JESS BERBEY
Versatile writer, editor, poet, and lover of all things fashion, comics, music, and literature
PROFESSIONAL HISTORY
The following is a listing of my professional experiences and past positions. Each of these roles was unique and they all contributed to both my personal and professional development as an editor and writer. In addition to these roles, I’ve also been involved in several creative projects. Find out more by getting in touch.
DC COMICS - ASSOCIATE EDITOR
July 2023 to current
Editor on Nightwing, Batman Beyond Neo-Gothic, Outsiders, and other projects currently in development, and associate editor on Detective Comics and Poison Ivy
Reviews and gives creative feedback to writers and artists at every stage of development including story plot, script, layouts, pencils, inks & colors, while elevating storytelling
Manages and fosters relationships with creative teams to ensure talents' top performance
Recruits artists, writers, colorists, and letterers, while also managing an assistant editor on lead books
Performs associate editor duties on books with lead editors to publish the best version of a story within each book’s uniquely designed schedules
Work closely with editors and other departments like Pre-Press, Marketing, Proofreading, Legal, Design, Production, and Publicity to develop new stories and IP
DC COMICS - ASSISTANT EDITOR
September 2021 to July 2023
Worked closely with editors in development of Batman-related comics including Eisner award-winning titles Nightwing and
Batman: One Bad Day, Poison Ivy, Catwoman, Harley Quinn, Tim Drake: Robin, Batgirls, and their collected editions
Assisted with the development of comics, including hiring variant cover artists, as well as helping staff creative teams,
maintaining deadline schedules, giving creative feedback on story and art
Helped with searching for and developing new talent
Eisner-nominated in the same category as Neil Gaiman and Tom King for co-editing Batman: One Bad Day series
DC COMICS- PROOFREADER (FREELANCE & CONTRACT)
April 2021 (freelance) / May 2021 - June 2021 (contract)
Proofread over 500 pages using Adobe Acrobat markup tools on a timely basis, while adhering to house style and the Chicago Manual of Style
Ensured writing and grammar was correct and consistent in comic books, original graphic novels, and trade paperbacks, as well as other consumer-facing content like collectibles packaging, web content, ads, posters, and signs
REEDSY- EDITOR
September 2020-September 2021
• Work closely with authors to refine their manuscripts, offering services in editorial assessment, developmental editing, copyediting, and proofreading.
• Credited as editor in bilingual poetry book, "Murder, la fuga & the recompense," that explored cultural nuances and language in English and Spanish
• Credited as editor in poetry book, “Make it a Double," a Bukowski-esque humorous recounting of a poet's drunken 10-year journey at the Swinging Door Salloon and in “Last Call,” the followup to “Make it a Double.”
• Credited as editor on short story collection, “The Devil’s Own Piss and other stories,” a selection of dark humorous and satirical stories about the devil
• Credited as editor on Murder in Greasepaint, a clown noir novel
• Received 5 star reviews from each client I have worked with thus far
DC COMICS- ASSISTANT EDITOR (CONTRACT)
September 2019- May 2020
Assist editors with the development and production of DC and Black Label comics from conception to publication, including placement work, script formatting, giving talent feedback on pitches, art, and dialogue, as well as submitting art to respective departments
Interact and maintain relationship with talent, particularly artists and writers, to ensure deadlines are being met
Create and submit necessary documents such as cover-copy and solicit text for upcoming comics
assist with administrative tasks such as creating and updating spreadsheets, gathering references, and creating vouchers, among other duties
Credited as assistant editor on Supergirl Annual, The Green Lantern: Blackstars, The Green Lantern Season Two, Justice League Odyssey, and Leviathan Dawn titles
RE:SEARCH, THE UNDERGRADUATE JOURNAL OF LITERARY CRITICISM AT ILLINOIS- EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
May 2018- May 2019
Implemented a new weekend “office hours” requirement for accepted authors, which improved journal quality
Absorbed Faculty Advisor’s role in managing journal staff
Hosted weekly meetings and delegated tasks to board members, ensuring tasks were executed effectively and on time
Led major journal processes such as Recruitment, Peer Reviewing, Copy-Editing, Formatting, and MLA workshops
Devised and maintained a timeline for journal deadlines and events, including presenting at the Research Symposium
Hired graphic designer to develop promotional material, cover, and marketing strategies to appeal to prospective authors
Reviewed journal meticulously prior to its publication to ensure formatting and structural accuracy
RE:SEARCH, THE UNDERGRADUATE JOURNAL OF LITERARY CRITICISM AT ILLINOIS- FORMATTING EDITOR
May 2016 - May 2018
Produced the final layouts of the journal publication for both Online and Print
Managed journal microsite in collaboration with University librarian
Recruited and trained a team of undergraduates for the peer reviewing aspect of the formatting process
Reviewed and offered commentary and edits on authors’ submissions
THE ODYSSEY-CONTENT WRITER
August 2018- December 2018
Wrote weekly, engaging articles that catered to young adult audience
Promoted articles on social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Reddit, resulting in 5000+ views on an article
Worked closely with Editor-in-Chief on edits, as well as formatted own articles to meet platform standards
Employed Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to increase viewer traffic
THE DAILY ILLINI- DAYTIME NEWS EDITOR
March 2017- March 2018
Assigned story ideas, monitored daytime shifts, helped budget weekly ideas, and edited news articles
Updated the online content of the paper, as well as collaborated with other editors on significant news stories
Facilitated everyday production of News, staying alert of police blotters, campus events, and breaking news
THE DAILY ILLINI- NEWS REPORTER
September 2016 - March 2017
Researched story ideas and pitched three weekly proposals with at least three sources per proposal
Produced factual, concise, and engaging news stories every week within tight deadlines
Conducted and transcribed source interviews
A WHOLE LOT OF WRITING
UNIVERSITY SCIENTISTS' RESEARCH IMPROVE PHOTOSYNTHESIS
By 2050, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that the world will need to raise food production by 70 percent. But, this increase is not going to happen naturally.
