The creator-owned collective Ghost Machine has brought Danielle Ward on board as Manager of Sales and Retailer Relations, a new position.  Ward will be the first point of contact for retailers and will both support them and bring their feedback to the Ghost Machine creators.

Ward started her comics career as the manager of JHU Comics (formerly Jim Hanley's Universe) in Staten Island, then moved to Valiant as sales manager, staying on when the line was taken over by Alien Books (see "ICv2 Interview: Matias Timarchi and Danielle Ward of Alien Books").

“My goal is to forge a stronger bond between Ghost Machine and the comic book retail community, ensuring that every retailer feels not just supported, but empowered to succeed with our titles,” Ward said in a statement accompanying the announcement.

Ghost Machine was launched in 2023 (see "New Creator-Owned and Operated Media Company") and published its first comic in January 2024.

In other retail news, James Killen, former buyer of adult graphic novels, science fiction and fantasy, and roleplaying games for Barnes & Noble, is the new Director of Retail Operations at MangaSpot, the New York-based retail store owned by the Japanese publisher Kadokawa.  Killen was laid off by Barnes & Noble in 2020 and was an Editor-at-Large for Rebellion for two years (see "Former Barnes & Noble Buyer Joins Rebellion").  He joined MangaSpot as Store Manager in September 2023.