The changes at DC Comics continue this week, as the WarnerMedia company has made a new, substantial addition to its team. DC announced on Tuesday that had hired Daniel Cherry as the Senior VP and General Manager of DC Comics. In this position, Cherry will oversee business affairs editorial, talent services, marketing, sales, brand, and direct-to-consumer content for DC. He will also be tasked with heading up the business development strategy with Anne DePies, the current Senior VP of Business Strategy, Finance and Administration.
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Cherry comes from the world of video games and Esports, having worked for Activision Blizzard as the chief marketing officer of the compnay’s Esports division. As CMO, Cherry was in charge of global business. Prior to that, he worked for the New Jersey Devils NHL franchise. His tenure at DC will begin on September 8th, and he will be reporting to Warner Bros. Global Brands and Experience President Pam Lifford.
“It’s truly a career honor to partner with Pam Lifford, and the creative genius of Jim Lee, the amazing team at DC Comics and WarnerMedia to lead this iconic brand and legendary characters into the future, said Cherry. ” I’ve been a huge fan since I first discovered the joy of comics from my father who collected Shazam oversized comics from the 1970s. I am standing on the shoulders of giants like Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson, Bill Finger, Bob Kane, Neal Adams Harry Lampert, and so many others. I’m especially proud to be continuing the legacy of fellow Ohioan and Cleveland native Jerry Siegel, who created Superman. While always respecting the past, I also think it’s our responsibility to leverage the cultural power of the DC Comics to entertain and inspire an increasingly diverse global fan base. Comics have the power to create unique imagery and narratives that can move the world toward a better, more inclusive version of itself. It’s my sincere hope that I am able to contribute and help evolve the brand and its relevance for generations to come.”
The hiring of Cherry will help the business side of things, but also allows changes on the creative side of the company, as well. Cherry’s new position will free up Chief Creative Officer and Publisher Jim Lee to take on a different set of responsibilities. Lee will now have an expanded role in the overall DC brand, in the hopes that he will find creative and unique ways to evolve and expand for a bigger audience. DC FanDome, for example, is the kind of innovative avenue Lee will be tasked with creating. “Lee will bring his unmatched creativity, passion and innate knowledge of the DC characters and canon to the company’s efforts to evolve the brand and create relevance for new audiences around the world,” according to DC.
Lee and Cherry are expected to work very closely once the latter begins at the company next week.
This new hire comes not long after some major changes at DC, which included a massive wave of layoffs that affected most areas of WarnerMedia. Dan DiDio, who served as co-publisher alongside Lee, also left the company.
