Dan DiDio (/dɪˈd/; born October 13, 1959) is an American writer, editor, and publisher who has worked in the television and comic book industries. From February 2010 until February 2020, he was the co-publisher of DC Comics, along with Jim Lee. Wizard magazine recognized him as its first ever "Man of the Year" in 2003 for his work in the DC Universe line of comics.

Dan DiDio
DiDio at the 2012 New York Comic Con
Born (1959-10-13) October 13, 1959 (age 65)
New York City, U.S.
Area(s)Writer, editor, publisher
Notable works
ReBoot, DC Comics

Career

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TV work

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Prior to joining DC Comics, DiDio worked in television, beginning in 1981. DiDio was a freelance writer and story editor for Mainframe Entertainment, specifically working on ReBoot and War Planets.[1][2]

DC Comics

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DiDio joined DC Comics in January 2002, as vice president–editorial, as well as writer for Superboy (issues #94 to 100). He was promoted to vice president–executive editor, DC Universe in October 2004.[3] In 2006, DiDio began writing a weekly column called "DC Nation" which appeared on the end page of most of DC Comics' main superhero titles. Originally, the column was tied to 52, a project he was overseeing. On February 18, 2010, DC Entertainment President Diane Nelson named DiDio as co-publisher of DC Comics, along with Jim Lee.[4][5]

Dan DiDio returned to writing comics with short stories for the 2008 and 2009 DC Halloween specials and the 2009 Holiday special. In 2009, he returned to regular writing duties with the weekly Metal Men feature in Wednesday Comics.[6] In January 2010, DiDio wrote the Weird Western Tales tie-in issue of the Blackest Night crossover and took over regular monthly scripting of The Outsiders. As Co-Publisher, he oversaw the reboot of all current DC titles and was the co-writer of the OMAC series with artist Keith Giffen.[7] DiDio wrote a Challengers of the Unknown storyline for DC Universe Presents which was drawn by Jerry Ordway.[8]

In July 2012, as part of San Diego Comic-Con, DiDio and DC co-publisher Jim Lee participated in the production of "Heroic Proportions", an episode of the Syfy reality television competition series Face Off, in which special effects makeup artists compete to create the best makeup according to each episode's theme. Lee and DiDio presented the contestants with that episode's challenge, to create a new superhero, with six DC Comics artists on hand to help them develop their ideas. The winning entry's character, Infernal Core by Anthony Kosar, was featured in Justice League Dark #16 (March 2013),[9][10] which was published January 30, 2013.[11] The episode premiered on January 22, 2013, as the second episode of the fourth season.[12]

A Phantom Stranger ongoing series written by DiDio and drawn by Brent Anderson began in September 2012.[13] DiDio and Keith Giffen reunited on Infinity Man and the Forever People in 2014.[14][15] DiDio, Justin Jordan, and Kenneth Rocafort created the Sideways series as part of DC's "Dark Matter" line.[16][17]

On February 21, 2020, DiDio stepped down as Co-Publisher of DC Comics after ten years at that position. The company did not give a reason for the move, nor did it indicate whether it was his decision or the company's, though it was the latest event in a restructuring that began the previous month, as several top executives were laid off from the company.[18][19] However, Bleeding Cool reported that he was fired.[20]

Frank Miller Presents

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On April 28, 2022, it was officially announced that Dan DiDio would serve as publisher for Frank Miller's newly-announced comic book company Frank Miller Presents (FMP).[21]

Inkwell Awards Special Ambassador

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On August 23, 2022, Dan DiDio was officially announced as new Special Ambassador to the Inkwell Awards advocacy group.[22][23][24][25][26][27][28]

Bibliography

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Comics

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Television

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• series head writer denoted in bold

