging for a copy of The Greatest Flash Stories Ever Told.

None of this would be possible without my colleagues in DC Publicity. My boss, David Hyde, and fellow Publicity Managers, Pamela Mullin and Austin Trunick, are three of the classiest people I’ve ever had the pleasure to work with. Some of you may have seen Austin’s name popping up here on The Source recently, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that he and David will be taking the reins starting Monday. You’re in good hands, folks. Special thanks to David for taking a chance on a relatively green comics journalist who thought he could handle publicizing some of the most iconic characters in comics. I think it worked out OK.

I’d like to tip my hat to the top-flight exec team of DC Entertainment – Diane Nelson, John Rood, Dan DiDio, Jim Lee and Geoff Johns. I look forward to seeing what the future has in store for a company that will continue to mean a lot to me. Exciting times!

Dan – a special thanks for immortalizing me in the pages of OUTSIDERS and for your guidance and positive energy. And, making room for one inside joke: Dan, any creative changes?

Jim – if I ever figure out the time travel thing, I promise Alex-from-the-past will be very much in awe of the fact that he’ll eventually get to work for one of his favorite comic book creators. Thanks.

Geoff – You made a lifelong Batman fan care about a test pilot named Hal Jordan. Your stuff will continue to be at the top of my to-read pile. All will be well.

A big thanks to my colleagues in sales and marketing, including Steve Rotterdam, John Cunningham, Bob Wayne, Sue Pohja, Gayley Avery, Vince Letterio, Fletcher Chu-Fong, Matt Keller, Adam Philips, Rickey Purdin, Erika Russo, Anjalie Rambharose, Pat O’ Connell, Joe Hughes, Stuart Schreck, Ken Miller, Brett Shanahan, Heather Einhorn, Carmela Romano, Jen Redding and Janexy Ortiz. Wednesday mornings at 11 will never be the same.

Nothing on this blog would exist without the timely, thoughtful and consistent contributions from DCU Editorial: Special thanks and a high five should go out to Ian Sattler for playing the role of blog gatekeeper for editorial – your help was invaluable and your notes on point. Additional thanks must go to Eddie Berganza, Mike Marts, Matt Idelson, Mike Carlin, Mark Chiarello, Liz Gehrlein, Joey Cavalieri, Brian Cunningham, Adam Schlagman, Rachel Gluckstern, Sean Ryan, Rex Ogle, Wil Moss, Chris Conroy, Janelle Siegel, Harvey Richards and Simona Martore. Responsive, proactive and creative are just a few of the words that instantly come to mind when it comes to this group. Whether it was a guest post or a sneak peek at an upcoming project, my email was stuffed with possibilities for content, and a visit to the 6th floor was one of the most fun parts of the job, and probably one I’ll miss dearly. I apologize to the entire group for the mass demotion from professional colleagues to personal friends of an ex-Source blogger.

I also wouldn’t dare put together a list of creators to thank, for fear of forgetting any of the amazing writers, artists, colorists, letterers and more who helped make this blog an interesting read. It’s your work – whether it’s an essay on the craft or sketches from an unseen project – that kept fans coming back, and it was my great pleasure to help people get the chance to experience it. Working with such a talented bunch of creative people is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and I’m really humbled by it.

Lest we forget, The Source is just part of my regular duties. When not blogging here, I spent a good portion of my time doing outreach to the mainstream and comic trade press in tandem with David, Pamela and Austin in an effort to generate more buzz for the many exciting projects coming out of the DC Universe. Our colleagues in the press have always been professional, flexible and reliable, and for that I’m really appreciative.

And, as I begin to hear the music playing, reminding me that it’s time to step back from the podium, I’d like to also thank Cheryl Rubin, Georg Brewer, Jim Fletcher, Jeff Trojan, Syndee Barwick and the DC Direct team, Paul Levitz, Will Dennis, Bob Harras, Jeremy Haiting, Ron Perazza, Dave McCullough, Jesus Reyes and the entire Creative Services crew, Karen Berger and Vertigo, Hank Kanalz and everyone at WildStorm, and anyone I may have missed as I step out the door. Thanks.

