ICv2 reports here on people on the move, with long-time VIZ Media Vice President Kevin Hamric moving on, an IDW Publishing Group Editor to Mad Cave Studios, and a new leader of comics at Kickstarter.
The position of VIZ Vice President – Publishing Sales has been eliminated, and with it the role of Kevin Hamric at VIZ Media, he told ICv2. Hamric started at VIZ as Director – Sales and Marketing in 2011, was promoted to Senior Director – Sales and Marketing in 2013, and to Vice President – Publishing Sales in 2020. Prior to his time at VIZ, Hamric had Vice President roles at News Group and Quarto Publishing Group. Hamric was an invaluable source of information on the manga market for ICv2 readers; we typically interviewed him about twice a year for updates on the business (see “ICv2 Interview: Kevin Hamric on Manga Sales Trends“). Hamric’s last day is this Friday, April 26.
Group Editor Kristen Simon, who was laid off at IDW Publishing this month (see “IDW Layoffs“), has been hired as Senior Editor at Mad Cave Studios, where she will oversee new adult single issue and graphic novel titles for both the direct and book markets, Mad Cave announced. “We’re extremely fortunate to be adding someone with as much industry experience and respect as Kristen,” Mad Cave Editor in Chief Mike Marts said in a statement accompanying the announcement. “She’ll be hitting the ground running and helping Mad Cave to reach areas of the market that we haven’t completely explored yet.”
Sam Kusek has been hired as the new Senior Outreach Lead for Comics at Kickstarter, where he will report to Senior Manager of Outreach Liz Mowe, the company announced. Prior to this new role, Kusek spent time at BOOM! Studios, where he helped develop and manage Kickstarter campaigns for major properties including The Expanse, Power Rangers, and Farscape. He also spent time at Pop Culture Shock, retailer Comicazi, and Tiny Onion. Kusek’s new role is an apparent replacement for Bryce Gold, who had the position of Head of Comics at Kickstarter (see “Kickstarter Taps Bryce Gold“) for a brief 2023 interregnum between his eight years at comiXology and a new role he began at DSTLRY last December (see “Gold Back with Steinberger and Mosher“).Source: ICv2