“Looking at the rates of crop improvement, we’re not going to get there,” said Stephen Long, crop sciences professor. “So we need new innovations to really ensure (higher production) for the future.”
DRINKING HABITS SHIFT TOWARD 'DRUNKOREXIA,' STUDY FINDS
University students starve themselves all day long in order to get drunk quicker and without consuming extra calories.
According to a recent study by the Research Society on Alcoholism, college students are skipping meals to get drunk cheaper and faster. They will also work out excessively to avoid gaining weight from binge drinking.
'THEY'RE NOT REAL,' UI SAYS OF PARTY RANKINGS
Historically, the University has been ranked as a top 10 party school in The Princeton Review’s “The Best 382 Colleges.” Last year it was ranked as No. 3 in the country, and the year before, it claimed the No. 1 position.
This year, however, the University’s rankings fell to No. 14.
Robin Kaler, associate chancellor for public affairs, said the University had “not paid attention to, or even heard of” these rankings.
A WHOLE LOT OF WRITING
DEAD AND COMPANY SHOWS ARE MORE THAN JUST CONCERTS
If you've ever been to a Dead and Company show, you know exactly what I'm talking about: it's perhaps the only place where you'll be amongst a sea of people from different generations -- ages ranging from as young as a few months old to college students to Deadheads that followed The Grateful Dead around in the '60s -- a beautiful array of color and tie-dye, and of course, twenty minute jam sessions on single songs.
5 SKINCARE PRODUCTS FOR ACNE-PRONE SKIN THAT WON'T BREAK THE BANK
If you're like me, you probably have really sensitive skin and break out easily. You keep looking for different treatments that won't cause a breakout, but the only ones that ever tend to work are ones that are ludicrously priced because of the "designer" names attached to them. Luckily for you, I have decided to take one for the team and be the guinea pig. Here are five products that not only did not break me out but also helped treat and minimize my acne.
EXPLORE THE UNDERRATED TREASURES OF DOWNTOWN CHAMPAIGN
Living on campus can sometimes be overwhelming, especially when midterms are around the corner and it feels like you don’t have any room left to breathe. These places in downtown Champaign can serve as good stress relievers if you’re having one of those days, or they can just be fun places to hang out. Regardless, these sites are worth checking out.
A WHOLE LOT OF WRITING
Movie Reviews
THE PARADOX OF DESIRE IN HITCHCOCK’S PSYCHO
Psycho begins with a suspenseful, anxiety-inducing music score: the volume and tempo amplifies as the credits roll in. The establishing shot pans over Phoenix, Arizona, and then the camera makes its way through a barely-opened hotel room window, immediately establishing the audience as voyeurs. We see Marion Crane, the female protagonist who is infamously killed off forty-seven minutes into the film, lying in bed shirtless, wearing white underwear, looking up at her divorced love interest, Sam.
Already, we know this film is going to be unlike anything Hitchcock’s directed before. The abolishment of The Hays Code, which hindered creativity and “indecency” in film for the first half of the twentieth century, allowed Hitchcock to exploit previously forbidden tactics: a man and woman lying in bed, half-naked, passionately exchanging kisses for more than three seconds at a time, and later in the film, a zoomed-in shot of a toilet flushing.
CLASSIC HITCHCOCKIAN MISOGYNY IN REBECCA
Hitchcock’s Rebecca, like classic Hitchcock, induces anxiety in the viewer from the very first line of the film: “Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again.” Beginning the film with a recollection prompts the viewer to wonder not only what Manderley is, but also why the nameless female protagonist can only visit it in her dreams. Already, Manderley establishes a ghostly, indelible presence, haunting both the memories of the speaker in the beginning of the film and the audience’s perception of her, as we witness the speaker being thrown into living in a home overshadowed by the late Rebecca.
