Celebrated comic book editor Shelly Bond has found a new home: IDW Publishing. The former VP-Executive Editor of Vertigo will launch a new creator-owned comics imprint at IDW dubbed Black Crown, as announced Friday afternoon during IDW's panel at Emerald City Comicon in Seattle. Bond's title at IDW will be Senior Editor, Special Projects.

No specific details of Black Crown titles or creators have yet been announced, but Bond told CBR to expect a mix of established creators -- including some familiar names Bond worked with during her time at Vertigo -- along with newer talent. IDW plans to "extensively preview" the Black Crown line this July at Comic-Con International in San Diego, with the first comics launching in October, the same month as New York Comic Con.

“If you know anything about my reputation, you know that I'm selective about story, art, and design," Bond is quoted in IDW's press release. "The same applies to a publisher. I can’t think of a better fit for Black Crown than with IDW. They appreciate, share, and champion my vision for creating concepts that are first and foremost incredible, unconventional, and riveting comic books. I can't wait to announce the impressive coterie of creators, both familiar and next wave, who are working as we speak to bring back the bravado to creator-owned comics."

In a departure from similar imprints, the comics of Black Crown, while creator-owned, will be connected via a "shared environment" -- specifically a mysterious street that includes the fictional Black Crown pub. Creators of each individual series will occupy a "storefront" on the street, and, according to Bond, will be free to intermingle their creations with others in the imprint as much or as little as they'd like. In an interview with CBR, Bond compared the potential to the "Fables" and "Unwritten" crossover she supervised at Vertigo in 2013.

Shelly Bond.
Shelly Bond.

"I've long admired from afar Shelly’s track record and have been a huge fan of the direction, vision, and creative teams she’s assembled on her books over the years," Chris Ryall, IDW's Chief Creative Officer, said in a statement. "I’m ecstatic about the idea of getting to work directly with her in building Black Crown into 'the Ruling Class' of creator-owned comics."

Bond worked at DC Comics from Vertigo's inception in 1993 to 2016, in that time editing acclaimed titles including "The Sandman," "Sandman Mystery Theater," "The Invisibles," "Fables" and "iZombie." In 2012, she succeeded longtime Vertigo head Karen Berger as executive editor of the storied mature readers line. DC Comics announced Bond's departure in April 2016, called part of a "restructuring" of the Vertigo imprint.

Berger was also recently announced as the head of a new imprint, Berger Books at Dark Horse Comics.

Keep reading CBR for much more from Bond on Black Crown.