Posted in: Boom, Comics, Comics Publishers, Current News, DC Comics, Oni Press | Tagged: brzrkr, Spencer Simpson

Spencer Simpson Leaves DC Comics, Joins Oni Press As VP Sales

Spencer Simpson lwaves DC Comics, where he has been since 2021, only to be immediately picked up Oni Press as Vice President of Sales.

Published Wed, 06 Sep 2023 11:29:09 -0500

by Rich Johnston

Last updated Thu, 07 Sep 2023 07:30:48 -0500

Comments

That was fast! Spencer Simpson, the Books-A-Million and Boom Studios salesman was Director of Marketing & Sales at DC Comics since 2021, until he was dropped by them last month. But quick as you like, he was picked up by Oni Press as Vice President of Sales, effective today.

Spencer Simpson, the Man Behind Brzrkr, Joins Oni Press as VP Sales — Spencer Simpson, courtesy of Oni Press

Oni has been on something of a hiring spree as of late, first adding President & Publisher Hunter Gorinson late last year, followed in short order by Editor-in-Chief Sierra Hahn and Sr. Sales Manager (and former Third Eye Comics retailer) Michael Torma in the spring.

In his new position, Simpson will lead "Oni's sizable and expanding operations across the Book Market, Direct Market, and Digital platforms." Spencer Simpson states "I am elated to be joining the team at Oni Press, a publisher that I've followed closely during my time in the comics industry. Oni represents a vital and necessary voice in the medium with a fantastic history of seminal and ground-breaking works – from Courtney Crumrin, The Sixth Gun, and Scott Pilgrim through new classics such as Gender Queer, Mooncakes, Sheets, and The Tea Dragon Society. I've seen the exciting slate of upcoming releases that the company will be unveiling in the months ahead, and can't wait to get started on furthering the long and deep-rooted success Oni has established in bookstores, libraries, and comic shops."

Spencer Simpson notably began his career as the Graphic Novel Buyer for American brick-and-mortar retail chain Books-A-Million, overseeing one of the industry's largest book market accounts and leading BAM!'s comics business across stores in 32 states. Simpson also led the company's expansion into single-issue sales a few years later and created the Fried Pie Variant program, which produced numerous exclusives for Marvel, DC, Image, and many more .

This led to Spencer Simpson's appointment as Boom!'s first head of sales in 2018 and was responsible for the sales strategies behind Brzrkr and Something is Killing the Children. At DC Comics, he was behind launches including Wonder Woman Historiaby Kelly Sue DeConnick, Phil Jimenez, and more, Batman/Fortnite: Zero Point by Christos Gage & Reilly Brown, The Human Target by Tom King & Greg Smallwood, World's Finest by Mark Waid & Dan Mora, as well as the reintroduction of Neil Gaiman's Sandman Presents to coincide with Netflix's adaptation. DC Comics' loss, it seems…

Because now Spencer Simpson comes to Oni Press, as the publisher prepares for the upcoming Scott Pilgrim Takes Off! anime series, coming to Netflix in November (and already boasting 2.8 million trailer views on YouTube), as well a substantial push back into direct market comics with series like Jordan Thomas & Shaky Kane'sThe Man From Maybe, Matt Lesniewski's Faceless and the Family, Cullen Bunn & Jesus Hervas' Invasive.