chris butcherIf you follow TCAF showrunner and comics industry savant Chris Butcher on twitter yuo know he’s always in Japan. Always! IS it just to bring back green tea Kit Kats? Well now all of that travel will be even more business savvy: Butcher has just been named consulting editor-at-large for Viz Media, according to an article at PW.

He’ll leave his position as manager The Beguiling ( and Page and Panel the Beguiling offshoot at the Toronto Reference Library that might just be the nicest comics shop in North America. ) BUT he’ll stay on as TCAF show runner. Butcher has worked at the Beguiling for 14 years, so this is the end of an era.

And the start of  a new one!

In this new consulting role for Viz Media, Butcher will scout acquisitions and new talent and new publishing projects, while splitting his time between North America and Japan. In addition Butcher will also scout for original non-Japanese comics projects.

[snip] Butcher has worked in virtually every area of comics publishing and retail. In addition to founding TCAF in 2003, he has worked in comics retailing since 1997, working as a clerk, manager and buyer at 6 different locations. He has worked in editorial and production for Image, Oni Press and other houses. He was marketing director for Udon Entertainment from 2013-2015

Viz Media v-p of publishing Leyla Aker, said, “Throughout his career, Chris has brought a rare degree of knowledge, passion, and dedication to the advocacy of sequential art in all its forms. We’re thrilled by this opportunity to work with him in bringing exciting new works to our readers.”

If comics has an Illuminati/Bilderburg club, Butcher is surely part of it. He’s a great addition to Viz’s line-up and as the man behind TCAF he’ll continue to have a huge part of the development of the new comics industry.

2 COMMENTS

  1. What terrific news!

    That article is right on that Chris has done everything in comics, but this job seems the rare perfect marriage of person and position. Can’t wait to see what he brings to the market.

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