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Category Archives: Press Release

Preview: Nouns: Nountown #1

Posted on July 19, 2023 by Graphic Policy Team

Nouns: Nountown #1

Writer(s): David Leach
Artist(s): Danny Schlitz
Wraparound cover: Danny Schlitz
Publisher: Nouns DAO (distributed by Titan Comics)
FC, 36pp, $4.99
On Sale July 19, 2023

AN EPIC ADVENTURE OF PLAYGROUND-STYLE FUN & HUMOR

Nouns DAO presents a new sensational mini-series by writer David Leach (Psycho Gran) and artist Danny Schlitz. A deeply moving coming-of-age drama about a small-town thimble salesman caught up in a politically-charged espionage caper involving a stolen atom bomb, a signed picture of the pope, and a man with a fox for a head.

Kevin Conroy, Preeminent Voice of Batman Passes Away at Age 66

Posted on November 11, 2022 by Graphic Policy Team

NEW YORK, NY (November 11, 2022) – Actor Kevin Conroy, the most beloved voice of Batman in the animated history of the character, died Thursday at age 66 after a short battle with cancer.

A noted stage, film and television performer, Conroy rose to unparalleled voice acting fame as the title character of the landmark Batman: The Animated Series (1992-1996). He would establish never-to-be-broken records as the quintessential voice of Batman, bringing the super hero to animated life in nearly 60 different productions, including 15 films – highlighted by the acclaimed Batman: Mask of the Phantasm; 15 animated series, spanning nearly 400 episodes and more than 100 hours of television; as well as two dozen video games. Conroy was also featured as a live-action Bruce Wayne in the Arrowverse’s 2019-2020 “Crisis on Infinite Earths” crossover event.

In recent years, Conroy was a notable fixture on the Con circuit, greeting fans with the same warmth, respect and enthusiasm they reserved for him.

“Kevin was far more than an actor whom I had the pleasure of casting and directing – he was a dear friend for 30+ years whose kindness and generous spirit knew no boundaries,” said Emmy Award winning casting/dialogue director Andrea Romano. “Kevin’s warm heart, delightfully deep laugh and pure love of life will be with me forever.”

“Kevin was perfection,” recalled Mark Hamill, who redefined the Joker playing opposite Conroy’s Batman. “He was one of my favorite people on the planet, and I loved him like a brother. He truly cared for the people around him – his decency shone through everything he did. Every time I saw him or spoke with him, my spirits were elevated.”

Born on November 30, 1955 in Westbury, New York, and raised in Westport, CT, Conroy began establishing himself in the acting community while under the tutelage of John Houseman at The Julliard School – where he studied alongside the likes of Christopher Reeve, Frances Conroy, and his roommate Robin Williams.

Conroy began his career following his love of the theatre, keeping him on stage in both New York and at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego. The actor received rave reviews for his starring performances in A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Public Theater, Eastern Standard on Broadway, Arthur Miller’s The Last Yankee, and in the title role of Hamlet at the 1984 New York Shakespeare Festival. In addition, he performed in films and television – most notably in the mid-1980s when he had recurring roles on Dynasty, Tour of Duty and Ohara; successful runs on soap operas Search for Tomorrow and Another World; and guest roles on popular series like Cheers, Murphy Brown, Spenser: For Hire and Matlock.

But it was his incomparable, nuanced performance as the voice of Batman that put Conroy on the map – and the fans’ radar – when Batman: The Animated Series debuted on September 5, 1992. From that point on, Conroy would forever be linked to the Dark Knight – in TV series like Batman Beyond and Justice League/Justice League Unlimited; films ranging from Batman: the Killing Joke and Batman: Gotham Knight to Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero and Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman; and more than two dozen video games.

“Kevin was a brilliant actor,” Hamill said. “For several generations, he has been the definitive Batman. It was one of those perfect scenarios where they got the exact right guy for the exact right part, and the world was better for it. His rhythms and subtleties, tones and delivery – that all also helped inform my performance. He was the ideal partner – it was such a complementary, creative experience. I couldn’t have done it without him. He will always be my Batman.”

“Kevin brought a light with him everywhere,” said Paul Dini, producer of Batman: The Animated Series, “whether in the recording booth giving it his all, or feeding first responders during 9/11, or making sure every fan who ever waited for him had a moment with their Batman. A hero in every sense of the word. Irreplaceable. Eternal.”

Conroy is survived by his husband Vaughn C. Williams, sister Trisha Conroy, and brother Tom Conroy. Memorial services are pending.

