Daniel Cherry, the senior vice president and general manager of DC Comics, has exited the company, ComicBook.com can report. Cherry served in his position as overseer of the publisher’s business affairs and worked closely with chief creative officer Jim Lee as they tackled major initiatives like Future State in the publishing line, multi-faceted crossover with the popular game Fortnite, and the well-received livestream event DC FanDome. He exits the company less than two years after his appointment was announced in September 2020, when he came over from Activision Blizzard as the chief marketing officer of the Esports division.
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Cherry’s departure comes at an uncertain time not just for DC Comics but for all of WarnerMedia, as they are about to be split away from parent company AT&T and facing an impending merger with Discovery Inc., after which they are expected to serve under CEO David Zaslav. Analyst speculation about the future of WarnerMedia in a post-merger world have ranged wildly, which will include HBO Max and Warner Bros. Pictures in addition to DC Comics.
Taking his position in the midst of the pandemic, Cherry helped guide DC through a difficult year for entertainment media and the comic book industry. During a previous interview with the Hollywood Reporter, Cherry spoke alongside Lee about the importance of “future-proofing” DC Comics for the next generation of fans.
“And our job is that we increase the reach as far as possible, not just North America and South America, but globally,” said Cherry. “To be as relevant as possible to those fans, from all walks of life. This medium is so beautiful, we all grew up loving it and to me, there needs to be pop culture conversation about this art form and these stories. And, yes, that means we have great theatrical productions and animation that engage with the fans, but we believe that the cornerstone of this entire story is the comic form and the stories we’ve inherited.”
He added, “And that also means responsibility to the community, and the comic book shop owners. I spend time on weekends at comic books shops, that’s where I grew up. And if you know anything about cultural trends, it starts with a community that is strong and rich and vibrant. And it’s our job to keep it vibrant and expand it through new channels. Mobile, digital, and global are really important for the next generation of fans.
“There are a lot of young fans who don’t have a history of going to comic book shops so how to meet them where they are? How do you build that bridge? It may be with content that is easiest to find, which is on their phone.”
It is not yet known who will replace Cherry in his position as general manager of DC Comics. DC Comics had no comment.
