Tag Archives: bryce gold

Tiny Onion hires Sami Demonster as Community Manager and Promotes Harley Salbacka to Events & Libraries Manager

Tiny Onion has hired social media and comic book expert Sami DeMonster as Community Manager in the team’s expansion, which has also included promoting Eric Harburn to Director of Narrative & Editor-in-Chief and a number of recent hires. Seasoned industry veteran Harley Salbacka has been promoted from Community & Events Manager to Events & Libraries Manager.

Sami DeMonster

DeMonster will be in charge of communicating with Tiny Onion’s growing fanbase and expanding the production house’s social footprint. She will run the company’s social media accounts and will be producing original content for their channels, including making weekly New Comic Book Day videos in collaboration with popular Los Angeles comic book store Revenge Of, as well as covering Tiny Onion’s activities at conventions and events. She will also be overseeing community management for the production house, engaging with fans online. 

DeMonster’s extensive background in content creation, strategy, and journalism includes collaborations with many major comic book publishers, including DC, Dark Horse Comics, Image Comics, BOOM! Studios, Vault Comics, DSTLRY, Mad Cave Studios, and creators such as Tynion, Tini Howard, Babs Tarr, Patton Oswalt, Jordan Blum, Stephanie Phillips, Jeff Lemire, Melissa Flores, and Dan Quintana. With an emphasis in comic book and horror coverage, she has cultivated an online community with over 30,000 followers on Instagram, and 40,000 followers on TikTok, with over 1 million likes. She has also partnered with e-commerce giant eBay on social media content, collaborating with their team at New York Comic Con and other events. 

Last year, DeMonster hosted Revenge Of’s globally streamed “Comic Creator Couch Party,” sponsored by Dark Horse Comics and streamed worldwide, which featured interviews with stars like Oswalt and Blum, Nathan Fillion and Heath Corson, Brian Michael Bendis, Kelly Sue DeConnick, Hannah Rose May and Utkarsh Ambudkar, Gerry Duggan, and more. In addition to video content, Sami is an editorial columnist for DC.com; among her many articles, she recently wrote a guide to the world and characters of Tynion and Álvaro Martínez Bueno’s The Nice House series timed to DC’s Vertigo relaunch. 

DeMonster got her start in the industry working at her local comic book shop before collaborating with BOOM! Studios in 2023 as a freelance Content Creator, best known for being their “New Comic Book Day” host. She has been covering Tynion and artist Werther Dell’Edera’s hit series Something is Killing the Children for BOOM! Studios since 2023 and is an expert on the Slaughterverse; for the last couple years, she has been the Slaughterverse panel moderator for BOOM! Studios at conventions like San Diego Comic-Con, New York Comic Con, and C2E2.

Tynion and DeMonster have collaborated for several years, inclusive of her work on Something is Killing the Children (SIKTC). In the last year, she has not only partnered with Tiny Onion to create videos about their titles for New Comic Book Day on a weekly basis, but has also shared deep dives on their comics and collections on her channels. She has also hosted several of their panels at conventions and produced short-form video content at events.

Harley Salbacka

Harley Salbacka, the previous Community & Events Manager, has been promoted to Events & Libraries Manager. With the success of Tiny Onion’s convention programming and the Corpse Tour (the global Exquisite Corpses comic book tour with Tynion and the Corpse Crew of creators), the team will be expanding their event footprint; Salbacka will be managing Tiny Onion’s expansion of events and in-person programming even further. In addition to events, Salbacka will also take the lead in launching Tiny Onion’s first ever Libraries program. She will be working alongside librarians to bring Tiny Onion’s titles to more readers, making their books more accessible to the public. 

During Salbacka’s fifteen years working in all facets of the comic book industry, she has gained extensive knowledge of collaborating with librarians. Salbacka started her comic book journey by running one of Los Angeles’ premier comic book shops for five years. She then worked for Humanoids as their Sales & Marketing Representative before moving to BOOM! Studios, where she rose to Sales Lead, handling not only their library market, but also their book and digital market needs, as well as running their booth at San Diego Comic-Con. She managed BOOM! Studios’ library market and ran their booths at the American Library Association (ALA) conference during her time at the company.

“I’m excited to be working with the library market again,” said Salbacka. “Libraries are one of the most important institutions in keeping literacy and comics alive in communities. I’m excited to see what cool things Tiny Onion and librarians will do together!”

“I’ve always admired Harley’s deep understanding and dedication to libraries,” said Tynion. “She has helped Tiny Onion reach new audiences at conventions and our events, and we’re excited for her to help us grow within the library space. We’re so grateful to librarians for the essential work that they do, and we’re looking forward to working with them to make Tiny Onion’s books accessible to more fans and first-time readers.”