Preview: Goosebumps: Secrets of the Swamp #2 (of 5)

Posted on November 12, 2020 by Graphic Policy Team

Goosebumps: Secrets of the Swamp #2 (of 5)

(W) Marieke Nijkamp (A) Yasmin Flores Montanez (CA) Bill Underwood
In Shops: Nov 11, 2020
SRP: $3.99

Twelve-year-old Blake was worried that summer break with her weird aunt in Fever Swamp would be b-o-r-i-n-g, but it’s quickly become more intense than she ever could have imagined. Lost in the swamp with her gaming rival, Lily, and surrounded by werewolves, Blake could use a lot less danger and a little more boring right about now! The wild werewolf nightmare continues in this all-ages scarefest from New York Times bestselling author Marieke Nijkamp (This Is Where It Ends, Before I Let Go, The Oracle Code) and artist Yasmin Flores Montanez (Marvel Action: Captain Marvel, Tilly).

Goosbumps: secrets of the Swamp #2 (of 5)

AfterShock and Rive Gauche Merge and launch AfterShock Media

Posted on October 5, 2020 by Graphic Policy Team

Rive Gauche, the distribution company behind globally-successful TV series Homicide Hunter, Something’s Killing Me, Very Scary People, Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan, Ice Cold Killer, My Strange Addiction, My Crazy Obsession, and many more, announced a merger today with AfterShock Comics, the independent publishing company behind acclaimed series such as Animosity, Dark Red, Babyteeth, and A Walk Through Hell.

The new entity, AfterShock Media, will combine AfterShock Comics’ expansive library featuring comics from the industry’s most celebrated creators, including highly anticipated new releases We Live created by the Miranda Brothers, Miles to Go written by B. Clay Moore, and The Kaiju Score from James Patrick respectively. Rive Gauche’s global distribution power will propel the publisher’s IP into new formats – from TV and film to gaming and podcasts. Rive Gauche CEO Jon Kramer, also the CEO of AfterShock Comics, will now assume the role of CEO at AfterShock Media overseeing both companies. Just earlier this month, Rive Gauche negotiated major film and TV deals having announced bringing The Kaiju Score to the big screen, and Undone By Blood to the small screen.

It was also announced that longtime Rive Gauche executive Marine Ksadzhikyan has been promoted to COO and EVP of Sales for Rive Gauche, expanding acquisitions and sales initiatives worldwide while overseeing the company’s operations. Marine has also been named Head of Business Development and Strategy at AfterShock Media, looking for and developing new business opportunities.

Lee Kramer will head up the AfterShock Film & TV division as President of Film & TV for Rive Gauche. AfterShock Comics will continue to be led by Editor-in-Chief Mike Marts, CCO/Publisher Joe Pruett, and President Lee Kramer.

10 Reasons to read (or re-read) The Iliad

Posted on February 26, 2019 by Graphic Policy Team

More than three thousand years ago, two armies faced each other in an epic battle that rewrote history and came to be known as the Trojan War. The Iliad, Homer’s legendary account of this nine-year ordeal, is considered the greatest war story of all time and one of the most important works of Western literature. In this stunning graphic novel adaptation — a thoroughly researched and artfully rendered masterwork — renowned illustrator Gareth Hinds captures all the grim glory of Homer’s epic.

In the lead up to the March 12, 2019 release of Hinds’ take on the classic tale, Candlewick Books has provided us 10 reasons you should read (or re-read) The Iliad.

1. It’s a stirring tale of action, drama, romance, and tragedy.

2. It’s our best window into life in Bronze Age Greece, three thousand years ago. Ancient Greece is extremely important because the Greeks developed many of the core pillars of western civilization, including democracy, philosophy, mathematics, phonetic writing, and more! Their civilization is within and around us every day.

3. It’s one of the best early sources of Greek mythology, and it contains a lot of great mythological stories we don’t find in other places. For instance, in The Iliad we learn that Hephaestus made humanoid robots to help him out in his workshop!

4. It gets better each time you read it. (At least that’s my experience, and everyone I’ve talked to who has read it multiple times has told me the same thing.)

5. It gives us insight into universal human truths. Achilles and Agamemnon may seem like sulky babies, but within their cultural context they have compelling reasons for their actions — and I think it’s enlightening to examine those reasons and try to see not only why they might act that way, but why they feel they have no other choice. That’s significant because it’s the kind of problem we still see in politics and group dynamics in modern society, when people feel trapped in a situation and they escalate conflicts, “dig in”, “double down”… and if we want to move away from war and toward peace, we have to look at why we sometimes behave that way.

6. It looks unflinchingly at life, death, and mortality.

7. The Iliad is the archetypal war story, and at the same time it is an anti-war story. It shows us the heroism and also the tragedy and senselessness of war. It is the prototype of all wars and all war stories. It puts human faces to the struggle and the suffering.

8. It inspired The Aeneid, which is another amazing piece of literature, and which tells us how Rome came to be founded. Which is important because the Romans spread their civilization all over the Western world, and in so doing they handed down to us some of the best parts of Greek civilization plus their own important ideas about philosophy, science, politics, strategy, money, etc.

9. …or as William Faulkner said, “The past is not dead, it’s not even past.” Understanding The Iliad is a key component of understanding our past, and our present.

