The following is an interview with Lizzie Kaye, the newest graphic novel editor of the Titan Comics editorial team. In this interview, Fanboy Comics Managing Editor Barbra Dillon chats with Kaye about her transition to Titan, her ambitious plans for the company’s upcoming slate of titles, and what readers can anticipate in the coming year!
Barbra J. Dillon, Fanboy Comics Managing Editor: Congratulations on your recent addition to the Titan Comics team! What initiated your move to Titan, and what most excites you about the new position?
Lizzie Kaye: Thank you! The move to Titan came about after a lot of thought and discussion, but, ultimately, it was a great opportunity to be part of a growing team and work across a variety of titles. I think that’s what most excites me about the move, as well as some of the specific titles I’ll be working on.
BD: As a part of your transition, you will be introducing a new line of graphic novels that are being published in English for the first time. What can readers anticipate from this slate of books, and what do you feel is unique about the stories that they relay?
LK: There are a lot of really incredible books coming out from Titan this year alone, and I think readers can expect to be surprised by how diverse the titles are. On the one hand, we have fantastic, superhero-inspired stories, like The Chimera Brigade and Masked, while at the other end of the spectrum, we have great dark comedy and horror titles, like Norman and the upcoming title, Mutafukaz. They are all brilliantly original books and really show how varied the medium is.
BD: Do you feel that a particular genre of storytelling within the comic book medium has been more popular or well received, and, if so, do you find the same to be true for the American comic book market?
LK: Naturally, the comic book market has always been grounded in the superhero genre, especially in the American market, but the case is not quite the same in the European market. It is much more acceptable, expected even, for all genres to be represented in sequential art. I think readers do expect comics to be superhero stories, and we’re excited to defy that expectation with the breadth of the list in our European line.
BD: What do you feel makes Titan Comics stand out in today’s comic book industry?
LK: From my perspective, Titan stands out, because it really embraces all the possible means of storytelling using sequential art. We have a really strong comics line, excellent graphic novels, and with the new Euro line, we’re hopefully showing new readers that there is something for everyone. Titan are incredibly supportive of great storytelling, and I think that shows!
BD: Are there any other exciting updates or plans in the works that you are able to share with our readers?
LK: In terms of upcoming excitement, I’m really looking forward to some of our big releases later on this year, namely The Nikopol Trilogy by Enki Bilal, which is one of my all-time favorite books!
BD: Lastly, what would you like to tell fans who want to learn more about your work with Titan Comics?
LK: I think the most important thing for fans to remember is that there are millions of stories out there and to take a chance on the unfamiliar!