Before I go, I’d like to share one tidbit of advice that you’re welcome to take or leave. Ever since THE SOURCE came into being, I’d often get emails, tweets or Facebook messages from fans looking for that one perfect bit of advice: How do I break into comics? I don’t have that answer. But I do know that if you work hard, respect the people around you and keep at it, you can do whatever you set your mind to.

Best,
Alex

We’ve got a ton of cool images for you to set as your desktops this week, folks, so let’s get right to it. We’ve got two covers for THE FLASH #8, one from Scott Kolins and another from Stanley “Artgerm” Lau, a looming Darkseid by Frank Quitely for DCU LEGACIES #8, Mark Bagley’s JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #52 cover, Dustin Nguyen and Kevin Maguire’s respective takes on JUSTICE LEAGUE: GENERATION LOST #16, Nicola Scott’s cover for TEEN TITANS #90 and WONDER WOMAN series artist Don Kramer’s stunning #605 piece. Enjoy!

Mark Chiarello Named VP Art Direction & Design – DC Comics

(December 2nd, 2010) Mark Chiarello has been named VP Art Direction & Design for DC Comics, it was announced today by DC Comics Co-Publishers Jim Lee and Dan DiDio. This newly-created position will oversee the operations of DC’s Editorial Art Department and lead in establishing the style, visual look and graphic design across all of DC’s imprints. He will be located in New York and report directly to the Co-Publishers.

“Mark is the kind of artist, editor and collaborator who is invaluable in not only his knowledge of the craft but his ability to inspire and pull out the very best work from the creators with whom he works,” said Jim Lee, DC Comics Co-Publisher. “He’s a true artist’s artist.”

“Mark Chiarello is one of the most respected figures in the comic book industry,” said Dan DiDio. “From NEW FRONTIER to SOLO to WEDNESDAY COMICS, he’s spearheaded projects that helped elevate our expectations for what the art form can accomplish.”

Mark Chiarello joined DC Comics in 1993 as the comic industry’s first Color Editor. He soon became the Editorial Art Director at DC, where he originated and oversaw titles such as BATMAN: HUSH with Jim Lee & Jeph Loeb, BATMAN BLACK & WHITE, SOLO, WEDNESDAY COMICS, THE NEW FRONTIER by Darwyn Cooke, and COVER RUN: THE ART OF ADAM HUGHES. He is a recipient of the comic book industry’s Eisner, Harvey and Reuben Awards.

As a freelance illustrator, Mark has done work for LucasFilm, Disney and Universal, among others.

Mark is the co-author of the baseball book “Heroes of the Negro Leagues,” published in 2007 by Abrams.

Alison Gill Named SVP, Manufacturing & Operations – DC Comics
Nick Napolitano Named VP, Manufacturing Administration – DC Comics
Jeff Boison Named VP, Publishing Operations – DC Comics

(December 2nd, 2010) Three executive promotions in the Manufacturing & Operations departments were made today by DC Co-Publishers Jim Lee and Dan DiDio. Alison Gill was named SVP, Manufacturing & Operations, while Nick Napolitano and Jeff Boison were promoted to VP, Manufacturing Administration and VP, Publishing Operations, respectively. Gill will report directly to the Co-Publishers and both Napolitano and Boison will report into Gill.

“These three have played pivotal roles behind-the-scenes at DC,” said Dan DiDio, Co-Publisher, DC Comics. “The team in Manufacturing and Operations are essential in producing our books and making sure that a finished, high-quality product makes it to market. Alison, Nick and Jeff will further strengthen these processes and create several new ones in their elevated roles.”

In her new role, Alison Gill will support the transition of workflows between East and West coasts; will work with other WB divisions to make DC’s material more accessible and oversee the preservation of its film archives. Environmental concerns have always been important to her, and in 2008 she oversaw DC’s move towards using SFI-certified paper stocks, something she considers one of her most significant achievements. Alison Gill first joined DC Comics in 1999 as Executive Director of Production. Previous to DC, Gill worked in various capacities at Marvel Comics’ UK and New York offices.

“Alison’s been critical in not only finding the most efficient manufacturing methods for DC Comics, but also the ones that make the least impact on our environment,” said DiDio, “We take great pride in Alison’s efforts to ensure that we are always exploring the most eco-friendly publishing options in the industry.”