10. The Iliad shows us “heroes” in many different molds, with their strengths and their flaws. It invites us to consider whether we want our standard of heroism to be that of Hector, Achilles, Odysseus, Patroclus, etc. It poses the question of what it actually means to be a hero, what is worth dying for, and how to reconcile with someone we see as an enemy.

Diamond Reveals August 2016’s Top Sellers. DC Again on Top.

Posted on September 16, 2016 by Graphic Policy Team

DC Comics topped the month again in August 2016, not only in dollar share but also unit share. The publisher had nine of the top ten comics including the number one comic, Harley Quinn #1 by Amanda Conner, Jimmy Palmiotti, and Chad Hardin’s

Diamond Comic Distributors topped ten million non-promotional comic books shipped during the month for the first time in nearly twenty years, with comic shops purchasing 10.26 million comic books in August.

With sales powered by the Rebirth publishing initiative, DC Entertainment was August’s top publisher with a 39.27% dollar share and a 44.59% unit share. Marvel Comics was the month’s number two publisher with a 30.78% dollar share and a 32.11% unit share. At number three was Image Comics with a 7.66% dollar share and a 7.78% unit share. IDW Publishing was fourth with a 4.92% dollar share and a 3.53% unit share, followed by Dark Horse Comics with a 3.08% dollar share and 2.28% units share.

Marvel’s top-selling comic was Dan Slott and Giuseppe Camuncoli’s Amazing Spider-Man #16, ranked #4 for August. Among the premier publishers, Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard’s The Walking Dead #157 was Image Comics’ best-selling book in July at #13. IDW Publishing’s TMNT Universe #1, a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles spin-off, was their top book for the month at #85. Finally, Brian Wood and Mack Chater’s Briggs Land #1, a new series about anti-government extremists in the American west in development as a television series for AMC, was Dark Horse Comics’ top book for August at #127.

Darth Vader puts down a rebellion against the Empire’s rule in Kieron Gillen, Leinil Francis Yu, and Salvador Larroca’s Star Wars: Darth Vader Volume 3: The Shu-Torun War from Marvel Comics, the best-selling graphic novel for August. When it came to trade paperbacks and graphic novels, Marvel found more success. The publisher had four of the top ten books, DC Comics had five of the top ten, and Image had one in the top ten.

Award-winning editor Ellen Datlow and some of the top writers working in fantasy and horror today explore the worlds of H.P. Lovecraft in Dark Horse Comics’ prose anthology Children of Lovecraft, the best-selling book of August. Image Comics had two titles in the top ten books as well; the ODYC Adult Coloring Book ranked #3 and The Walking Dead Adult Coloring Book ranked #7.

Inspired by Warner Bros.’ film, DC Collectibles’ Suicide Squad: Harley Quinn Statue was August’s best-selling toy product. In total, DC Collectibles had six products in the top ten, including the Joker and Deadshot statues that match the Harley Quinn statue. Diamond Select Toys had two products in the top ten; the Marvel Gallery: Spider-Gwen PVC Figure ranked #3 and perennial seller the Marvel Select: Deadpool Action Figure ranked #4..

NECA/WizKids’ Marvel HeroClix: Superior Foes of Spider-Man Booster Packs was August’s best-selling game product. Also in the top ten was IDW Games; the Machi Koro Card Game ranked #7 for the month.

TOP COMIC BOOK PUBLISHERS

PUBLISHER	DOLLAR SHARE	UNIT SHARE
DC ENTERTAINMENT	39.27%	44.59%
MARVEL COMICS	30.78%	32.11%
IMAGE COMICS	7.66%	7.78%
IDW PUBLISHING	4.92%	3.53%
DARK HORSE COMICS	3.08%	2.28%
BOOM! STUDIOS	1.98%	1.57%
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT	1.57%	1.14%
TITAN COMICS	1.19%	1.09%
VIZ MEDIA	1.14%	0.41%
ONI PRESS	0.83%	0.55%
OTHER NON-TOP 10	7.58%	4.94%

COMPARATIVE SALES STATISTICS

	DOLLARS	UNITS
AUGUST 2016 VS. JULY 2016
COMICS	13.30%	8.28%
GRAPHIC NOVELS	16.50%	19.21%
TOTAL COMICS/GN	14.13%	8.95%
AUGUST 2016 VS. AUGUST 2015
COMICS	44.58%	44.02%
GRAPHIC NOVELS	5.53%	7.15%
TOTAL COMICS/GN	31.62%	40.77%
YEAR-TO-DATE 2016 VS. YEAR-TO-DATE 2015
COMICS	2.66%	0.06%
GRAPHIC NOVELS	2.81%	1.10%
TOTAL COMICS/GN	2.71%	0.14%

