Starlight Runner Entertainment topper Jeff Gomez has come aboard as a “transmedia producer” for Valiant Entertainment’s efforts to build up its superhero characters across films, vidgames and other digital formats.
Gomez has worked on the “transmedia” elements for “Avatar,” “Pirates of the Caribbean,” “Transformers,” “Tron” and “Halo” with the idea that the concept of the bible — a document containing backstory information that film and TV writers rely on for building plots and characters — is taken to the new level of developing a piece of intellectual property in a consistent manner across multiple media platforms.
Gomez worked at Valiant between 1992 and 1998 as a writer on “Eternal Warrior” and “Master Darque” and line editor on “Ninjak” and “Bloodshot.”
“This is a homecoming for me,” he told Variety. “When I worked there previously, we were already paying mind to the fans and exploring that the young people would want to interact with the characters more extensively.”
Gomez founded Starlight Runner in 2000.
Valiant Entertainment announced plans last month to plans to return in print and digital comics next year. The company also announced at that point that former Marvel CEO and vice chairman Peter Cuneo had become chairman, along with disclosing it has received a capital infusion from private investment company Cuneo & Co.
Valiant made the announcement of Gomez’s role on Tuesday, the eve of Comic-Con, which will be attended by Gomez and execs from the revived brand. The company’s library includes over 1,500 characters, such as X-O Manowar, Bloodshot, Harbinger, Shadowman and Ninjak.
Valiant CEO Jason Kothari told Variety that Garcia’s expertise in transmedia plus his passion for the library titles was “an irresistible combination.”
Kothari also said the company’s been in discussion with producers, directors and writers to set up several titles as feature projects and will begin announcing specific titles in coming months.