In addition to the hiring of DeMonster and the promotion of Salbacka as well as Harburn to Director of Narrative & Editor-in-Chief to reflect their expansion into the multimedia space, Tiny Onion has also recently brought aboard Bryce Gold as Operations Manager for Publishing, Casey Gonzalez as Director of Multimedia Development for Animation, Andra Hermann as Operations Manager for Communications, and Dylan Todd as Senior Designer.

New Nonprofit Brooklyn Organization Dedicated to the Endurance of the Graphic Arts launches with Brooklyn Expo of Comics

Brooklyn Organization Dedicated to the Endurance of the Graphic Arts (BODEGA)

A team of comics publishers, creators, and industry leaders including James Tynion IV, Bryce Gold, and Courtney Menard have launched the Brooklyn Organization Dedicated to the Endurance of the Graphic Arts (BODEGA), a new nonprofit dedicated to supporting and sustaining comic and graphic arts in Brooklyn and the greater New York area. Publisher, editor, and talent executive Bryce Gold serves as Executive Director. New York Times bestselling writer and producer James Tynion IV will serve as Chair of the company’s Board of Directors, alongside Gold and Production Director, illustrator, printmaker, and cartoonist Courtney Menard.

 Brooklyn Expo of Comics (BEC)

BODEGA’s inaugural initiative is the Brooklyn Expo of Comics (BEC), a two-day comics festival taking place November 14 and 15, 2026, in Williamsburg, Brooklyn at Our Lady of Mount Carmel church. BEC will spotlight exceptional comics talent from New York and around the world while sparking newfound appreciation for independent comics and zines. The festival will feature a varied slate of panel discussions with leading creators and industry voices, alongside a convention where over one hundred artists will showcase and sell their work. Courtney Menard and Bryce Gold will co-direct the Brooklyn Expo of Comics. Chris Ware and Lisa Hanawalt will attend the debut convention as guests, with more guests to be announced in the coming months. 

BEC will also debut the BODEGA Comic Arts Trophy (CAT), honoring standout publications presented at the convention with a mid-convention award ceremony, and launch the Brooklyn Annual of Graphically Elevated Literature (BAGEL), a new magazine showcasing comics storytelling and talent from New York-based cartoonists, with future editions premiering annually at BEC.

BEC is only the beginning of BODEGA’s initiatives. BODEGA will continue to champion comic artists and audiences through exhibitions, independent educational programming, live readings, artist talks and signings, and direct financial grants for New York creators and community-driven comics projects. BODEGA honors the legacy of comics legends from New York who instigated the comics industry, including trailblazing legends like Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Will Eisner, and Harvey Kurtzman, and follows in the tradition of Brooklyn-based cultural institutions like Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) and The Center for Fiction, which underscore the importance of the borough’s lasting impact on culture and creation. 

BODEGA stands as a monument to the birthplace of comics, and a spotlight on the future talent that will inherit New York’s comics heritage. By connecting artists, publishers, and readers, BODEGA aims to strengthen Brooklyn’s comics ecosystem at a time when rising costs and limited infrastructure increasingly challenge creative sustainability. BODEGA’s mission is to ensure comics remain a vital cornerstone of New York’s cultural landscape.

BODEGA and BEC will operate with a solid support staff. Illustrator and educator Christina Lee joins BODEGA as Communications Manager. Comics literary agent Paloma Hernando will serve as Outreach Manager. Desert Island Comics founder and Smoke Signal publisher Gabe Fowler joins as Panel Coordinator for BEC. Menard previously worked with Fowler on Comics Art Brooklyn, or CAB, an annual independent comics festival run by Desert Island which operated from 2013 to 2019.

BODEGA and BEC are supported by an initial donation from James Tynion IV. Tynion is CEO & Founder of the independent multimedia production house Tiny Onion, which oversees the creation of comic book publications for many of the industry’s top publishers including Image Comics, Dark Horse, and Penguin Random House. The company operates out of Brooklyn, NY, where Tynion lives and works.

BODEGA Comics Group, Inc is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Those interested in supporting BODEGA can go to bodegacomics.org, or email hello@bodegacomics.org.

DSTLRY Announces New Hires including Kickstarter’s Bryce Gold

DSTLRY 2023 hires

DSTLRY has announced new hires including Bryce Gold as the Head of REDACTED along with James Jackson as VP of Engineering. More about Gold’s role will be revealed in 2024, while Jackson has been leading the tech team behind DSTLRY’s v0.1 digital reader beta this past month.

Additional new hires in the latter half of 2023 include Lead Frontend Engineer Rolando Garcia, Lead CMS Developer Joseph Skinner, Frontend Developer Bada Kim, and Sadé Paige as Social Media Lead. 

More about these new hires can be found below:

Rolando Garcia, Lead Frontend Engineer – Rolando Garcia brings years of experience building and maintaining digital comics, with previous experience at Marvel.com and the Marvel Unlimited team. Rolando has also served as a developer for Elysium Health, ScrollMotion, and Amplify. 

