Producer Eric Gitter launches new publisher with Jamie Rich and Filip Sablik

We’ve been wondering for a few months now where former Boom president Filip Sablik and former IDW editor in chief Jamie Rich would end up…..and now we know, sort of. It’s an unnamed comics publishing start up led by Scott Pilgrim producer Eric Gitter as President. Sablik will be Publisher, Rich, EIC, and artist Jeremy Haun rounds out the venture as creative director. The news was announced today at THR.  

Gitter is not a name well known to comics audiences, but he’s been behind the scenes at his own production company, with credits including producing Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Atomic Blonde, and the Extraction franchise (based on the graphic novel Ciudad by Ande Parks, Joe & Anthony Russo, and Fernando Leon Gonzalez). 

According to THR, Gitter’s production shingle will be folded into the new company, which will publish horror, science fiction, crime and fantasy, with an eye to media adaptations. 

The company did not disclose funding nor did it unveil a slate, although it hopes to lock up creators by the end of the year or early next. Its goal is to begin putting out books sometime in 2025.

Rich and Sablik kept the news of their new company strictly under wraps from the press, so the news is a bit of a surprise. But it’s a time of disruption and, as Sablik told THR, “The entire media landscape, including comics, has been reshaped the last few years and all of us are excited to build a comic book publisher designed to meet the needs of today’s audiences, creators, and the marketplace at large in mind as opposed to those from decades past. Heading into 2025, we believe audiences and retailers are going to be hungry for fresh stories that seed the next generation of original franchises and we can’t wait to meet them there!”

Sablik is a publishing industry executive with nearly 25 years experience in distribution, editorial, marketing, sales, business development, and operations. With prior stints at Diamond Comic Distributors and Top Cow, Sablik was most recently BOOM! Studios’ President of Publishing and Marketing for 12 years. Sablik was a central member of the leadership team that grew BOOM! Studios into one of the preeminent publishers in the space leading up to its acquisition by Random House Publishing Group, quadrupling the publisher’s annual revenue and tripling its market share during his tenure. Sablik was also instrumental in building multiple comic book franchises including BRZRKR, Something Is Killing The Children, and Lumberjanes; developing and overseeing the company’s direct-to-consumer BOOM! Direct Reserve program; and developing and running the company’s industry-leading and award-winning retail partner support programs.

Rich is an award-winning editor, author, and comic publishing executive with 30 years experience. Over the course of his career, Rich has served in key roles at some of the industry’s largest and most influential publishers including DC Comics (as Batman Group Editor, Justice League Group Editor, and head of Vertigo/DC’s Young Animal), Dark Horse Comics, Oni Press, and Tapas Media, holding the Editor-in-Chief position at the last two. Most recently he served as Editor-in-Chief at IDW Publishing, where he led the editorial team through the most critical restructuring period in the company’s 25 year history. He departed on the heels of revitalizing the company’s central Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles program with a six figure relaunch for the 40th anniversary, as well as guiding his staff in launching Patrick Horvath’s original Beneath The Trees Where Nobody Sees to critical and commercial success and assembling the first award-nominated Star Trek comic creative team. Additionally, Rich worked with his frequent collaborator Joëlle Jones developing the hit series, Lady Killer, and has written over a dozen beloved graphic novels.

Haun is a prolific, fan favorite comic book writer and artist who has worked with virtually every major publisher in the industry in his 20+ year professional career. Haun is best known for such creator-owned properties as The Beauty and The Realm (Image Comics), 40 Seconds (ComiXology/Dark Horse Comics), and Red Mother and The Approach (BOOM! Studios) with numerous television and film projects in development. Additionally, Haun has worked on some of the industry’s most recognizable franchises including Batman, Captain America, Constantine, The Darkness, and Spawn. Haun’s brand building and promotional work has shone on several Kickstarter projects, including his recent comics short story collection, HAUNTHOLOGY, and his popular Substack newsletter. Jeremy is also an entrepreneur and real estate developer with investments in historic properties in his hometown of Joplin, MIssouri.

The new company will be repped by WME and attorneys Fred Goodman and Rich Marin of Marin Goodman, LLP. Additional details, including the upstart publisher’s name and publishing plans, will be announced at a later date.