Posted in: Comics | Tagged: Charles Becham, ide, jamie s rich, Russ Busse

Jamie S Rich Quits Tapas Media EIC To Be IDW Exec Editorial Director

Jamie S Rich at IDW

There's a counter-intuitive jump. Jamie S Rich, former Senior Editor of Vertigo, Young Animal and Superman at DC Comics, then the EIC of webtoon publisher Tapas Media is now returning to a traditional comic book publisher as the new Executive Editorial Director of IDW. IDW has also hired Charles Beacham and Russ Busse as Senior Editors.

Jamie Rich started in comics in 1994 as an assistant editor at Dark Horse Comics before moving over to Oni Press in 1998, where he became editor-in-chief. He published his first prose novel, Cut My Hair, in 2000 before embarking on an extended freelance Eisner-Award-winning career. In 2015, Rich joined DC Comics as part of their Vertigo imprint and, in time, would oversee DC's Young Animal with Gerard Way as well as Group Editor of Justice League, Batman and Superman comic books, where he co-created the storyline that would see the new Superman, Jon Kent, be revealed as a young bisexual man.

IDW states  that "as executive editorial director, Jamie S. Rich will be responsible for developing licensed products for IDW Publishing, including single-issue comic books and graphic novels, and both managing and providing direction to the editorial staff to enable the highest quality creative output."

Charles Beacham, former lead writer at Mythical Games, was a Creative director at Dwelligy, a Narrative Director at Activision, and an Assistant Editor at Marvel Comics. IDW states that "as senior editor, Charles Beacham will oversee the company's critically acclaimed line of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic books, building upon the success of their monthly series and blockbuster Last Ronin miniseries with innovative new initiatives for 2022 and beyond."

Russ Busse was a Senior Editor for three years at Abrams as well as an Editorial and Marketing Assistant, Assistant Editor and then Associate Editor at Hachette Book Group. As senior editor of IDW's Originals editorial division, IDW states "Russ Busse will work with some of the industry's finest creators and talented newcomers to develop brand-new original graphic novels for the middle grade and young adult markets."

Previously, Bleeding Cool first reported on the exit of John Barber as EIC of IDW, and that his successor would have a new title, Executive Editorial Director.

IDW then made Mark Doyle, Editorial Director of Originals at IDW Publishing. a move that seemed to lead to IDW's announcement of new original creator-owned comics from the publisher from prominent creators. The move will reunite Jamie S Rich and Mark Doyle at DC Comics. Alongside Heather Antos, Maggie Dowell and Scott Dunbier. IDW is more and more looking like an All-Star editorial lineup.

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