The film is deeply imbedded in patriarchal values, and the notion that a woman must be complacent to her male counterparts, as seen through the sheepish representation of the “good” Mrs. de Winter. She lacks agency, and her unauthoritative personality proves ideal to Maxim, as he wants a wife he can control.
REFUTING GENDER ROLES: AN INDEPENDENT FEMALE LEAD IN SILENCE OF THE LAMBS
Although Silence of the Lambs is profoundly disturbing in both its transphobic undertones and in its portrayal of a cannibalistic serial killer as a compelling, empathetic character, it’s innovation lies in its ability to transcend binary gender roles, allowing a female lead to possess agency, intelligence, and a completely bad-assed personality.
The film begins with the protagonist, Clarice Starling, hurtling through an obstacle course alone, climbing over nets, and jumping over logs. Before she is able to complete the course, Special Agent-in-Charge, Jack Crawford, summons her to his office, and she runs back, bolting passed a tree with the motto, “Hurt, Agony, Pain―Love it.…or die” nailed into the bark.
WE'RE ALL VOYEURS: A REVIEW OF HITCHCOCK'S REAR WINDOW
Rear Window is a film about watching. We watch the protagonist, L.B.Jeffries, be forced to lead a life of mundanity as his cast confines him to the four walls of his apartment. We watch his neighbors, Ms. Lonelyhearts, Ms. Torso, and Thorwald, each cope with their loneliness in sad, distinct ways. We watch Jeffries’ girlfriend, Lisa, wholeheartedly commit to a man who is afraid of commitment. And most importantly, we watch Jeffries do the watching.
The film begins with the camera panning over the apartment complexes in Greenwich Village, New York, focusing through every rear window in the vicinity. The audience is introduced to Jeff’s neighbors, and even though we, nor Jeff, ever meet most of his neighbors, Jeff forms intricate backstories for them, finding entertainment in the seemingly mundane lives of those around him.
A WHOLE LOT OF WRITING
Satire
CHINESE STUDENTS “LOVE” SUBURBAN EXPRESS; BETTER THAN AMTRAK’S SCHEDULED DELAYS
With all the recent controversy surrounding Suburban Express, international students have chosen to speak out in support of the transportation company.
Many students have commented on the “wonderful work ethic” that Suburban Express adheres to. In fact, Chinese students said it reminds them of home (Communist China).
“They may be racist, but at least they’re always on time, and I can appreciate that. We all have busy schedules, so it’s great that they are so reliable,” said Hai Shang, international student from Shanghai, China and junior in Political Science.
SESSIONS: GETTING RID OF CRIMINALS ONE GRAM AT A TIME
In light of recent turmoil involving the legalization of recreational marijuana use, Jeff Sessions, United States Attorney General, has found the solution: rescinding Obama administration laws that allow recreational marijuana use and sale in certain states.
This auspicious resolution comes four days after California declared the devil’s plant legal, and it couldn’t have been more perfect timing.
“Marijuana is a schedule 1 drug for a reason,” said Mary-Jane Leafly.
VIRGO HOROSCOPE ALLUDES TO DEATH; GIRL PLANS OWN FUNERAL
Horoscopes have been around for over 20 centuries, but with millennials straying away from Christianity and other forms of organized Religion, zodiac signs have reemerged as a form of science, and people everywhere are searching for life's answers in the stars.
Jenna Naeve, 23, said that the first thing she does every morning when she wakes up is log on to accuratehoroscopes.com and reads about what the universe has in store for her that day. She then plans her day accordingly.
PUBLISHED WORK
My poem, "Cigarette Man," was featured in Issue 12 of the Montage Arts Journal (p. 49).
HONORS THESIS
My thesis, Evil as Conscious Choice: Proving a Villain in Richard III and Paradise Lost, was awarded "High Distinction" by the University Honors Committee.
RE:SEARCH JOURNAL, THE UNDERGRADUATE JOURNAL OF LITERARY CRITICISM AT ILLINOIS
The Re:Search journal is the only literary criticism journal at the University of Illinois. I was the formatting editor for the 2017 and 2018 issues, and editor-in-chief for the 2019 issue.
Re:Search Journal, (vol. 4, 2017)
Re:Search Journal, (vol. 5, 2018)
Re:Search Journal, (vol. 6, 2019)
"There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed."
Hemingway
My poem, "And I Will Remember," was featured in the English Department's poetry display.
And I will remember
the indica on your breath
Your lips, my lips
Your hand on my thigh,
comfortable, as though it's always
belonged there.
The opened windows,
the chirping crickets, the orange and red
sky, the 5 a.m. sun, shining on your left
cheek.
The Blue Hole in your eyes,
your foot on my foot,
your fingers, my fingers,
my hands entangled in your hair,
and the whiff of sea salt shampoo
that made me feel 4,267.7 kilometers
closer to home.
Jess Berbey