After a recent storm of layoffs across WarnerMedia as part of the company-wide restructuring, the company has appointed Daniel Cherry as the new overseer of DC’s operations.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the former Chief Marketing Officer of Activision Blizzard Esports and Chief Marketing and Innovation Officer for the NJ Devils NHL team has been named Senior Vice-President and General Manager of DC Entertainment.
THR notes that this is a “newly created position” that will have Cherry “head up business affairs editorial, talent services, marketing, sales, brand and direct to consumer for DC”
Cherry “will also oversee business development with current senior VP, business strategy, finance and administration, Anne DePies,” and will to Global Brands/Experience President of Warner Bros Pam Lifford.
“It’s truly a career honor to partner with Pam Lifford, and the creative genius of Jim Lee, the amazing team at DC Comics and WarnerMedia to lead this iconic brand and legendary characters into the future,” said Cherry in a statement. “I’ve been a huge fan since I first discovered the joy of comics from my father who collected Shazam oversized comics from the 1970s.”
Cherry also shared his excitement at how “I am standing on the shoulders of giants like Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson, Bill Finger, Bob Kane, Neal Adams Harry Lampert, and so many others, ” and noted that he was “especially proud to be continuing the legacy of fellow Ohioan and Cleveland native Jerry Siefel, who created Superman.”
As his statement continues, Cherry shares his belief that “While always respecting the past, I also think it’s our responsibility to leverage the cultural power of the DC Comics to entertain and inspire an increasingly diverse global fan base.”
“Comics have the power to create unique imagery and narratives that can move the world toward a better, more inclusive version of itself,” he concludes. “It’s my sincere hope that I am able to contribute and help evolve the brand and its relevance for generations to come.”
What This Means for Jim Lee
Cherry’s hiring will allow for Chief Creative Officer and Publisher Jim Lee to “take on expanded responsibilities surrounding the overall DC brand”.
“Lee will bring his unmatched creativity, passion and innate knowledge of the DC characters and canon to the company’s efforts to evolve the brand and create relevance for new audiences around the world,” said DC.
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As the recent reorganization led to the removal of several long-serving editorial executives and a third of the editorial staff, Lee, Cherry, and the interim replacements for the ousted Bob Harras, Marie Javins and Michele Wells, are set to make up the new editorial leadership at DC.
Previously, Cherry’s roles involved expanding the scope of esports for Activision Blizzard, which Cherry stated was a $1.2 billion business in 2020, and serving as the Chief Marketing and Innovation Officer for the NJ Devils hockey team.