NEW TITLES SHIPPED

PUBLISHER	COMICS SHIPPED	GRAPHIC NOVELS SHIPPED	MAGAZINES SHIPPED	TOTAL SHIPPED
MARVEL COMICS	93	35	0	128
DC ENTERTAINMENT	75	33	1	109
IDW PUBLISHING	53	31	0	84
IMAGE COMICS	52	11	1	64
DARK HORSE COMICS	26	16	0	42
TITAN COMICS	20	10	2	32
BOOM! STUDIOS	22	8	0	30
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT	22	6	0	28
VIZ MEDIA	0	24	0	24
ONI PRESS	10	2	0	12
OTHER NON-TOP 10	144	117	24	285

TOP 10 COMIC BOOKS

RANK	DESCRIPTION	PRICE	ITEM CODE	VENDOR
1	HARLEY QUINN #1 [*]	$2.99	JUN160218-M	DC
2	ALL-STAR BATMAN #1 [*]	$4.99	JUN160203-M	DC
3	SUICIDE SQUAD #1 [*]	$2.99	JUN160230-M	DC
4	AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #16	$3.99	JUN160844-M	MAR
5	SUICIDE SQUAD REBIRTH #1 [*]	$2.99	JUN160228-M	DC
6	BATMAN #4 [*]	$2.99	JUN160242-M	DC
7	BATMAN #5 [*]	$2.99	JUN160244-M	DC
8	JUSTICE LEAGUE #2 [*]	$2.99	JUN160266-M	DC
9	HARLEY QUINN #2 [*]	$2.99	JUN160220-M	DC
10	SUPERGIRL REBIRTH #1 [*]	$2.99	JUN160226-M	DC

TOP 10 GRAPHIC NOVELS & TRADE PAPERBACKS

RANK	DESCRIPTION	PRICE	ITEM CODE	VENDOR
1	STAR WARS: DARTH VADER VOL. 3: THE SHU TORUN WAR TP	$16.99	MAY160924	MAR
2	BATMAN: THE KILLING JOKE SPECIAL EDITION HC	$17.99	NOV070226	DC
3	BLACK PANTHER BOOK 1: NATION UNDER OUR FEET TP	$16.99	JUN160956	MAR
4	SPIDER-MAN/DEADPOOL VOL. 1: ISN’T IT BROMANTIC TP	$17.99	MAY160926	MAR
5	STAR WARS VOLUME 3: REBEL JAIL TP	$19.99	MAY160922	MAR
6	BATMAN/TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES HC	$24.99	APR160380	DC
7	SAGA VOLUME 6 TP (MR)	$14.99	MAR160684	IMA
8	TEEN TITANS EARTH ONE VOLUME 2 HC	$22.99	APR160323	DC
9	HARLEY QUINN BOOK AND MASK SET	$34.99	APR160377	DC
10	HARLEY QUINN & THE SUICIDE SQUAD: AN ADULT COLORING BOOK TP	$15.99	MAY160307	DC

TOP 10 BOOKS

RANK	DESCRIPTION	PRICE	ITEM CODE	VENDOR
1	CHILDREN OF LOVECRAFT TP	$19.99	APR160081	DAR
2	TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES ADULT COLORING BOOK	$14.99	MAY162065	RAN
3	ODYC ADULT COLORING BOOK (MR)	$14.99	MAY160682	IMA
4	MARVEL: ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW HC	$19.99	JUN162060	DK
5	THE SHADOW DOUBLE NOVEL VOLUME 109 SC	$14.95	MAY162071	SAN
6	SENSUOUS FRAZETTA SC (MR)	$24.95	MAY161913	VAN
7	THE WALKING DEAD ADULT COLORING BOOK (MR)	$14.99	FEB160615	IMA
8	ART OF COLORING DISNEY VILLAINS HC	$15.99	JUN162067	HAC
9	THE OVERSTREET COMIC BOOK PRICE GUIDE VOL. 46 SC	$29.95	APR161669-M	GEM
10	YOSHITAKA AMANO: ILLUSTRATIONS SC	$19.99	JUN161954	VIZ

TOP 10 TOYS

RANK	DESCRIPTION	ITEM CODE	VENDOR
1	SUICIDE SQUAD: HARLEY QUINN STATUE	JAN160369	DC
2	SUICIDE SQUAD: THE JOKER STATUE	JAN160371	DC
3	MARVEL GALLERY: SPIDER-GWEN PVC FIGURE	MAR162236	DST
4	MARVEL SELECT: DEADPOOL ACTION FIGURE	MAR101468	DST
5	POP! GODZILLA: ATOMIC BREATH GODZILLA 6-INCH FIGURE	APR162788	FUN
6	SUICIDE SQUAD: DEADSHOT STATUE	JAN160368	DC
7	BATMAN ARKHAM KNIGHT: HARLEY QUINN II ACTION FIGURE	FEB160276	DC
8	DC ICONS: THE JOKER “A DEATH IN THE FAMILY” ACTION FIGURE	NOV150323	DC
9	X-MEN LEGENDS 6-INCH ACTION FIGURES	APR168678	HAS
10	DC COMICS BOMBSHELLS: POWER GIRL & SUPERMAN STATUE	JAN160372	DC

