We all know that great comics require great editors, and IDW Publishing is no stranger to great hires. This wee the publisher has announced two immensely talented and acclaimed editors are joining the team: Bobby Curnow as Editor-in-Chief and Andy Khouri as the Senior Editor of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles line.
The Eisner-nominated Curnow previously worked at IDW for twelve years (2010-2022), beginning as an intern and concluding as Group Editor. During his time with the publisher, Curnow edited over 1,300 comics in total, including TMNT – and all supplementary titles, including The Last Ronin – as well as Godzilla, My Little Pony, and much more. Curnow was recently the Editor-in-Chief at Magma Comix for a year, but now he’s enthusiastic to return.
“Ancient wisdom informs us that ‘you can’t go home again,’ but I have recently uncovered newer, better, ancient wisdom that says ‘actually, wait… yes, you can’,” joked Curnow. “As such, I’m extremely excited to return to IDW Publishing as Editor-in-Chief. IDW is where I learned the art of making comics and the joy of helping creators realize their visions. Today, the company is full of some of the most dynamic and creative people in the industry, placing us in a position to produce top-notch licensed and creator-owned comics. It’s my ardent belief that making comics should be fun and when that happens the fun translates directly to the reader. I look forward to helping our fantastic team make the best comics possible all while having a great time doing so.”
“I couldn’t ask for a better boss than Bobby Curnow,” added Khouri. “Extremely few comics editors have done what Bobby and his collaborators did, which is execute more than a decade of continuous storytelling across a myriad of titles, all under one unified vision. It’s an accomplishment practically unheard of in this century of American comics, and to have done it while maintaining such a consistently high level of quality? Simply awesome. I’m grateful to have Bobby to guide me in this new role.”
Khouri worked at DC as an editor for five years (2015-2020), editing comics that would win Eisner, Hugo Awards, become New York Times bestsellers and earn acclaim across the industry, including Wonder Woman Historia: The Amazons, Far Sector, Omega Men: The End Is Here, Batman ‘89, Harleen, Wonder Woman: Dead Earth, and many other books from the DC Universe and DC Vertigo lines. Khouri co-founded DC’s Black Label while working closely with influential creatives on specially curated imprints, including Young Animal with Gerard Way and Wonder Comics with Brian Michael Bendis. The acclaimed editor also collaborated on early work by talent that would become juggernauts in the industry, including Tom King, Daniel Warren Johnson, Jamal Campbell, Tradd Moore, Benjamin Percy, Christian Ward, Juan Ferreyra, and more.
While Khouri is known for his award-winning contributions to DC and his time with the influential Comics Alliance blog (2011-2015), he’s actually been a TMNT fan since the very beginning, dating back to Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird’s unforgettable work. “I’m from the original generation of Turtles fans. Forty years ago, I was among those first kids to read the comics, those first kids to watch the cartoon, those first kids to play with the toys, and those first kids to see the Turtles in live action,” remarked the new Senior Editor of the TMNT line. “ I’ve read every single issue of the marvelous IDW canon, up to and including the excellent new work by Jason Aaron and his collaborators that has seen the TMNT soar to new heights in the market. This is the most exciting moment in Turtles comics since their debut, so I’m thrilled to step into the role of senior editor and contribute to the next 40 years of TMNT storytelling.”
“I’ve followed Andy’s path in comics for about a decade now. I’ve always known him to be extremely intelligent, creative and a clear communicator, all vital qualities for a good editor,” stated Curnow. “When I found out that he was also a huge TMNT fan who’d read the entire IDW TMNT line, suddenly all became very clear: we had found the person to lead our Turtles on their perilous path forward. I can’t wait to work with Andy to bring fans years of more thrilling storylines.”
“I am excited for Andy and Bobby to be joining IDW,” said Davidi Jonas, CEO & Publisher. “Already in his first weeks at IDW, Andy has demonstrated a dynamic ability to think big and also be attentive to detail. Andy has a calm and friendly nature that invites creativity and partnership,” commented Jonas. “Bobby has everything I could wish for in a partner. First and foremost, he is a person of integrity. He also has superb communication and organizational skills. Plus, he has comprehensive knowledge of our core licenses and extensive experience with original stories. Bobby also knows what it takes to manage efficiently in a collaborative spirit.”
More news about the future of IDW Publishing will be revealed during the New York Comic Con panel IDW Publishing: The Next 25 Years Fears on Friday, October 18 at 2:15pm EST in Room 1C03.
