IDW Publishing has named Joel Elad as Direct Market Sales Manager, who will be the publisher’s liaison to comic shop retailers as well as manage the company’s retailer exclusive variant cover program. Elad comes to IDW from NewComix.Com, an online comic book retailer he co-founded in 1998.
His wealth of experience includes acting as Director of Sales and Marketing for Top Cow Productions, where he led marketing campaigns for titles such as Wanted, by Mark Millar and JG Jones, and worked closely with retailers on a national basis. During his career, Elad has consulted with comic book stores, publishers, and conventions, as an independent contractor for Certified Guaranty Corporation (CGC), a third-party comic book grading company.
“I’m extremely thrilled to be joining this organization, as I feel IDW is part of my extended family after our previous successes together,” says Elad. “I can’t wait to contribute any expertise or perspective that I have to forge and enhance lots of beneficial partnerships with comic book retailers worldwide. I’m very honored to be a part of this team and I’m looking forward to the possibilities that lie ahead.”
In addition to his expertise in the direct market, Elad co-founded the So Cal Comic Con, a one-day comic book and toy convention in the San Diego area, where he personally recruited guests of honor as varied as J. Scott Campbell, George Perez, Marc Silvestri, Herb Trimpe, Rob Liefeld, Howard Chaykin, and Ren & Stimpy creator John Kricfalusi. Currently, Elad is a Regional Advisory Board Member for the HERO Initiative, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping comic book creators in need.
