CBR: Bob Harras Named DC E-i-C

[CBR News]

DC Comics has just announced via their The Source blog that former Marvel Comics Editor-in-Chief Bob Harras has been hired on as DC's new E-i-C. Stay tuned to this very space for more updates on this move!


Full article here.

[DarkKnghtJared]

So he's in charge of DC's trades? ...Okay, not sure how to react to that right now. Maybe after an interview or something I'll have an opinion one way or another.

[Jake V]

What does this mean for DiDio?

[Ex_]

Yowza. Did not see this coming.


Jared, he's the big EIC.

Didio is currently a co-publisher, Jake. He's still getting paid in the shade, just different duties. Not as much creative influence, I think.

[Sabrewulf]

I dont know. Wasnt he the guy behind making the x-men work so well in the 80's. I think both companies need a shake up. Shame they couldn't get him over at Marvel as EIC.

[Mikey Brown]

Uh, what? So hes EIC or just in charge of the trades??

[DarkKnghtJared]

What does this mean for DiDio?

He's Co-Publisher, along with Jim Lee.

[Jake V]

I dont know. Wasnt he the guy behind making the x-men work so well in the 80's. I think both companies need a shake up. Shame they couldn't get him over at Marvel as EIC.

Harras was the EIC of Marvel before Quesada. I'm not sure what kind of editor he was since he was in charge back when I wasn't reading comics. The story is that he got fired because he wasn't able to capitalize on the Spider-Man movie.

[Kiryu]

Uh, what? So hes EIC or just in charge of the trades??

Prior to being made EiC he was the Group Editor, Collected Editions at DC Comics.

Now he is EiC.

EDIT: Mixed up my EiCs :x

[Ex_]

I dont know. Wasnt he the guy behind making the x-men work so well in the 80's. I think both companies need a shake up. Shame they couldn't get him over at Marvel as EIC.

No, he wasn't. The book lost a lot of creative steam when he took up editing. Louise Simonson and Ann Nocenti were the editors for the prime stuff. Harras was part of the movement to bring the book back to the status quo.

Uh, what? So hes EIC or just in charge of the trades??

He's the EIC. He WAS in charge of trades.

[Ex_]

Harras was the EIC of Marvel before Quesada. I'm not sure what kind of editor he was since he was in charge back when I wasn't reading comics. The story is that he got fired because he wasn't able to capitalize on the Spider-Man movie.

He oversought the years that Marvel was close to bankruptcy.

That's not to say that the collapse of the comic book market was his fault.

[Jake V]

He oversought the years that Marvel was close to bankruptcy.

Right. For anyone curious, this is straight from wikipedia:


Harras's tenure as editor-in-chief occurred during the time which Marvel teetered on bankruptcy around 1996 and 1997 (although the company was already in serious financial trouble when he became editor-in-chief). During his tenure, Harras oversaw critically acclaimed runs on titles such as Captain America, Daredevil, Ka-Zar and Deadpool.
However, one particular storyline which Harras collaborated on received enough negative reception that it overshadowed his critical successes. This was the Spider-Man Clone Saga, in which Norman Osborn was brought back as the Green Goblin despite the opposition of many of the writers.

[Nevets F]

Harras had little to do with Marvel's bankruptcy...lots of people blame him, but it wasn't his fault.

I call on Busiek Busiek Busiek to enter this thread. He's great at explaining the bankruptcy thing.

[Brother Justin Crowe]

Wait. Is it April 1st already?

[Tekkaman Blade]

This really came out of left field. And here I thought that both Didio and Lee were going to be in the drivers seat for the direction of DC.

As for Harras, I'm not quite sure how to feel about this new role as Editor in-Chief just yet. It will just have to be a wait and see matter. The best stuff to come from his watch to me at Marvel was Ka-Zar and Marvel Knights Daredevil, but the low points with Onslaught and Heroes Reborn are hard to shake from memory.