Exciting news from Emerald City Comicon in Seattle, as we learn that Shelly Bond is teaming with IDW for a promising new creator-owned imprint called Black Crown, to launch in October 2017. We don't know any of the books or creators yet, but IDW promises we'll learn all about them at San Diego Comic Con in July. In an interview with The Beat, Bond says she's drawing on the many creators she got to know in her 23 years as a Vertigo editor, as well as the new generation of creators who are emerging online:

I can’t drop names but you can think about the career that I’ve had and the people I’ve worked with and the books that stand out and you’ll see a lot of names come back with interesting collaborators. What’s exciting about comics is when you bring these disparate people together from all different parts of the world and let them have at it.

The idea of mixing veteran Vertigo creators with new blood and upcoming talents is really exciting. Wherever it leads.

Bond was released by DC last Spring, as part of their restructuring of Vertigo. The Black Crown announcement follows similar news that Karen Berger --- the Vertigo editor who hired Bond back in 1993 and stepped down from the line in 2013 --- is launching her own imprint, Berger Books at Dark Horse.

While we don't know anything about the Black Crown books themselves, we do know that despite being creator-owned, they share a setting to some degree, and that there's a Black Crown Pub that exists on a mysterious street at the intersection of the books. It sounds like a very '90s Vertigo idea, and I mean that in the best possible way.

More from the official IDW press release:

IDW Publishing is thrilled to announce the arrival of Shelly Bond to its editorial ranks. One of the most respected and admired editors among her peers, Bond previously served as VP-Executive Editor of DC Comics’ Vertigo imprint. With over two decades of comic-industry experience to draw from, Bond’s considerable skills and keen eye for talent will pave the way for exciting new projects and original voices.

Bond’s passion and enthusiasm for the art form make her a welcome addition to the team. Her previous successes speak for themselves. Fables, The Invisibles, Sandman: Overture, Lucifer, iZombie, and DC’s Young Animal line are just a handful of acclaimed projects which formed under her all-seeing eye.

“I’ve long admired from afar Shelly’s track record and have been a huge fan of the direction, vision, and creative teams she’s assembled on her books over the years,” said Chris Ryall, IDW’s Chief Creative Officer. “ I’m estatic about the idea of getting to work directly with her in building Black Crown into ‘the Ruling Class’ of creator-owned comics.”

The title “Black Crown” will be all-encompassing as it represents not only the name of the creator-owned imprint, but also a pub that anchors a mysterious street which connects each creator-owned title. Top creators will tell stories of a singular vision and point of view but will also have the opportunity to intersect with the tapestry of this unprecedented shared environment by way of owning storefront real estate that correlates to their particular creations.

“If you know anything about my reputation, you know that I’m selective about story, art, and design,” said Bond. “The same applies to a publisher. I can’t think of a better fit for BLACK CROWN than with IDW. They appreciate, share and champion my vision for creating concepts that are first and foremost incredible, unconventional, and riveting comic books. I can’t wait to announce the impressive coterie of creators, both familiar and next wave, who are working as we speak to bring back the bravado to creator-owned comics.”

 

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