TOP 10 GAMES

RANK	DESCRIPTION	ITEM CODE	VENDOR
1	MARVEL HEROCLIX: SUPERIOR FOES OF SPIDER-MAN BOOSTER BRICK	MAY163107	NEC
2	MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: ELDRITCH MOON BOOSTER PACKS	MAY163104	WIZ
3	MAGIC THE GATHERING TCG: ELDRITCH MOON FAT PACK	MAY163105	WIZ
4	FINDING DORY: DON’T WAKE GAME	JUL158674	BAN
5	4D CITYSCAPE: GAME OF THRONES: WESTEROS PUZZLE	AUG132098	4D
6	MARVEL HEROCLIX: SUPERIOR FOES OF SPIDER-MAN FAST FORCES 6-PACK	MAY163109	NEC
7	MACHI KORO CARD GAME	MAY142831	IDW
8	DEADPOOL BATTLE YAHTZEE	JUN163093	USA
9	MUNCHKIN MARVEL UNIVERSE 2: MYSTIC MAYHEM	MAY163102	PSI
10	YU-GI-OH! TCG: DARK SIDE OF DIMENSIONS MOVIE BOOSTER PACKS	MAY168708	KON

How does Diamond calculate the charts? It all starts at the comic book shop.

Data for Diamond’s sales charts — which includes the monthly market shares and all top product charts — are compiled by Diamond Comic Distributors from sales made to thousands of comic book specialty shops located in North America and around the world. Additional sales made to online merchants and other specialty retailers may be included as well.

Unit and dollar market shares are calculated based upon orders for comic books, graphic novels, and magazines invoiced and shipped to Diamond customers during any given month, which comprises pre-orders, advance reorders, and reorders, minus any copies that are received back from a title marked as returnable. Please note that comics marked with an asterisk (*) have had their reported quantities reduced due to retailer returnability, and thus may rank lower on the charts than their actual sales would reflect.

The New Titles Count Chart includes all titles that were invoiced by Diamond to retailers for the first time during the month and is not the official solicited title count for the month. Variant edition comic books and graphic novels at the same price point count as a single SKU. Variant edition comic books, lenticular covers, digital combo packs, and graphic novels at different price points count as separate SKUs for each edition.

Flame Con will be (Toy) Gun Free

Posted on June 23, 2016 by Graphic Policy Team

Geeks OUT and Flame Con has released the below press released regarding this year’s convention. It’s run unedited and we here support this decision 100% percent.

Last week, the queer community lost 49 members of our queer community in what has become an all too common tragedy in this country.

In the days since that event, Geeks OUT has been spending a lot of time talking to the management and staff of the hotel that will be hosting Flame Con about the safety of our attendees. We have also been reaching out to concerned fans. In response to the massacre at Pulse in Orlando, we plan to bolster Flame Con’s security, and will be working with local law enforcement to ensure that even outside of the con, there will be people looking out for us.

Acknowledging the shock and trauma and grief our community is experiencing right now, we feel the need to go even further in making Flame Con a safe space for us all.

As a show of solidarity with victims of the Pulse Nightclub shooting, their families, and anyone else affected by homophobic gun violence, Flame Con is asking you to leave your toy guns at home.

Because guns are not toys. Guns are not accessories that can be flaunted in public without inherently making light of their intended use—while simultaneously making many people deeply uncomfortable.

If you bring a toy gun to Flame Con, no matter how unrealistic it might look or feel, you will be asked to check it.

Can you do a successful cosplay of Black Widow or Vash the Stampede without a gun? We think you can! If your cosplay isn’t quite complete without a gun, we’ll help you adapt to our new policy by providing some creative alternatives to traditional guns that you can pose with. Your cosplay at Flame Con will help our community make a strong, colorful statement against gun violence, and our culture’s toxic love of firearms.

Spread the word! Flame Con will not allow the following items:

Any weapon of any kind—bladed or projectile—that looks or feels real.

Any kind of gun or simulacrum of a firearm, no matter how fake it looks.

Any prop that is heavy, hard, or sharp enough to injure a person (Err on the side of caution).

When crafting your props, keep it light and keep it safe. You can do a lot with foam!

At Geeks OUT, we are committed to creating spaces that are safe—both physically and emotionally. Join us in making Flame Con a place where we can all enjoy ourselves!

Oni Press is Looking to Hire a Sales Manager with 3–5 Years Sales Experience

Posted on May 19, 2016 by Graphic Policy Team

Oni Press is looking to hire! Below is their notice about the position they’re looking for.

The Sales Manager position at Oni Press is a dynamic and multi-faceted role with key responsibilities that span sales to the direct, book, and library markets, maintaining and developing vendor relationships, and working to formulate appropriate sales strategies by channel. The successful candidate will be:

Self-motivated, yet able to work as part of a team;
Excited about the Oni Press brand, including its erotic and sex education comics imprint, Limerence Press;
And, most importantly, be able to translate that excitement into an ongoing sales strategy that results in a net increase in the sales of our comics and graphic novels.

