Tokyopop has a new publisher and chief operating officer in publishing veteran Marc Visnick. In a January 18 announcement, the 25-year-old manga and graphic novel company said that Visnick was promoted from his previous role as v-p of publishing to the helm the brand's print, digital, editorial, marketing/PR, sales, and distribution operations.
In a release, the company credited Visnick, who joined Tokyopop in early 2022, with doubling company revenue over last year, expanding the brand's North American presence, increasing market share, and implementing a new production process to efficiently scale content output. In his new role as publisher and COO, Visnick will report to Tokyopop founder and CEO Stu Levy, and will be responsible for developing more strategies to drive growth and efficiency.
“I am thrilled to expand my role at Tokyopop and look forward to leading a variety of initiatives to expand our reader base and market share,” Visnick said in a statement announcing his promotion. Formerly, Visnick also served as v-p of sales and business development for indie comics publisher TKO Studios. “This is an exciting time for the juncture of pop culture and publishing, and Tokyopop is well positioned to be at the forefront of the momentum that is driving the global popularity of manga and graphic novels.”
Levy added, “Marc Visnick has contributed greatly to the success of Tokyopop since joining us in 2022, and he is extremely well suited to assume the roles of COO and publisher. I have great confidence that his leadership and vision will continue to make a difference.”
Founded in 1997, Tokyopop's mission is to bring "Asian pop culture to Hollywood and beyond," and it is credited for introducing the term "manga" to the English-language market.
