DC Comics’ Ben Abernathy among hires at Walking Dead firm Skybound Entertainment

L-R: Ben Abernathy, Blake Kobashigawa and Alex Hargett
The Walking Dead producer Skybound Entertainment has made three editorial hires, including appointing DC Comics exec Ben Abernathy as executive editor.
The industry veteran joins the US multiplatform company with a brief to develop a new slate of original projects from its comic creators. He is also charged with overseeing the Energon Universe comics franchise.
Abernathy joins from DC Comics, where he was executive editor and oversaw the Batman line of titles. His previous roles include special projects manager at Marvel Comics and editor in chief at storytelling platform Madefire.
Meanwhile, Blake Kobashigawa has been hired as senior director, business development, with a remit to grow Skybound’s footprint outside traditional distribution channels.
He will create new strategic partnerships and manage manage licensor relations, retailer-exclusive variant cover programmes and foreign licensing.
Prior to joining Skybound, Kobashigawa worked in sales, marketing, content strategy, operations and business development for comic publishers such as DC Comics and IDW Publishing.
The third hire is Alex Hargett, who has been named director, brand, editorial, leading day-to-day sales and marketing strategy in publishing. Hargett has worked in various roles for publishers including IDW Publishing, DC Comics and Penguin Press.
In addition to those three hires, Arune Singh has been promoted to VP, brand, editorial.
Upped from his previous role as director, brand, editorial, Singh will now oversee the creation and execution of the company’s marketing and sales plans.
Founded in 2010, Skybound Entertainment is a multimedia company that produces comics such as The Walking Dead, adapted as a hit drama series for AMC, and Invincible, which has been adapted as an adult animated series for Prime Video.
Sean Mackiewicz, senior VP, publisher, said: “Skybound is growing, starting with hiring one of the best editors in comics, Ben Abernathy, who’s working across original and licensed comics to make sure Skybound continues to be the premiere destination to make great comics.
“At Skybound, creative and marketing work together to deliver excitement from announcement through on-sale. We couldn’t do that without Arune Singh, whose passion and experience has brought our line to new heights. From Invincible to the Energon Universe, Skybound is driving pop culture, and this amazing team is only getting started.”