DC Comics co-publisher Dan DiDio has reportedly exited the company, ComicBook.com has learned, marking a major shift in the landscape for superhero comics. DiDio has served as co-publisher alongside Jim Lee for the last 10 years, after being promoted to the position in 2010. DC Comics has confirmed that DiDio is out of the company as of today, but a spokesperson for the company as confirmed there will be no official statement released for the time being.
This is the latest in a long line of shifts in the corporate landscape at DC Entertainment. Former president Diane Nelson exited the company after a leave of absence in March 2018, which preceded the acquisition of Warner Bros, DC’s parent company, by AT&T in the summer of the same year. Last year, DC Entertainment laid off 3% of the workforce in various comics-related positions with Warner Bros. President of Global Brands and Experiences Pam Liford citing “organizational changes across DC” likely as a result of the acquisition.
Under DiDio and Lee, DC published major, continuity-shifting events like Infinite Crisis, Final Crisis, and Flashpoint–the storyline that sparked the New 52, which rebooted the DC universe back to square one. The duo also spearheaded publishing initiatives like DC’s Black Label imprint, which functionally replaced the now-shuttered Vertigo line for more adult-focused, out-of-continuity limited series; and the young adult imprints DC Ink and DC Zoom, which have been releasing middle grade and YA graphic novels featuring reimagined DC heroes and villains. DC Ink’s Harley Quinn: Breaking Glass made GameSpot’s list of the best comics of 2019.
It’s currently unknown what DiDio’s exit will mean for Lee’s role as publisher or what will become of the various projects he was currently spearheading.
