Educational and library publisher Lerner Publishing Group announced that Andrew Karre, editorial director of the Lerner imprints Carolrhoda Books and Darby Creek, and Carol Hinz, editorial director of Lerner’s Millbrook Press, have been named interim co-directors of Graphic Universe, Lerner’s graphic novel imprint. The two will temporarily replace Carol Burrell, former editorial director of Graphic Universe, who left the company in December to join Abrams ComicArts.
According to LPG, after a period of reassessment, the company plans to hire a permanent editorial director for the Graphic Universe imprint by Spring 2013. LPG also announced that it is closing down its New York City offices, which opened in 2006 and also houses the Graphic Universe editorial staff. The New York City office will close at the end of January and all Graphic Universe operations will be moved from New York City to LPG’s Minneapolis heardquarters.
Since Graphic Universe was launched in 2007 with 16 titles, the line of original and licensed graphic novels has grown to about 35 titles a year. Focused on the school and library market Graphic Universe published such ongoing comics series as Myths and Legends (graphic adaptations of classic mythology) and Twisted Journeys (comics stories featuring reader-directed multiple plot lines and endings) and Manga Math Mysteries series. The imprint has also published more trade-oriented graphic novel series like Chicagoland Detective Agency by well-known comics writer and historian Trina Robbins and cartoonist Tyler Page, A Game for Swallows by Zeina Abirached and the much-noted graphic memoir Little White Duck: A Childhood in China by Na Liu and illustrated by Andres Vera Martinez.