References

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  1. ^ Cramer, Karl (April 24, 2008). "NYCC: Rebooting ReBoot with Gavin Blair and Dan DiDio". ComicMix. Archived from the original on August 15, 2013. Retrieved May 17, 2012.
  2. ^ Brice, Jason (October 11, 2004). "Dan Didio Named Vice President – Executive Editor, DC Universe". Silver Bulletins. Archived from the original on October 21, 2006.
  3. ^ Weiland, Jonah (October 11, 2004). "DiDio named Vice President – Executive Editor, DC Universe". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on October 26, 2012.
  4. ^ "DC Entertainment Names Executive Management Team". SuperHeroHype. February 18, 2010. Archived from the original on August 8, 2010.
  5. ^ Cowsill, Alan (2010). "2000s". DC Comics Year By Year: A Visual Chronicle. London, United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. p. 340. ISBN 978-0-7566-6742-9. Publisher Paul Levitz stepped down, and co-publishers Dan DiDio and Jim Lee, along with DC Entertainment chief creative officer Geoff Johns, teamed up to helm DC Comics.
  6. ^ Renaud, Jeffrey (June 18, 2009). "Dan DiDio Talks Wednesday Comics!". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on August 17, 2013.
  7. ^ Campbell, Josie (June 23, 2011). "DiDio & Giffen Transform OMAC". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on November 10, 2012.
  8. ^ Phegley, Kiel (November 10, 2011). "DiDio Takes 'Challengers of the Unknown' Into DCU Presents". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on January 11, 2012. Retrieved February 29, 2012.
  9. ^ Melrose, Kevin (January 16, 2013). "Dan DiDio, Jim Lee and DC artists to appear on Syfy's Face Off". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on June 18, 2018.
  10. ^ "Dan DiDio, Jim Lee and DC Entertainment's Stellar Talent to Guest Star on SYFY's Hit Competition Series Face Off". DC Comics. January 16, 2013. Archived from the original on June 18, 2018.
  11. ^ Nguyen, Minhquan (February 1, 2013). "Justice League Dark #16 – Review". Weekly Comic Book Review. Archived from the original on February 8, 2013.
  12. ^ "Heroic Proportions", Face Off, Season 4, Episode 2. Syfy, January 22, 2013.
  13. ^ Rogers, Vaneta (June 8, 2012). "DC Adds Four to New 52, Including DiDio's Phantom Stranger". Newsarama. Archived from the original on June 11, 2012. Retrieved June 10, 2012. Written by [Dan] DiDio with art by Brent Anderson, The Phantom Stranger will spin out of the character's recent appearances in Justice League and DC's Free Comic Book Day story.
  14. ^ Khouri, Andy (March 11, 2014). "O.M.A.C. Team Of Keith Giffen & Dan DiDio Reunite For Infinity Man And The Forever People". ComicsAlliance. Archived from the original on March 12, 2014.
  15. ^ "Keith Giffen Talks Forever People, DiDio Reunion, Tries to Break the Internet". Newsarama. April 2, 2014. Archived from the original on June 29, 2014.
  16. ^ Ching, Albert (April 20, 2017). "Full Details of DC's New Dark Matter Line". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on June 14, 2017.
  17. ^ Holub, Christian (April 20, 2017). "DC Comics superstars unite for new Dark Matter line". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on July 1, 2017. A teleporting teenager changed by the events of that book [Dark Nights: Metal] will go on to star in Sideways, which debuts in September. That book will be co-written by DC Publisher Dan DiDio and Justin Jordan and illustrated by Kenneth Rocafort.
  18. ^ Ryan Faughnder (February 21, 2020). "DC Entertainment shakeup continues with the exit of co-publisher Dan DiDio". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on February 22, 2020. Retrieved February 21, 2020.
  19. ^ Rich Johnston (February 21, 2020). "Dan DiDio No Longer Publisher of DC Comics, As Of Today". Bleeding Cool. Archived from the original on February 22, 2020. Retrieved February 21, 2020.
  20. ^ Rich Johnston (February 21, 2020). "So Why Did Dan DiDio Leave DC Comics Anyway?". Bleeding Cool. Archived from the original on February 22, 2020. Retrieved February 21, 2020.
  21. ^ Kit, Borys (April 28, 2022). "Frank Miller Launches Independent Publishing Company, New 'Sin City,' 'Ronin' Comics in the Works (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Los Angeles, CA: MRC Media & Info & Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on April 29, 2022. Retrieved April 29, 2022.
  22. ^ Almond, Bob (2022-08-23). "Inkwell Awards Adds Dan DiDio as Special Ambassador". Retrieved 2023-09-03.
  23. ^ admin (2022-08-24). "Inkwell Awards Adds Dan DiDio as Special Ambassador". Inkwell Awards Official Site. Retrieved 2023-09-03.
  24. ^ "Former DC Publisher Dan DiDio Named Inkwell Awards Special Ambassador". Comics. Retrieved 2023-09-03.
  25. ^ "Dan DiDio Added as Inkwell Awards Special Ambassador - Comics for Sinners". www.comicsforsinners.com. Retrieved 2023-09-03.
  26. ^ "JournaFeed - Former DC Publisher Dan DiDio Named Inkwell Awards Special Ambassador". Archived from the original on 2022-08-31. Retrieved 2022-08-31.
  27. ^ Comic Crusaders - Dan DiDio Added as Inkwell Awards Special Ambassador
  28. ^ Erudit - Former DC Editor Dan DiDio Named Special Inkwell Awards Ambassador
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Preceded by Publisher of DC Comics
2010–2020
With: Jim Lee
Succeeded by
Jim Lee
Preceded by DC Universe Executive Editor
2002–2010
Succeeded by
Preceded by Superboy vol. 3 writer
2002–2003
Succeeded by
n/a
Preceded by The Outsiders vol. 4 writer
2010–2011
Succeeded by
n/a