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SDCC 2024: New comic publisher Panick Entertainment debuts!

Posted on July 25, 2024 by Brett

After a lot of teasing and hints, Panick Entertainment makes its debut at San Diego Comic-Con 2024. The new publisher is “dedicated to modernizing horror and sci-fi comics for readers and rattling the status quo of genre comic storytelling.”

Panick is headed by Kris Longo, the former publisher of Heavy Metal Magazine and is the CEO. Adam Schlagman, the former DC film exec is the head of studio, and Doug Pasko is COO. Charles Christopher Chiang is the company’s CFO and Mark McCann is the chief creative officer. Chris Ryall is serving as a chief advisor.

Actor/writer David Dastmalchian is launching a new horror title through the publisher with longtime associate Leah Kilpatrick. The comic is a five-issue mini-series.

You can get a first look and find out more details at a San Diego Comic-Con panel taking place this Thursday, 7/25 at 4pm to 5pm in Room 29AB. Check out the description of the panel below:

PANICK Entertainment is a new publisher dedicated to modernizing horror and sci-fi comics for readers and rattling the status quo of genre comic storytelling. Join industry veterans and co-founders

Kris Longo (Heavy Metal, DC Comics), Adam Schlagman (DC Comics; executive producer, Shazam!),

Doug Pasko (executive producer, The Outpost, Mythica 1- 5), and Chief Advisor Chris Ryall (Syzygy/Image) for the first look anywhere at their launch slate of books and projects for late 2024 and 2025, including works from Special Guests Shannon Eric Denton (founder, Monster Forge Productions), Dirk Blackman (writer, Underworld: Rise of the Lycans), Brendan Columbus (writer, Savage Circus), and Tehani Farr (artist, Conan). The first 100 people to arrive will receive a free SDCC exclusive print from PANICK and artist Christopher Lair (artist, Never Never)! And who knows, perhaps a special guest or two may drop in! GET NERVOUS!

Comic Industry Vets Launch Endpaper Entertainment

Posted on January 15, 2021 by Brett

A group of vets in the pop culture industry has formed to launch Endpaper Entertainment. The company is focused on developing new content for novels, comics, graphic novels, film, TV, podcasts, SVOD, audiobooks, and merchandise.

The new venture began to form a year ago and was co-founded by CEO Rich Johnson. Johnson is a former executive at Lion Forge and DC Comics and co-founder of Yen Press. Syndee Barwick is the other co-founder and president of the company. Barwick was the founder of Mythic Media Management and also a former DC executive.

Rounding out the team are chief creative officer Jonathon Gilbreath, a producer and director of immersive theater and VR; chief content development officer James Killen, longtime Barnes & Noble buyer for graphic novels, sci-fi, and fantasy; and chief business development officer Kris Longo, formerly with DC and founder of Geek Riot Media.

Content will produced through partnerships with freelance creators, book packagers, and media production houses.

In the announcement, the most interesting aspect was a focus on finding the right platform for the story. The company won’t just place stories in any and every format available, instead things will be tailored for where they work best.

Heavy Metal Promotes Joseph Illidge to Executive Editor and adds Kris Longo as Chief Sales Officer

Posted on June 29, 2020 by Graphic Policy Team

Following a series of announcements on new publishing initiatives, Heavy Metal is continuing to build up executive staff with the promotion of Joseph Illidge to Executive Editor and the addition of Kris Longo as Chief Sales Officer.

Illidge’s remarkable career in comics spans 27 years and a host of accomplishments with various publishers, including serving as Executive Editor for Valiant Entertainment, Senior Editor for Lion Forge Comics, Editor for the Batman line of titles for DC Comics, and editor for both Milestone Media and Archaia. His new Heavy Metal responsibilities will have him working in collaboration with CEO Matthew Medney and Publisher David Erwin, developing new content and creator relationships for Heavy Metal’s flagship magazine and intellectual properties, including the “Taarna” and “Cold Dead War” characters from the seminal 1981 Heavy Metal animated film.

Longo’s addition as Chief Sales Officer will bring new, revenue-generating projects to the Heavy Metal fold, with an eye on the development of a robust advertising, marketing and promotion strategy, custom publishing, co-publishing partnerships with similarly-spirited content providers, licensing programs, and more. Prior to joining Heavy Metal, Longo spent 13 years in DC Comics’ advertising and custom solutions group, served as VP of Business Development for Bonfire Agency and in 2014 founded the advertising and marketing firm Geek Riot Media, which he will continue to independently own and operate moving forward.