201011031821.jpgBob Schreck, one of the industry’s best regarded editors, has left his position as Senior Editor at IDW to start a comics division for Legendary Pictures. (not Entertainment, as the IDW release states), according to PR that just went out. The parting was amicable.

Legendary Pictures, founded by Thomas Tull, has produced such films as Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, The Hangover, Inception, and Where the Wild Things Are, so the connection to starting their own comics company is pretty obvious and Schreck is well qualified to start such an effort. UPDATE: The line will include four to six graphic novels a year.

Among Schreck’s books over the years, Dark Horse Presents, Hellboy, Sin City, All-Star Superman and Witch and Wizard. HE also founded Oni. PR below:

Legendary Pictures has appointed veteran comic book editor Bob Schreck to the role of Editor-in-Chief of the newly-formed Legendary Comics, it was announced by Thomas Tull, Legendary’s Chairman and CEO. Schreck joins Legendary Comics from IDW Publishing, and his appointment marks the launch of the new division dedicated to publishing original graphic novels.
 
Headed by Schreck, Legendary Comics plans to publish four to six graphic novels a year for both digital and traditional print distribution. The books will target Legendary’s well-established and powerful fandom demographic. Schreck begins at Legendary Comics the first week of November, and plans to release the inaugural project within the first half of 2011. He will be working closely with Kathy Vrabeck, President of Legendary Digital, and they will, as warranted, look to bring the newly-created comic-based IP produced by the venture to other entertainment platforms such as film and television. 
 
 “Bob is an iconic editor and one of most highly-regarded curators and editors of comic culture in our industry. He is the perfect leader with the right balance of passion and editorial skills to spearhead Legendary Comics,” said Tull. “Legendary Comics is committed to being a new home for groundbreaking artists and the characters and stories they create, in an art form we love.”
 
“Thomas and the Legendary team have a proven track record of cultivating talent and delivering unparalleled entertainment experiences, and I am looking forward to building Legendary Comics into a world-class label for the best writers and artists we know,” said Schreck.  “We have a real opportunity to deliver hard-hitting characters and exciting, innovative storylines to comic book aficionados.  We are in the fortunate position of already having major support from the community and collaborations lined up with world-class creators.”
 
Iconic comic creators Neil Gaiman, Max Brooks and Frank Miller are among those who are supportive of Legendary Comics.
 
Frank Miller stated, “Bob Schreck is a joy to work with. He’s tough but affable, mindful of the publisher’s needs but a happy warrior on the side of the artist. We’ve worked together to mutual satisfaction for years. Legendary has proven its ‘fides all over the movie industry and I expect no less from its publishing arm. With Bob, they’ve made the perfect choice: the man’s a talent magnet.”
 
“To be attached to a creative engine of this magnitude is as thrilling as it is humbling,” said Max Brooks.
 
Neil Gaiman added, “I’m thrilled that Legendary is going to be entering the world of comics. I’ve been amazed and delighted by their respect for creators in the movie arena, and it can only be good news for the whole world of pop culture that they are going to be encouraging creators to tell unique, smart stories while creating amazing comics for them.”
 
Schreck comes to Legendary from IDW Publishing where he most recently served as Senior Editor. Prior to IDW Schreck spent nearly a decade working for DC comics where he started in 1990 after founding the famed Oni Press. He also worked at Dark Horse Comics, and is the recipient of numerous industry awards and acknowledgements. 

And from IDW:

IDW Publishing today announced that senior editor Bob Schreck has left the company. Schreck is now the Editor in Chief for Legendary Comics, a new division of Legendary Entertainment. 

“We appreciate all the hard work Bob has done for IDW, and are sad to see him go,” said IDW CEO, Ted Adams. “But this is a great opportunity for Bob, and we wish him the best of luck.” 

Schreck joined IDW as senior editor in October 2009, after leaving DC Comics. During his time with IDW, Schreck was editor for several different series, including WITCH & WIZARD, STRANGE SCIENCE FANTASY and the MGM MIDNIGHT MOVIES line. He was also editor and writer for JURASSIC PARK: REDEMPTION.

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1 COMMENT

  1. Legendary Pictures has a 40-film deal with Warner Brothers. The big question, since this is a graphic novel division, is: who will distribute the books?

    Six months to produce a graphic novel… interesting.

  2. Wow, I had no idea this was in the mix. Bob was my editor on both the Witch & Wizard series I wrote for IDW. Needless to say, it was great working with him and I really learned a lot, not just about the craft of writing, but about the comics biz. I wish him the best of luck in his new venture.

  4. very interesting and very exciting. A stellar editor starts a graphic novel division for yet another movie producer. More to come.

  5. This is very exciting!

    Bob Schreck is probably the only editor whose work I follow, the same way I would buy work from a particular writer.

    Because I know whenever I buy something that Bob Schreck has worked on, I know it will be good. He has an eye for talent and quality that allows me as a reader to buy with confidence.

    Great news! Can’t wait for the first project.

  8. Miller’s “Fixer” project (the reworked BATMAN VERSUS AL QAEDA book) was last reported to be without a publisher, was it not? There seem to be plenty of individuals sympathetic to Miller associated with Legendary (both in Pictures and now, Comics) that this would seem to be a natural home for it.