Rich Johnson is a publishing executive notable for his contributions in the field of

graphic novel A graphic novel is a long-form, fictional work of sequential art. The term ''graphic novel'' is often applied broadly, including fiction, non-fiction, and anthologized work, though this practice is highly contested by comic scholars and industry ...

s. Johnson is a former Vice President of Book Trade Sales at

DC Comics DC Comics, Inc. (doing business as DC) is an American comic book publisher and the flagship unit of DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. DC Comics is one of the largest and oldest American comic book companies, with thei ...

who has been credited with popularizing the graphic novel genre in mainstream bookstores and libraries. Under his watch DC Comics had their first New York Times Bestseller with

Neil Gaiman Neil Richard MacKinnon GaimanBorn as Neil Richard Gaiman, with "MacKinnon" added on the occasion of his marriage to Amanda Palmer. ; ( Neil Richard Gaiman; born 10 November 1960) is an English author of short fiction, novels, comic books, gr ...

’s '' The Sandman: Endless Nights''. He also co-founded and was Co-Publishing Director for

Yen Press Yen Press, LLC is an American manga and graphic novel publisher co-owned by Kadokawa Corporation and Hachette Book Group. It published ''Yen Plus'', a monthly comic anthology, between 2008 and 2013. In addition to translated material, Yen Press ...

and co-founded the magazine ''

Yen Plus ''Yen Plus'' was an American monthly anthology magazine of Japanese manga, Korean manhwa, and original English-language (OEL) manga published by Yen Press. History The first issue of ''Yen Plus'' went on sale on July 29, 2008, with five manga tit ...

''. From July 2016 to May 2019, he was Vice-President of Sales, Marketing and Business Development at Lion Forge Comics. He has previously been a publishing consultant and packager as well as the writer of "Graphic Details" – a column that appears on the industry site comicsbeat.com. In 2011, he was a judge for the comic industry's highest award - The

Eisner Award The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, commonly shortened to the Eisner Awards, are prizes given for creative achievement in American comic books, sometimes referred to as the comics industry's equivalent of the Academy Awards. They are named in ...

s. He is also the author of the graphic memoir ''My Father's Eyes''.

References

Comic book publishers (people) American graphic novelists Living people Place of birth missing (living people) Year of birth missing (living people) {{publish-bio-stub