Avatar Press Hires James Kuhoric as New Vice President of Publishing and Managing Editor
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Avatar Press recently announced that they have hired James Kuhoric as their new Vice President of Publishing and Managing Editor.
Kuhoric comes to Avatar as a sixteen-year veteran of Diamond Comic Distributors, where his most recent position was as director of purchasing. Kuhoric is also an experienced writer, having worked on a number licensed properties like Stargate SG-1, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th, Battlestar Galactica, Army of Darkness, and Freddy Vs. Jason vs. Ash for Dynamite Entertainment, as well as the creator-owned series The Legendary Talespinners and Dead Iron.
The announcement comes as Avatar Press plans to expand it’s line-up by taking on a number of new licenses, as well as launching new creator-owned series from such esteemed creators as Warren Ellis, Kieron Gillen, and Simon Spurrier (not yet announced).
I welcome Kuhric to his new position, and l look forward to all the great new books to come from Avatar Press. I have been buying 100% of Avatar’s output for about 5 years now, and have always been impressed with the excellent quality of their books. However, I could do with less variant covers
Official Announcement:
Avatar Press proudly announces that James Kuhoric, an award-winning comic book writer and sixteen-year veteran of Diamond Comic Distributors, will be joining its staff in May 2011 as the company’s new Vice President of Publishing and Managing Editor.
Avatar Press has received critical acclaim for its innovative and controversial editorial content created by industry giants including Warren Ellis, Garth Ennis, and Alan Moore (to name a few). With plans to expand an already impressive publishing slate, Kuhoric will be tasked with developing new projects and keeping production on schedule. “Avatar is giving me a chance to apply my experience in marketing, sales, and distribution to a line that has the potential to grow exponentially in the coming years,” says Kuhoric. “The company is already a leader in creative content, we want to build on that reputation and develop an essential partnership with retailers in the coming years.”
Kuhoric earned a Bachelor’s (BA) Degree from the University of Maryland in psychology and sociology before joining Diamond, the country’s leading distributor of comic book and graphic novel merchandise, in 1994. There, he rapidly rose to the level of Director of Purchasing, assigned as Diamond’s main representative to such publishers as Marvel, Dark Horse, IDW, and Image Comics. He was instrumental in developing Diamond’s marketing and operational plans for some of the biggest comic book events for the past two decades (including Free Comic Book Day), and in developing industry procedures for Diamond’s book market and digital initiatives.
The creative contributions of Kuhoric to the comic book industry include work on such high-profile licensed properties as Stargate SG-1, Battlestar Galactica, Army of Darkness, A Nightmare on Elm Street, and Friday the 13th. He has been nominated for twelve industry awards and won four, including the 2006 Spike TV Award for “Best Movie to Comic Book” for Army of Darkness: Shop Till You Drop Dead and the 2009 ComicMonsters.com Horror Award for “Best Mini Series” on his creator-owned title, Dead Irons. “My passion has been making and selling great comics. I enjoyed my time at Diamond and learned all the behind-the-scenes secrets of distribution there are,” says Kuhoric. “My intention is to put that experience to work to ensure Avatar is firing on all cylinders and creating smooth relationships with retailers, distribution partners, and especially readers.”
William Christensen, Editor-in-Chief and founder of Avatar Press, had long considered Kuhoric an essential part of his company’s successful partnership with Diamond Comics. “Simply put, there’s no one more respected by publishers in this field than Jim Kuhoric,” says Christensen. “He well deserves his sterling reputation as a strong leader, one who handles pressure gracefully and conflicts diplomatically. You can’t imagine the challenges he’s faced and overcome in his years as the backbone of Diamond’s Purchasing staff. We have big plans at Avatar for the future, and Jim’s just the man to make them happen.”
Regarding his role in the company, Kuhoric says, “This really is the job I’ve waited nearly twenty years for – one where I can have the creative freedom to develop new projects, work with top creators, and apply a methodical operational approach to make sure we keep our books on schedule.” He humorously adds, “I just hope William understands what he is in for, though… because I only have one operating speed, and it’s fast enough to get your licensed revoked just about everywhere.”
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