Penguin Random House’s July acquisition of Boom! Studios is now complete, PRH has announced, and they have hired a new publisher. Michael Kelly has joined the company as Publisher, reporting to President, Executive Director of Business Management & Publishing Operations, BOOM! Studios, Jen Harned.
Harned, who joined Boom three years ago as CFO, will report to Scott Shannon, President of Random House Worlds, PRH’s portfolio of imprints that will now include Boom.
Kelly is formerly Vice President, Global Publishing at Hasbro, a position where he was an impact player, growing the publishing business from $20 million in annual wholesale revenues to over $200 million, and overseeing more then 1,000 new titles per year. At Boom he’ll manage marketing, sales, and operations, and will lead the effort to integrate Boom into PRH’s organization.
Boom’s new org chart has also been set, with Bryce Carlson promoted to VP Deputy Publisher, and reporting to Kelly along with Josh Hayes, VP Sales, Stephanie Lazarski, Director, Operations, BOOM! Studios, and Ryan Matsunaga, Director, Marketing, BOOM! Studios all reporting to Kelly. Matt Gagnon, VP, Editor-in-Chief, and Michelle Ankley, Director, Design will now report to Carlson.
Carlson has been upped from his former role as VP of Editorial & Creative Strategy, and will continue to develop publishing plans and strategic priorities for the entire editorial team.
Kelly had been a notable executive at large following his departure from Hasbro after a 17-year career there. His comic book industry bonafides include working with IDW, BOOM! Studios, Skybound/Image, and Marvel, and working with brands including Clue, Jem and the Holograms, Micronauts and My Little Pony. Most importantly, he helped launch the wildly successful Energon Universe line at Skybound with Robert Kirkman. He also launched his own IP licensing/development company, Extensive Enterprises, back in April before singing on with PRH.
Interestingly, all the way back in March, Kelly was pegged as a potentially strong hire in the comics industry by Chris Arrant at Popverse, who wrote, “Michael Kelly, Hasbro’s now-former VP of Global Publishing, finds himself in a position as someone with one of the most in-demand, and rare, skill sets in comics and pop culture publishing.”
It seems PRH felt the same way.
As noted, Boom will now be part of Random House Worlds, a division which focuses on licensed publishing. It’s likely that we might hear some of the first hints of how the new Boom will operate at the upcoming New York Comic Con.
Thanks for the mention!
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