Bryce Gold, Head of REDACTED – The former Head of Comics at Kickstarter, Bryce previously worked with DSTLRY co-founders David Steinberger and Chip Mosher as the Head of Content at comiXology. Gold is also founder of indie publisher Pyrite Press, and was an adjunct professor of comics production at New York’s School of Visual Arts.

James Jackson, VP of Engineering – James Jackson is an entrepreneur and tech manager with deep experience in publishing, media and advertising. James has previously led development teams at Freestar and Hearst and was employee #13 at comiXology, where he worked alongside David Steinberger and Chip Mosher.

Bada Kim, Frontend Developer – Bada Kim brings extensive experience developing customer-facing and internal features in web and mobile platforms. He’s held positions at Zendesk, CB Insights, and 1stDibs.

Sadé Paige, Social Media Lead – Sadé Paige oversees DSTLRY’s social presence on all the major platforms, with an emphasis on video production. She previously developed social media strategy at Steve Madden and was a product development manager at Alex Apparel Group.

Joseph Skinner, Lead CMS Developer – Joe Skinner has built backend systems and services for Enthusiast Gaming, Progyny, and Digital Remedy, with deep experience in workflows and digital product management.

Bryce Gold leaves as Kickstarter’s “Head of Comics”

Bryce Gold

Bryce Gold took to Twitter to announce he’s stepping down as “Head of Comics” for Kickstarter. Gold stepped into the position less than a year ago with the announcement of his taking the role in May 2023.

The “Head of Comics” helps manage and curate Kickstarter’s Comics category, connect with and champion the work of promising creators in the comics community, and bring together a growing community of comics creators and supporters of comics and illustration.

Oriana Leckert who previously held the position was moved to lead the Publishing and Journalism categories.

Gold Tweeted out:

Big news – I’ve decided to take on another role and will be leaving my current position as Kickstarter’s Head of Comics. Today is my last day!

Shout-out to all of the creators who have brought the most interesting, beautiful, and radical comics to life on @kickstarter these last six months. I am so grateful to have been a part of your process <3

Although I am leaving Kickstarter, I will not be a stranger in the world of comics and look forward to sharing more soon

Bryce is an editor, publisher, educator, and organizer known for publishing comics, artist books, and literary zines. He joins Kickstarter from comiXology Originals – Amazon’s digital comics platform where he was the Head of Content, a position he took over about one year ago. At comiXology, Gold managed editorial, creative, and development for comiXology Originals content line and connected comics talent and comics intellectual properties with adaptation opportunities at Amazon Studios, Audible, and Amazon Games. All together, he spent eight years at comiXology.

He is also the publisher and editor of Pyrite Press, a comics and zine micropress; the co-founder of Zoetrope, a quarterly comics reading and animation showcase; and has taught Production of Comics at the School of Visual Arts in New York City.

Bryce Gold is named Kickstarter’s new “Head of Comics”

Bryce Gold

Kickstarter has announced its new “Head of Comics,” Bryce Gold. Gold will manage and curate Kickstarter’s Comics category, connect with and champion the work of promising creators in the comics community, and bring together a growing community of comics creators and supporters of comics and illustration.

Bryce is an editor, publisher, educator, and organizer known for publishing comics, artist books, and literary zines. He joins Kickstarter from comiXology Originals – Amazon’s digital comics platform where he was the Head of Content, a position he took over about one year ago. At comiXology, Gold managed editorial, creative, and development for comiXology Originals content line and connected comics talent and comics intellectual properties with adaptation opportunities at Amazon Studios, Audible, and Amazon Games. All together, he spent eight years at comiXology.

He is also the publisher and editor of Pyrite Press, a comics and zine micropress; the co-founder of Zoetrope, a quarterly comics reading and animation showcase; and has taught Production of Comics at the School of Visual Arts in New York City.

Bryce join Kickstarter’s Outreach team – the multidisciplinary unit dedicated to connecting with and advocating for Kickstarter’s creators. He starts in his new role at Kickstarter today. Oriana Leckert continues leading the Publishing and Journalism categories as Bryce steps into the Comics role.

Around the Tubes

It’s new comic book day! What are you all getting? What are you excited for? Sound off in the comments below. While you think about that, here’s some comic news and reviews from around the web.

The Beat – Comixology Originals changes: Chip Mosher leaves, Bryce Gold in – Best of luck to Chip on his next venture and Bryce on his new one.

Kotaku – Holy Hole in a Doughnut, Batman, Robin Is Teleporting In The New Gotham Knights Trailer – Well ok then.

Reviews

CBR – Batman: Fortress #2
Atomic Junk Shop – Makhno: Ukranian Freedom Fighter

Batman: Fortress #2