Posted in: Comics, Recent Updates | Tagged: Comics, dc, dc comics, entertainment, judith regan, karen berger, vertigo

Rumour: Karen Berger To Partner With Judith Regan For A New Graphic Novel Line?

Last year, Karen Berger walked away from DC Comics after thirty-two years. During that period, she rose to the Executive Editor of the Vertigo line which she created establishing a long line of mature readers comic books and graphic novels, including Y The Last Man, Hellblazer, Preacher, Fables, Kill Your Boyfriend, Pride Of Baghdad and Invisibles, as well as reinventing the likes of Sandman, Swamp Thing, Doom Patrol, Shade The Changing Man and Animal Man. She is probably the most respected comic book editor in the industry.

However she left after the reorganisation of DC Comics into DC Entertainment that saw her effectively demoted within the publisher, and a number of Vertigo projects and lines cancelled.

The question has been since, what is Berger up to? We are aware of some high profile projects that she as had a low profile in editing. We had previously speculated at Bleeding Cool, that Berger could set up a boutique graphic novel publisher or imprint in New York's publishing industry, but that was all.

Well, yesterday we had confirmation of that, via a strong New York publishing source. The rumour is that Berger is partnering with one Judith Regan.

That's Judith Regan, the editor who worked for Simon & Schuster where she discovered the likes of Douglas Coupland and Wally Lamb as well as working with Howard Stern and Rush Limbaugh, popularising them in print, Who then became a talk show host and formed Regan Books, signing Gregory Maguire, for Wicked as well as working with Michael Moore, Robert McKee and OJ Simpson, from whom she extracted a confession and published his "imaginary" tell-all, If I Did It. Which saw her fired by Regan Books publisher Harper Collins, and then settle wrongful dismissal charges. That last publication inspired an episode of Law And Order, where the publisher of a confessed sports star killer is murdered. That bit at the beginning that says "the following story is fictional and does not portray any actual person or event" was never less true. Berger is currently CEO of Regan Arts and presents a talk show at SiriusXM.

Whether Berger's line will be part of Regan Arts, or if they are working together separately, I don't know. One can speculate that Douglas Coupland may be involved. Or Jamie Delano who has been relatively silent of late. And now that Neil Gaiman lives in New York, it would be a shame not to invite him into the city for brunch.

But San Diego would be a fine time to announce such a project. But after doing further asking around, I have been told that contracts have not yet been signed. Maybe it's better to wait until New York Comic Con…

Neither Karen Berger nor Judith Regan returned enquiries made yesterday.

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