Apart from the key responsibilities of conducting sales calls and emails, this position will also be our primary point of contact for with our distributor, and other digital, direct, and mass market partners. Reports to the VP of Marketing and Sales.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Direct Market (Comic Retail Shops) sales
- Research, develop, and execute a variety of sales programs including exclusive variants, discount incentives, and returnability.
- Cultivate and maintain relationships with comic book store direct market retailers. Conduct regular calls and emails to retailers (approximately 500 a month) to retailers to assist them in placing aggressive, but appropriate, orders for our new and backlist titles.
- Compile and maintain a list of retail partners, their purchasing preferences, and their preferred method and frequency of contact.
- Compile and maintain a rotating list of retailers and press to send a monthly package of promotional materials (posters, buttons, etc.) and sample pages to.
- Provide PREVIEWS catalog information to Diamond Comic Distributors.
- Provide Diamond PREVIEWS ad pages work order to Design & Production.
- Work with editorial to facilitate Advance Reader Copies (ARCs) and previews.
- Work with individual and groups of retailers to craft custom promotional and sales opportunities.
- Work towards expanding Oni Press market share in the North American direct market.

Mass Market (Bookstores, etc.) and Library sales
- Establish and maintain relationships with libraries, in particular librarians with purchasing authority.
- Establish relationships with bookstore and entertainment store chain buyers.
- Provide bookstore catalog information to Diamond Book Distributors.
- Coordinate Advance Reader Copies (ARC) dispersion through physical copies, PDFs, and NetGalley.
- Compare orders to sales (according to Bookscan) and returns develop tailored sales recommendations.
- Identify product lines appropriate for specialty retailers and boutiques and secure orders for appropriate products and lines.

Digital Sales
- Work with Publisher to oversee vendor relationships with comiXology, Amazon, Apple, and Google Play.
- Develop promotions and sales appropriate to these platforms.

SECONDAY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Analysis, Execution, Evaluation: Act as an adviser to the VP of Marketing and Sales and the Publisher on ways to better manage sales and increase profitability.
Set Goals: Work with VP of Marketing and Sales to set quarterly and yearly budgets, include goals for purchase orders based on comparative titles, and market trends.
Event Planning Support: Work with our Director of Logistics to support in-store events and trade shows, including creator signing and appearances. Work as part of the team that determines company presence and attend industry trade shows and conventions.
Conventions: Attend all major North American comic conventions. Travel is roughly 15% of the job.
Other duties: As assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Three to five years in a sales representative role; within industry preferred.
At least one year of prior management experience or demonstrated willingness and ability to learn management basics.
Strong interpersonal skills.
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
Familiarity with data analysis and reporting.
Hardworking, persistent, and dependable.
Positive and enthusiastic.
Willingness to travel for trade shows and conventions.

Additionally, the ideal candidate will possess:

Bachelor’s degree; business and marketing majors preferred.
An interest and empathic response to individual needs and points of view.
A willingness to spend time and devote thought to analyzing attitudes, and their impact on emerging trends.
A sense of justice or fair dealing in their interactions with retail partners.
Respect for others’ unique personalities and experiences.
Prior knowledge of the book and/or comic markets.Experience with MailChimp.
Prior knowledge of Diamond Comic Distributors, Diamond Book Distributors, and their sales system.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:
Qualified applicants should send an email with the subject line “SALES MANAGER APPLICATION” that includes all of the following: a cover letter (copied in the body of the email), resume, and salary requirements to marketing@onipress.com. No calls please.

DC Entertainment Remembers Darwyn Cooke

Posted on May 14, 2016 by Graphic Policy Team

Earlier today Darwyn Cooke‘s family announced the passing of the creative giant. The outpouring of support for the artistic legend began yesterday when it was announced he was battling cancer. Earlier this morning, he lost his battle with it.

DC Entertainment released the below statement honoring him and his work:

Darwyn Cooke will be remembered for his timeless designs, masterful storytelling, and his impact on the comic book world.

BURBANK, Calif. (May 14, 2016) – Darwyn Cooke had a vision of the DC Universe that was uniquely his own, yet embraced by everyone. Once you saw his timeless designs and concepts for Batman, Catwoman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern or any other character, you immediately adopted his jubilant interpretation of these heroes as your own and wanted more. His take on the most iconic heroes in the world were breathtakingly direct and elegant, powerful and cool. His were some of the most beautiful, fun DC superhero images we have ever seen.

