Kickstarter Adds ComiXology Veteran Bryce Gold as Head of Comics
Kickstarter today announced that Bryce Gold, former head of content at ComiXology Originals, has joined the popular crowdfunding platform as Head of Comics. Under this new title, Bryce will manage and curate Kickstarter's Comics category, connect with and champion the work of promising creators in the comics community, and bring together a growing community of comics creators and supporters of comics and illustration. The announcement comes from the Kickstarter blog, where Gold talked about the way Kickstarter has helped creators fund some great indie comics projects in recent years.
Bryce will join the Kickstarter Outreach team, described as " multidisciplinary unit dedicated to connecting with and advocating for Kickstarter's creators." He starts in his new role at Kickstarter today.
"Some of my favorite comics – like Don't Go Without Me and A Frog In the Fall – were funded through Kickstarter," Gold said in a statement. "I'm excited to now have the opportunity to join the Kickstarter team to help artists, publishers, and comics creators forge their own pathways to successful publication, bring the best comics in the world to life, and support big ideas and boutique creative endeavors in the comics space worldwide. As I step into this role, I'm focused on thinking outside of the box to find ways to support creator-owned projects, reshaping the dynamic between creatives and comics production, and bringing a new ethos to comics projects in all fits and fashions."
It seems likely that this is indicative of how much comics are growing on Kickstarter, with the category seemingly getting big enough that they added a new team member to oversee it specifically. Oriana Leckert, who has been leading Kickstarter's Comics, Publishing, and Journalism categories over the past two and a half years, will continue leading the Publishing and Journalism categories as Gold steps into the Comics role.
"To date, over 15,000 Comics projects have found success on Kickstarter, raising over $188 million in funds," Kickstarter's VP of Creator and Backer Success Kimm Alfonso said. "We are earnest about helping comics creators bring their projects to life and we see plenty of untapped potential to really expand our presence in the category. Bryce has the right mix of industry expertise and hands-on experience supporting comics creators to shape the future of the comics and illustration communities on Kickstarter. I can't wait to see where he takes us."
Per his official bio, Gold is an editor, publisher, educator, and organizer known for publishing comics, artist books, and literary zines. He joins Kickstarter from Comixology Originals – Amazon's digital comics platform – where he was most recently the Head of Content. In the role, Bryce managed all editorial, creative, and development for Comixology Originals content line and connected comics talent and comics intellectual properties with adaptation opportunities at Amazon Studios, Audible, and Amazon Games. During his eight years at Comixology, Bryce worked with Eisner and Harvey Award-winning creators including Scott Snyder, Tula Lotay, Ariela Kristantina, Marc Bernardin, and Chip Zdarsky.
He is also the publisher and editor of Pyrite Press, a comics and zine micropress; the co-founder of Zoetrope, a quarterly comics reading and animation showcase; and has taught Production of Comics at the School of Visual Arts in New York City.