Posted in: Comics | Tagged: dc, journalistic untegrity, young adult

So You Want To Be A Comics Editor For DC's New Young Reader Imprint?

Are you interested in becoming an editor for a major comic book publisher? Believe us, we know how it feels.

The ultimate goal of comics journalism, according to the handbook they gave us when we signed up, is to get a "real job" in comics. After the announcement earlier today that Marvel had hired Andrea Towers to head up its PR department, some of us might be left feeling like we've been left behind. But it doesn't have to be this way!

Newsarama editor Chris Arrant took to Twitter to remind us of the storied history of using comics journalism to break into comics:

He also let his fellow comics journalists (and, we guess, regular people — but seriously, stay away, it's ours!) know that there are other opportunities to escape the soul-sucking hell of the 24-hour comics news cycle and snag a coveted position at Marvel or DC. For instance, there's this job as a DC Comics Assistant Editor for their new Young Reader line of comics:

On their careers website, DC describes the position as:

DC Comics seeks an Assistant Editor, Young Reader for the Editorial-DC Comics department. Supports Editor and Associate Editor in producing a line of kids' and young adult editorial products within the DC Universe imprint.

The responsibilities:

• Assists Editor and Associate Editor in the production of Kids' and Young Adult titles.
• Facilitates communication and scheduling for the editorial process from concept to bound book.
• Ensures that tipsheets, cover copy, catalog copy and other relevant materials are created and distributed on time.
• Works with Marketing and PR to obtain blurbs and quotes; sends out review material and maintains database of awards and other related content.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

And the qualifications:

• BA/BS degree in English, Journalism, Publishing or Art preferred.
• 2+ years professional employment experience.
• YA/Kids' book experience strongly preferred.
• Entertainment or publishing experience preferred.
• Ability to meet or exceed deadlines required.
• Copyediting and proofreading skills (CMOS) required.
• Knowledge of art (ability to discuss composition, design, etc.) preferred.
• Must have the ability to communicate effectively and tactfully with managers and other levels of personnel both verbally and in writing.
• Must have the ability to pay close attention to details.
• Must have the ability to organize.
• Must have the ability to work well under time constraints.
• Must have the ability to handle multiple tasks.
• Must have the ability to manage multiple project elements simultaneously.
• Mac/PC proficiency required.

Granted, this sounds like a lot of work. Way more work, now that we think about it, than writing clickbait articles for a tabloid news site. We always assumed the job description of an editor at a major comics publisher was something like:

• Must be able to sign own name
• Must be able to write a 200 word Tumblr post about why Marvel is right about everything (punctuation a plus)
• Must be able to sign into Twitter

But it turns out there's a lot more nuance to this thing. We're starting to have second thoughts here, is what we're saying.

But if you aren't scared off, head over to Warner Bros' website and send in an application. Who knows — you could bypass having to work in comics journalism entirely! Wouldn't that be nice?

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