“Darwyn Cooke lived life like a character from a Micky Spillane novel, a throwback to a bygone era that was, more than occasionally, reflected in his work,” said DC Comics Co-Publisher Dan DiDio. “He was both compassionate and combative, approaching everything he did with a tenaciousness and temerity that is now unheard of in a world afraid to offend. The simplistic brilliance of his art and the natural flow of his storytelling not only elevated but enhanced all projects he touched and his passion and love of comics was reflected in every panel of every page. Working with Darwyn was not without its challenges. There were times we’d spend hours arguing over story then go months without talking, but we always found our way back, drawn together by the common bond and friendship comics creates. This is an industry-wide loss that I feel personally, but the sadness is mitigated in the knowing that the beauty and grace of his art will forever stand the test of time and be a monument to all that is great about comics.”

Darwyn was one of our medium’s true innovators. A gifted artist and master storyteller, Darwyn began his career as a magazine art director and graphic designer. After answering an ad placed by Warner Bros animator Bruce Timm, Darwyn entered the world of animation, where he contributed to such shows as Batman: The Animated Series, Superman: The Animated Series and Men In Black: The Series. From there, Darwyn made the leap into print comics, where his character design was never more effective, enduring or entrancing. It was the look and honest simplicity of his characters for which Cooke became famous—as first seen in his breakout work Batman: Ego published over 15 years ago today and then followed up by his popular and critically acclaimed work on Catwoman: Selina’s Big Score and The Spirit. Even after 15 years, Darwyn’s design for Catwoman is still the one used today in both comics and inspired the look for Catwoman on the hit TV show, Gotham.

An Eisner-award winning artist and accomplished writer, Darwyn has been a much-loved and respected member of the comics community. He lent his signature retro style to all corners of the DC Universe, from Jonah Hex to Before Watchmen to Vertigo Comic’s The Twilight Children and, of course, his master work, DC: The New Frontier. His bold, direct style, often compared to the works of Joe Kubert, Alex Toth and Jack Kirby, reflected his down to earth, no nonsense personality. Darwyn Cooke always claimed that he was a lucky man to have such a wonderful family, friends, and such a wonderful life. He lived that life with the same brilliance and fearlessness that so permeated his work. And for those of us who knew this one-of-a-kind and genuine soul, we were lucky as well.

BREAKING: Club Nintendo Being Discontinued, Replaced With Successor

Posted on January 20, 2015 by

Unfortunate news has just been posted by Nintendo of Europe, and then by Nintendo of America soon after, for all Club Nintendo members. Club Nintendo is being discontinued as of June 30th, 2015 in America and September 30th in Europe and Japan.

These gray skies come with a bit of silver lining as they are working on a new program that will replace Club Nintendo and “launch later this year”, according to NoE.

American Club members will receive a free download code for Flipnote Studio 3D (For Nintendo 3DS) in February as a thank you, whereas Europe Club members will obtain it as a free sign up bonus during the launch period of the new program later this year.

Points will need to be used prior to the cut off dates below, with an assortment of rewards in their catalog being redeemable until June 30th, 2015.

UPDATE: During the writing of this article, Nintendo of America posted their official release, as well as a change to the prizes being offered on their rewards catalog. This article has been changed to reflect this.

Below are both of the press releases that have both appeared within the hour on Nintendo’s official websites.

Posted to the American Club Nintendo‘s main page:

Dear Club Nintendo Members,

Thank you for your continued loyalty to Nintendo.

We launched Club Nintendo 6 years ago in North America, and we’re grateful for all of the feedback that our members have provided on their experiences with our products.

In order to focus on planning for a new customer loyalty program for our fans, we’ve decided to wind-down the Club Nintendo program. We are deeply thankful to our members for being a part of Club Nintendo for all of these years.

We will share details about our new program at a later date. For now, please see the schedule below for information on the discontinuation timeframe for Club Nintendo.

All Coins will be deleted when Club Nintendo accounts are closed on July 1, 2015. As a result, to give our members the best opportunity to use their Coins, we will add dozens of downloadable games and a limited quantity of exclusive reward items to the rewards catalog in February. In addition, as a small token of appreciation for your loyalty, all Club Nintendo members will receive a free download code for Flipnote Studio 3D in February 2015. Please visit here for information on the software and how to get the download code.

Club Nintendo program discontinuation schedule

1/20/2015

Products released after this date are not eligible for registration with Club Nintendo

3/31/2015

Last day to earn Coins, register products with Club Nintendo, and sign up for new Club Nintendo membership

6/30/2015

Last day to redeem Coins or access you account on the Club Nintendo website. Club Nintendo program shuts down at 11:59pm PT on 6/30/2015.

Your Account and Coin Balance

The information in your Club Nintendo account will not be transferred to the new loyalty program. We are adding multiple items to our reward catalog, so please be sure to redeem your Coins before the deadline on June 30, 2015. Unused Coins will be deleted as of July 1, 2015.

2015 Elite Status

In order to reach Elite Status, you must earn 300 Coins (for Gold Status) or 600 Coins (for Platinum Status) between July 1, 2014 and March 31, 2015. Members who reach Elite Status will be able to choose a downloadable game from a wide selection of Nintendo 3DS and Wii U titles. Your free Elite Status gift will be available between April 1 and April 30, 2015. A list of the Elite Status 2015 gifts will be posted here once announced.

