jim lee named co-publisher of dc comics

Some big news in the comic book industry... Yesterday, DC Entertainment announced its new executive management team, which includes none other than Jim Lee and Dan DiDio, the newly named co-publishers of DC Comics. Here's an excerpt from DC's press release:

Jim Lee and Dan DiDio Named Co-Publishers DC Comics

New York, NY and Burbank, CA) DC Entertainment, founded in September 2009 to unleash the power of the DC Comics library of characters across all media platforms, has named its executive management team, including new co-publishers of DC Comics and a Chief Creative Officer, as well as heads of Sales/Marketing/Business Development and Finance/Administration. Diane Nelson, President, DC Entertainment, made the announcement today.

The new senior executive team includes Jim Lee and Dan DiDio, who have been named Co-Publishers of DC Comics, and Geoff Johns, who will serve as Chief Creative Officer of DC Entertainment. Additionally, John Rood has been named Executive Vice President, Sales, Marketing and Business Development, and Patrick Caldon will serve as Executive Vice President, Finance and Administration. Each of these executives will report directly to Nelson.

"DC Entertainment's new executive team is a creative ‘dream team,' with accomplishments and talent unrivaled in the business," said Nelson. "This announcement continues and underscores DC's legacy as the ultimate destination for creators. We'll benefit enormously from the deep experience this team represents, while re-energizing the direction and focus of the company. I'm excited and honored to have each of them with me at the helm of DC Entertainment."

"With this new leadership team, Diane will be able to fully and respectfully integrate DC's brand and characters, not only as key content drivers in the film division, but across all of the businesses of Warner Bros. and Time Warner," said Jeff Robinov, President, Warner Bros. Pictures Group. "I am very proud and excited about the accomplished executives who are charged with expanding this powerful library. They each have a diverse and complementary skill-set and are deeply committed to contributing to the DC Comics legacy."

Prior to his current post, Lee served as Editorial Director, where he oversaw WildStorm Studios and was also the artist for many of DC Comics' bestselling comic books and graphic novels, including "All Star Batman and Robin, The Boy Wonder," "Batman: Hush" and "Superman: For Tomorrow." He also serves as the Executive Creative Director for the upcoming DC Universe Online massively multiplayer action game from Sony Online Entertainment.
Lee is an award-winning comic book illustrator/creator/publisher who started his professional career at Marvel Comics where his work on the X-Men continues to hold the all-time sales record for single issue sales at eight million copies sold in one month. At Marvel, he also drew the Punisher and co-created many characters, the most popular being Gambit, featured in 2009's "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" feature film. In 1992, he started his own production company, WildStorm Productions, and co-founded Image Comics, an independent comics company which quickly grew to become the number-three North American comics publisher. His most notable creations, "WildCats" and "Gen 13," saw life beyond comic books as a CBS Saturday morning cartoon and as a direct-to-video animated movie distributed by Disney, respectively. In 1998, he left Image Comics and sold WildStorm to DC Comics.

From way back in my youngsta comic book collecting days, Jim Lee has been one of my heroes, both as a pioneering artist and as an businessman. This is great news. But wait, what exactly does a co-publisher do? Here's an interview with Jim Lee and Dan DiDio at Comic Book Resources: DC's Executive Justice League.