Nick Napolitano returned to DC Comics in 1999 as a Pre Press artist. Napolitano has also worked as a comic artist, including on “Legion of Super Heroes” and “Crisis on Infinite Earths” for DC and has done prolific work as a letterer. In his new role, Nick will continue to oversee the Production and Lettering departments as well as head up DC’s newly-created Tech Ops department. Tech Ops’ main role will be to assist in creating synergy between DC Entertainment’s bi-coastal production workflows.

“I’m eager to work with Nick to develop new ideas for our digital workflows,” said Jim Lee, Co-Publisher, DC Comics, “Nick’s played so many roles in so many different departments over the years – he’ll bring the sort of broad, valuable experience that few others in the industry can provide.”

Jeff Boison has been DC’s Executive Director of Publishing Operations since 2009. Prior to joining DC, Boison worked for Random House for 11 years, most recently as Director of Sales. In his new role, Boison will be responsible for overseeing green light process on project approvals, managing long and short-term scheduling concerns, creating a balanced product mix and supervising the supply chain management and logistics department.

“Jeff has played a humongous role in maximizing our ability to get our hottest books into readers’ hands,” said DiDio. “Bringing in his long track record from the book publishing world, Jeff has been able to fast-track sellout books like the Superman: Earth One to make sure they stay in-print and return quickly to store shelves.”

Bob Harras, Editor-in-Chief here. I’m happy to introduce the team that will be working closely with me across our DC Universe, Vertigo and MAD imprints, as we continue to make DC Comics the destination for exciting, thought-provoking and ground-breaking comic entertainment

First up, I’m pleased to announce that Eddie Berganza has been named Executive Editor of our DC Universe line.

A 19-year veteran of DC COMICS, Eddie began his career trafficking the art and scripts going out of DC and worked his way up to Assistant Editor on such titles as GREEN LANTERN, AQUAMAN, LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES before moving on to being an Associate Editor dealing with GUY GARDNER: WARRIOR and creating an alternate universe line of books. This led to him becoming the SUPERMAN editor for seven years that included the OUR WORLDS AT WAR crossover and the acclaimed ACTION #775 “What’s so funny about truth, justice, and the American way?” But it was as Senior Editor and then Group Editor, that Eddie found his niche as the “Event Editor.” Stewarding one crossover after another from INFINITE CRISIS to FINAL CRISIS and the recent BLACKEST NIGHT to now preparing for FLASHPOINT, he has been at ground zero for all DCU’s major storylines!

But his true love is still GREEN LANTERN–which he edits today along with the JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA-and cannot wait to see the Emerald Warrior’s movie next year!

Before coming to DC, Eddie worked at the science fiction movie magazine Starlog, where he got to learn way too much about Star Trek.

Working alongside Eddie, will be Matt Idelson, Group Editor of the Superman titles and Mike Marts, Batman Group Editor.

Matt Idelson spent the first of his 17 years in the business at Marvel Comics, first as an assistant on Avengers, the Waid/Garney Captain America run, Warren Ellis’ Thor and other assorted titles before working his way up to full editor, launching such varied titles as Joe Kelly and Ed McGuinness’ Deadpool and Waid and Andy Kubert’s Ka-Zar. In 1999, he moved uptown to DC, working on the Batman line with first Denny O’Neill and then Bob Schreck, launching the Greg Rucka/Ed Brubaker/Michael Lark GOTHAM CENTRAL, Brubaker, Darwyn Cooke and Cameron Stewart’s CATWOMAN revamp. Along the way from then to now, Dan DiDio promoted Matt, assigning him the SUPERMAN titles, beginning with the Geoff Johns/Kurt Busiek collaboration, “Up, Up and Away!” Presently, Matt still oversees the Superman group of titles and resides about three minutes south of Canada with his wife and a couple of cats.

