Like every other comics publisher, IDW is going Portland! Not with their whole operations, but they’re opening a satellite office to be run by industry icon*, Dirk Wood, who will also serve as creative director for Woodworks, a new imprint. The line will launch with “a high-end, curated magazine, featuring contributions by, and conversations with, the most talented and diverse creators in the industry.”
A magazine in this day and age! A brave and bold venture! The still unnamed magazine will focus on comics but with added entertainment and culture. The venture is described as a “budding line” so…get those proposals in.
“This was born from a conversation that Ted Adams and I had,” said Wood, “We were talking about our similar taste in books, and some of the projects we’d like to see happen. This led to talk about the incredible comics scene that’s taking off in Portland, and how we should be a part of it. Suddenly, we realized that these two thoughts fit each other perfectly. To be able to start this new chapter of the company I love, and expand our reach into the hometown that I love, is an incredible opportunity. I can’t wait to get started.”
IDW Publisher and CEO Ted Adams adds, “Dirk and I are both Oregonians — we even went to the same university in Southern Oregon — and this new line will represent the independent streak that’s part of the DNA of everyone born there. That independence will include not just the books and magazines we make but also in the way we get them into the hands of readers. As everyone who has met him knows, Dirk is a one-of-a-kind talent and I can’t wait to get started on this new venture with him.”
* While the industry icon thing was a bit of a joke, seriously, Wood is loved and respected by retailers and creators alike. While he holds the title of VP Marketing for IDW, he’ll continue on in an advisory role with IDW, working on cons and direct market marketing.
A high end, curated magazine? For some reason, I picture a promotional magazine along the lones of Image’s monthly publication. Which is fine, but ultimately it’s a promotional vehicle for Image, with a clear emphasis on previewing upcoming cool comics, and profiling cool upcoming comic shop owners. Here’s hoping for somthing a little deeper and wider reaching from IDW.
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