FAQs about Club Nintendo program discontinuation

How long can I keep earning Coins?

The last day to register products with Club Nintendo, take surveys, or earn Coins is March 31, 2015. Surveys in your To-Do list will be deleted after March 31, 2015, so please be sure to register products or take surveys by that date. Please note that products released after January 20, 2015 cannot be registered at Club Nintendo, and will not be eligible for surveys or Coins.

But I have Club Nintendo PIN # that is valid past March 31, 2015.

Products cannot be registered after March 31, 2015, regardless of the expiration date written on the PIN card.

Will the games I download still be registered with Club Nintendo?

Club Nintendo-eligible games that you download will continue to be registered to your account automatically until March 31, 2015 if your Nintendo eShop account is linked to your Club Nintendo account. After that date, games will no longer be registered with Club Nintendo. To find out which games you can register, please see Eligible Products. Click here to learn how to link your Nintendo eShop account to your Club Nintendo account.

When is the last day to join Club Nintendo?

You can join Club Nintendo until March 31, 2015.

When is the last day to redeem Coins on Club Nintendo?

The last day to redeem your Coins is June 30, 2015. Any unused Coins will be deleted on July 1, 2015. We are offering a large number of digital games, and select physical rewards, so we are sure you can find something you like. Limited quantities are available for the physical rewards, so please be sure to check out our Get Games & Rewards page for each item’s availability.

What happens to my Coins if I don’t use them all?

Any unused Coins in your Club Nintendo account will be deleted on July 1, 2015.

When is the last day to get the download code for the digital games I chose?

The last day to access your Club Nintendo account is June 30, 2015, so please be sure to get your 16-digit download code(s) for any games you’ve received before that date.

Will the download code ever expire?

Yes, all download codes redeemed from Club Nintendo will expire on July 31, 2015, so please be sure to download your game from the Nintendo eShop before that date.

Do I need to cancel my membership?

No, your account will automatically be cancelled on July 1, 2015, so there is no need for you to cancel your account.

Posted to Nintendo of Europe‘s site:

Important information about the discontinuation of Club Nintendo

20/01/2015

Nintendo’s first loyalty programmes, VIP 24:7 and Club Member, started in May 2002, and were combined in December 2007 to become Club Nintendo. Over the years, players have enjoyed the Game Boy Advance, Nintendo GameCube, Nintendo DS, Wii, Nintendo 3DS and Wii U platforms, and countless software titles across them all. We’ve also heard the feedback and opinions of around six million Club Nintendo members across Europe and South Africa, which we have used to help shape our business.

We’re working hard to create a new programme, which we plan to launch later this year. And as a special offer, users who sign up to the new programme during the launch period will be able to download Flipnote Studio 3D to a Nintendo 3DS system for free. Please stay tuned to the Nintendo website for further details.

This new membership programme will replace Club Nintendo, so we will discontinue Club Nintendo according to the schedule given below. Thank you for all your support.

As Stars in your account will expire on September 30th 2015, please make sure you use them before this date. There are plenty of unique and exclusive items already available in the Stars Catalogue, and we’ll keep adding more over the coming months, so there’s plenty to spend your Stars on before September 30th 2015.

Please stay tuned for more information about the new membership programme, including its launch date.

Club Nintendo Discontinuation Schedule

April 1st 2015: From this date, Nintendo will no longer include product registration cards with its packaged games, so such products cannot be registered in Club Nintendo. You may still find product registration cards in games that were in stock before this date, however.

April 20th 2015: Termination of the registration of digital products downloaded from Nintendo eShop. Digital products obtained from Nintendo eShop after this date will no longer appear in the My Registered Games & Systems page in Club Nintendo. In addition, surveys for download software titles will no longer be available.

September 30th 2015: End of Club Nintendo programme. All Club Nintendo features, such as signing up as a new member, logging in as a registered member, earning Stars, and exchanging Stars for items from the Stars Catalogue will no longer be possible from this date.

New Nintendo 3DS and New Nintendo 3DS XL

These new handheld systems, which will be released on February 13th 2015, are not registerable in Club Nintendo. However, hardware bundles will still include a product registration card for the included software until April 1st 2015, so software bundled with hardware can still be registered until September 30th 2015.

Stars

Please exchange any Stars in your account for items from the Stars Catalogue before September 30th 2015. Any Stars not used by this date will be lost, so be sure to use them as soon as possible. There are plenty of unique and exclusive items already available in the Stars Catalogue, and we’ll keep adding more over the coming months, so there’s plenty to spend your Stars on before September 30th 2015.

Seemingly, they are still honoring all prior obligations, including, what appears to be the Mewtwo DLC offer for Super Smash Bros Wii U and 3DS. No word on if final Gold and Platinum gifts are being sent out this holiday, though.

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