Mike Marts got his start in the comic industry as an assistant editor for Marvel Comics in 1993. After working on such titles as Iron Man and Fantastic Four, Mike went on to a brief stint in Wizard Magazine’s promotions department and eventually became an editor for Acclaim Comics in 1997. In 1999, Mike received the call from me in my prior existence as editor in chief of Marvel Comics to return to Marvel Comics, where he spent seven years working on the X-Men family of comics, including Uncanny X-Men, Joss Whedon’s Astonishing X-Men, Grant Morrison’s New X-Men, Wolverine and Origin. Then in September of 2006, Mike “switched sides” and went to work for DC Comics as a senior editor. Two years later, he was promoted Group Editor and was charged with helming the Batman group of titles. Mike lives in New Jersey with his wife, daughter and dog.

I’m also pleased to announce the promotion of Ian Sattler, Director–Editorial, Special Projects & Archival Editions. Born and raised in Washington, DC Ian has been the Senior Story Editor for the DCU for the last three years. Prior to that he acquired over a decade of experience in the comics industry in areas as diverse as editing, marketing and retail. His background also includes forays into other areas of publishing including authoring several non-fiction books and serving as a founding member of influential pop culture magazines SWINDLE and LEMON.

Ian is familiar to many comics fans from his work hosting DC panels at numerous conventions and his fine collection of footwear.

I’m also very happy to say that I will be working closely with Karen Berger, Senior Vice President, Executive Editor of the Vertigo line.

Vertigo has always been known for publishing edgy, innovative stories that push the boundaries of comics storytelling. There’s always something disturbing or psychologically intense about a Vertigo book, and a refreshing sense of reading something new and different and somewhat dangerous.
Karen joined the DC editorial staff in 1979 and, within a few years, became known as an editor who sought to push mainstream comics into new territories. Her early series of note includes AMETHYST, PRINCESS OF GEMWORLD, WONDER WOMAN and the now legendary SWAMP THING. Wishing to push comics further, she created the acclaimed and award winning Vertigo imprint in 1993, publishing groundbreaking series such as SANDMAN, PREACHER, THE INVISIBLES, TRANSMETROPOLITAN, FABLES, Y THE LAST MAN and 100 BULLETS. Additionally, she moved Vertigo into further recognition, with a strong line of original graphic novels and best-selling collected editions.

The line honors its roots of horror and the supernatural by publishing such best-selling series as AMERICAN VAMPIRE and FABLES even as it explores other genres as it expands the concept of what a comic book can be.

And last-but by no means least-comes John Ficarra, Vice President, Executive Editor of MAD Magazine.

John started his career as a freelance comedy writer for radio and for such standup comedians as Rodney Dangerfield, Soupy Sales, and Joan Rivers among others. He began his association with MAD as a freelance writer and was hired as Associate Editor in 1980, becoming the first person hired by MAD in 24 years.

In 1985, John became co-editor with Nick Meglin when long-time MAD Editor Al Feldstein retired and became the magazine’s sole editor in 2005.

John has written humor pieces for many publications including the New York Times Op-Ed, New York Daily News, TV Guide and more. He is also the author of the MAD Book of Fears & Phobias.

And he wants us all to know he owns a car.

12 heroes and villains return from the dead suddenly to find a changed world and an endless supply of questions and conflict. How will heroes like Firestorm, Aquaman, Hawkman, Captain Boomerang and more solve the mystery of their return and answer one question:

What would you do with a second chance at life?

That’s the premise of the epic known as BRIGHTEST DAY, from writers Geoff Johns and Peter Tomasi and a collection of the finest artists in comics. And now, you can purchase the first two issues of the celebrated and best-selling series digitally, by visiting DC’s Digital Store.

Featuring covers by the ultra-talented David Finch and interiors from Ivan Reis, Patrick Gleason, Ardian Syaf, Scott Clark and Joe Prado, BRIGHTEST DAY is essential reading for any superhero comic fan looking for compelling storytelling presented by some of the most talented creators in the business. And what’s easier than shopping by clicking your mouse?

I won’t spoil that here, of course, but suffice to say, BRIGHTEST DAY #15 – from the team of writers Geoff Johns, Pete Tomasi and artists Patrick Gleason and Scott Clark – is a treat, taking readers down an unexpected path. What exactly is going on? Well, pick up the issue and find out. The pages below are sure to give you a clue or two, though.

BRIGHTEST DAY #15 hits tomorrow.