Among the 39 employees let go by manga publisher Tokyopop during a recent restructuring was Trond Knutsen. Trond was kind enough to respond to my interview offer, and he submitted the following responses to my questions.
What was your title at Tokyopop, and how long did you work there?
My title was Trade Sales Manager and I worked at Tokyopop for 6 months.
Could you summarize your responsibilities for them?
My main responsibility was to work closely with a variety of key accounts, wholesalers and distribution partners in implementing the company’s sales strategy and provide support and oversight.
How did you get into the comics industry?
Tokyopop was my first job in the comics industry, but I have 6 years prior publishing experience, as well as a MA in Publishing. I immensely enjoyed working with graphic novels in general, and at Tokyopop in particular, and hope to continue working in the industry. What attracts me to comics is the creativity, quality and not least the constant evolution of this basic yet diverse art of storytelling, as well as feeling a very strong connection with all the fantastic people I’ve had the opportunity to work with – I very much feel at home in this line of work.