IDW Publishing, the comic book publisher that won Diamond's Gem Award for Publisher of the Year in 2003, has announced that Chris Ryall of Movie PoopShoot.com will replace Jeff Mariotte as Editor-in-Chief.  Mariotte, who spent a decade at Wildstorm Productions before moving to IDW, is leaving his post in order to devote full time to his writing.  Mariotte has just published the first book in a projected four-book series of teen horror novels.

 

Mariotte's replacement, Chris Ryall, is currently working as an advertising copywriter as well as Editor-in-Chief at Movie Poop Shoot.com, Kevin Smith's pop culture Website.  Ryall was recommended to IDW by Steve Niles, the writer of many of IDW's most popular comic books including 30 Days of Night and Wake the Dead.

 

Mariotte may be leaving his post as IDW's EIC, but he is not leaving the company entirely.  IDW will publish Desperadoes, a new comic book series written by Mariotte, later this year.