Richard Bruning Promoted To Senior Vice President & Creative Director, DC Comics & MAD Magazine

(July 17, 2003 – New York, NY) – Richard Bruning has been named Senior Vice President & Creative Director, DC Comics & MAD Magazine, Paul Levitz, President & Publisher, DC Comics & MAD Magazine, announced today. Bruning will continue to define and maintain creative and quality standards for DC and MAD, including both publishing and licensing activities, as well as working closely with Levitz on expanding DC’s creative reach in all media. “Richard is a multi-talented individual who has made a difference to DC in many ways that bore his byline, and many that just showed his quiet, behind-the-scenes touch,” said Levitz. “I’m pleased to recognize his achievements, and to increase his opportunity to collaborate in making DC the creative leader we intend to always be.” During his award-winning creative tenure, Bruning has been successful in overseeing DC & MAD’s design aesthetic in not only traditional publishing efforts but also in new media. Bruning has a played a vital role in evolving the presentation and design of the graphic novel, and building a Creative Series unit within DC that handles projects as diverse as custom publishing, flash animation, and advertising work. He is personally responsible for the original design of DC’s critically acclaimed perennial bestsellers “The Dark Knight Returns” and “Watchmen” and as well as the branding and logo design of DC’s mature readers Vertigo imprint. Bruning also oversaw the development and packaging of the upscale graphic novel and prestige format as well as the development of DC’s first collected editions. Prior to his promotion, Bruning served as Vice President & Creative Director, a position he has held since 1996. In 1985, Bruning joined the company as an Art Director and was promoted to Design Director in 1987. He left the company from 1990-96 to form his own design and corporate communications firm, Brainstorm Unltd. Before DC Comics, Bruning was the Editor-In-Chief and Art Director for Capital Comics. Bruning started his career as the creative head of his own design firm, Abraxas Studios. In addition to being an award-winning designer, Bruning is the author of several comic book stories including the recent trade paperback release “Adam Strange: The Man of Two Worlds,” and co-writer of the Eisner-nominated short story “Electric China Death.” DC Comics, a division of Warner Bros. an AOL Time Warner Company, is the largest English-language publisher of comics in the world and home to such iconic characters as Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and the Sandman. These DC superheroes and others have starred in comic books, movies, television series (both animated and live-action) and cyberspace, thrilling audiences of all ages for generations. DC Comics’ Web site is located at www.dccomics.com. # # #