Scott Dunbier, the veteran comics writer who has been one of the driving forces behind IDW Publishing’s rise, is set to leave the company. Dunbier started at the company in 2008 and has been responsible for many of its biggest successes, including the Artist’s Edition, IDW’s signature product. The oversized hardcovers are published in the size of the original comics art, and look just like the pages did before being sent off for colors. Dunbier, who previously worked at DC’s WildStorm imprint, leveraged his relationships with artists, collectors, and art vendors to make the idea a reality.
Dunbier actually took a job with WildStorm back when it was Jim Lee’s Image Comics imprint, and served as editor-in-chief before the company was bought out by DC. He oversaw America’s Best Comics, Alan Moore’s imprint, which led to him being the go-between when Moore refused to deal with DC (as hilariously noted over at Bleeding Cool, who first reported Dunbier’s reported move).
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Dunbier appeared at WonderCon last weekend with IDW, attended their panel, and reportedly left on good terms and of his own volition. The Bleeding Cool report does not indicate what Dunbier might be doing next, or whether it will be in the comics space. Obviously during his time at IDW, he has had plenty of proximity to Hollywood, and would likely be useful to a small studio looking to develop IP. At the same time, the original art market had exploded in the years since Dunbier left it to work full time in comic books, and if he went back to selling art (or serving as an authenticator/grader/whatever), it’s likely he could do well for himself in that space, too.
Dunbier’s move comes on the heels of news that Bobbie Chase, former Marvel editor-in-chief, has retired from comics. Chase reportedly stepped away in January and is working on her memoir. Bleeding Cool suggests that there are more big moves coming in the near future.
