In September of last year, Warner Bros. created a new company known as DC Entertainment. The purpose of DC Entertainment is to integrate the characters of DC Comics into all media platforms, and today, the members of DC Entertainment’s executive management team have been announced.
Dan DiDio and Jim Lee are the new Co-Publishers of DC Comics, stepping into the role when Paul Levitz leaves. The position of Chief Creative Officer (CCO) will be filled by Geoff Johns. John Rood will take the position of Executive Vice President (EVP) of Sales, Marketing and Business Development, while Patrick Caldon will fill the position of EVP of Finance and Administration.
Diane Nelson had this to say of the executive management team: “DC Entertainment’s new executive team is a creative ‘dream team,’ with accomplishments and talent unrivaled in the business. 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.”
President of Warner Bros. Pictures Group, Jeff Robinov, said, “with this new leadership team, Diane will be able to fully and respectfully integrate DC’s brand and character’s, not only as key content drivers in the film division, but across all of the businesses of Warner Bros. and Time Warner. I am very proud and excited about the accomplished executives who are charged with expanding this powerful library. They each have a diverse and complimentary skill-set and are deeply committed to contributing to the DC Comics legacy.”
Jim Lee served as Editorial Director for Wildstorm Studios, formerly Wildstorm Productions, a company he founded in 1992. Lee is also a co-founder of Image Comics and an award winning creator/illustrator/publisher. Aside from his new position as Co-Publisher of DC Comics, he is also the Executive Creative Director for DC Universe Online, a massively multiplayer action game.
Dan DiDio is probably best known for his former position as Senior Vice President and Executive Editor for DC Comics. Before joining DC, DiDio was Senior Vice President of Creative Affairs at Mainframe Entertainment, and before that the Executive Director of Children’s Programming and publicity manager with ABC.
Geoff Johns is an award winning writer for DC Comics. He began his career at DC as creator and writer of Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. Aside from his work in comics, Johns has written television episodes of Smallville, Robot Chicken, and Titan Maximum. He is also the writer of the story for the DC Universe Online massively multiplayer action game and is currently writing some of the hottest comics on the shelves right now in Blackest Night and Green Lantern.
John Rood is a returning face at Warner Bros. He originally worked at Warner Bros. for six years in Consumer Products. He then left to pursue a career at the Disney ABC Television Group as Senior Vice President of Marketing for ABC Family. After ten years, he is now returning to Warner Bros. as the EVP of Sales, Marketing, and Business Development.
Patrick Caldon’s most recent position was Executive Vice President of Finance and Operations of DC Comics and MAD Magazine. Before DC, Caldon worked in corporate accounting and as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the Cosmos soccer team at Warner Communications for 12 years. He joined DC in 1985 as Controller, and worked his way up from Vice President of Finance and Operations to Senior Vice President of Finance and Operations, and finally to his position as Executive Vice President of Finance and Operations.
This looks to me like an extremely qualified group of individuals that make up this executive management team. I don’t think there could be a better team to lead DC Entertainment where it needs to go. Putting DiDio and Lee in the position of Publisher for DC comics was a smart move. Both of these guys have been higher management at DC for years and probably have the best experience of anyone. And, they named one of the best writers, if not the best, they have as CCO. In my eyes, the future of this company is looking bright.
Jordan West
jordan@comicattack.net
Wow! Jim Lee wins again. That dude must be brilliant.
Great article Jordan! I think DC is very smart with giving Johns the creative reigns. His track record lately speaks for itself.
Wow, this is HUGE news! Johns and Lee are comic book powerhouses. This is good stuff for DC!!
Sounds like they’re putting people in charge who know the business well so…seems alright to me.