DC Comics has a new Editor-In-Chief and VP, industry veteran Bob Harras, who will oversee editorial for DC Comics, DC Universe, MAD Magazine, and Vertigo, according to the company’s official blog The Source.

Harras is an interesting but not surprising choice given his past work experience with co-publisher Jim Lee. Early on in his career, he was editor for Marvel‘s X-Men books and later promoted to Editor-In-Chief.

In case you are about to reread that last line — Harras is the only person to hold the EIC title at the two largest comic book companies in the industry.

If you’re struggling to understand why you’ve not heard of Harras in the same vein as current Marvel Editor-In-Chief Joe Quesada (who has since been retitled as Chief Creative Officer), don’t fret. His tenure as Marvel’s EIC lasted about half a decade from 1995-2000 in which fans cried bloody murder over both the Spider-Man Clone Saga storyline and dozens of unresolved X-Men story arcs.

But to be fair, Marvel was in the middle of bankruptcy, a market decline due to the glut of overprinted crappy books from the early ’90s and new challenges made by the existence of Image Comics (still a relatively young company when Harras began his run as chief). It was undoubtedly a tough gig. He later left the company and joined Wildstorm (now a DC Comics entity) as a contributing editor under Lee.

I’m very curious to see how Harras will do as EIC at a large comic book company that doesn’t have any of the baggage Marvel had in the mid to late ’90s. However, after talking to fellow Geeks of Doom staffer Chris McDavid [Henchman21], I’m much more curious to hear what DC editorial will say during their New York Comic-Con panels in two weeks.

Check out the official press release below and let us know what you think about the announcement in our comment section.

New York, NY, September 27—Robert Harras has been named Editor-in-Chief, VP, DC Comics, it was announced today by DC Comics Co-Publishers Jim Lee and Dan DiDio. Harras will oversee editorial for DC Comics, DC Universe, MAD Magazine and Vertigo and will be based in New York City, reporting directly to the Co-Publishers. Harras becomes the company’s first Editor-in-Chief in nearly 10 years since the position was held by Jenette Kahn from 1981 to 2002.

“Bob Harras’ personal and creative integrity is respected and renowned throughout the comic book industry,” said Jim Lee, DC Comics Co-Publisher. “As an editor, he provides invaluable insight into storytelling and character.”

“We could not be more excited to make this announcement,” said Dan DiDio, DC Comics Co-Publisher. “Bob is a tremendous evaluator of talent, character and story. He is a proven leader who brings a keen understanding of the marketplace to the position.”

Prior to being named Editor-in-Chief, Harras was the Group Editor, Collected Editions at DC Comics.

Before joining DC Comics, Harras was the Editor-in-Chief of Marvel Comics from 1995 to 2000.

[Source: DC's The Source]