Shelly Bond, the former v-p and executive editor of DC Entertainment’s Vertigo imprint, is joining IDW Publishing to oversee Black Crown, a new creator-owned comics and graphic novel imprint.
Authors and the first titles that will be published by Black Crown will be announced in July at the San Diego Comic-Con International. The books will begin being released in October 2017. Black Crown comics and graphic novels will be creator-owned rather than work-for-hire properties owned by IDW.
Bond, who started at DC’s Vertigo in 1993 as an assistant editor, succeeded Karen Berger as executive editor of Vertigo when Berger left in 2012. Bond directed Vertigo until April 2016 when she left after a restructuring at the imprint eliminated her position. During her time at Vertigo, Bond was responsible for overseeing a list of acclaimed nonsuperhero comics, among them such series as Fables, Sandman, iZombie and others. At IDW her title will be senior editor, special projects.
IDW chief creative officer Chris Ryall said he was " huge fan of the direction, vision, and creative teams Bond assembled on her books over the years."
Bond, speaking to her new job, said, "I can’t think of a better fit for Black Crown than with IDW. They appreciate, share, and champion my vision for creating concepts that are first and foremost incredible, unconventional, and riveting comic books."
