As The Beat reported earlier this year, veteran IDW editor Scott Dunbier stepped down from the publisher back in April, just ahead of a wave of layoffs. Since then he’s been teasing an announcement about his next move, and now we’ve got confirmation that he’s starting his OWN publishing company, called ACT 4. Dunbier will host a panel on Friday, July 26th where he’ll reveal the initial publishing slate.

The announcement was teased on social media with the logo design – which is from the one and only Chip Kidd.

Dunbier comments “The goal of Act 4 will be to create books—comics, graphic novels, collections, Artist’s Editions—that are bound together by the quality of their content. Making this move is exciting, and a bit scary, but I love the books that I do, and it’s time to bet on myself.”

More information will be revealed here!

Scott Dunbier: Act 4 Publishing, Friday, 7/26/24, 1:30PM – 2:30PM, Room: 10

As we noted before, Dunbier invented the Artists Edition format, and it’s been much imitated…we’re sure he’s had no shortage of job offers, but he’s betting on himself and starting his own shingle. And why not? From 1995 until earlier this year, Dunbier led many of WildStorm/DC and IDW Publishing’s most acclaimed projects. Besides inventing both Absolute Editions AND Artist’s Editions, he was the editor on Alan Moore’s America’s Best Comics line, the Cliffhanger imprint, and Darwyn Cooke’s series of Parker graphic novels. He has more Eisner and Harvey and Ringo awards than he has has shelf space to put them. With this kind of resume, it’s about time he started his own gig.

And the company is rolling out just as he planned back in a Social Media post

First, let me once again thank everyone for the incredible support I have received since announcing I would be leaving IDW Publishing after 16 years. It was a tough choice, in the past 29 years I have had two jobs, first at WildStorm Productions (later DC/WildStorm), and then at IDW. I don’t make changes like this lightly.

A couple of things I would like to say.

Leaving IDW was my decision alone. I will always have a soft spot for the company that has been my home for so long. I will miss most of my former co-workers a great deal. The work they do is outstanding, and I care enormously for them. But it was time to go.

As of today, I am excited for the future. I have decided to do something that may be a bit crazy, I will be starting my own publishing company. I will not yet speak directly about my publishing plans, or even divulge the name of my company. In the weeks to come I will be filing paperwork to create it and I will periodically update via social media.

My goal is to announce my first books, assuming things go as planned, at San Diego Comic-Con in July.

All the best,

Scott Dunbier

And if you’ve forgotten Dunbier’s excellent work, here’s the cover of the BATMAN: YEAR ONE artists edition cover, Dunbier’s last hurrah for IDW.

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