Mike Richardson is
the founder of Dark Horse Comics and a producer of several Dark Horse related
film adaptations. As part of Dark Horse Month At The Comic Book Bin, we are
looking at several key elements of Dark Horse’s boss. The article is late but worth reading.
The Man
CBB:
Do you see yourself more as visionary or as
a project manager involved in the day to day activities of your companies?
Richardson:
Both.
CBB:
The reason I asked the first question is
that unlike head publishers or editors at other comic book companies, I don’t
recall any vocal stand on issues in the comic book industry and beyond. Do you
prefer to be a background mover of things or a cheerleader?
Richardson:
Actually, you haven't been paying attention.
I've been extremely vocal over the years regarding such issues as creator
rights, the industry's rights with regard to the first amendment, collector
gauging in the marketplace, and an assortment of other issues. I've also been
very public in my support of the CBLDF.
I'm interviewed pretty regularly, including mainstream
media outlets such as
The New York Times, so I'm not sure of the reasons behind
your impression. Of course, if the issue at hand is "Who's better: DC or
Marvel," I probably am silent. With regard to the later part of your
question, I don't anyone considers me in the background. I'm actively involved
in every area of my company.
CBB:
What kind of management best suits a
company like Dark Horse Comics? Is a freestyle laisser-faire attitude with
strong editors better or is a strong vision and well defined objectives broken
into smaller achievable bits, accounted for frequently, better?
Richardson:
Dark Horse tends to develop strong editors
who are able to bring strong ideas and viewpoints to the books and projects
they work on. This is an approach that makes for strong relationships between
editor and creator and, as a result, better books. All of the titles we publish
go through me. I'm personally involved with some individual books and creators
more than others, but I need to approve every title before we publish it. Once
a book is approved, it can take several different courses. We've found that the
best method for our licensed books is to work with a writer (and artist) to
create a story direction and plan. With creator owned titles, the process is
different. Creators such as Frank Miller, Mike Mignola, Joss Whedon, Steve
Niles, etc. come equipped with strong visions for the books they create. The
editor's job can be different with a creator owned title as opposed to a
licensed title. In the end, considering your original question, I think that
some of both of the approaches you mention is called for.
CBB:
You’ve managed several companies before.
How hard is it to manage a media company like Dark Horse Comics?
Richardson:
Of course, it has its challenges, but I'm
happy and excited to be doing what I'm doing. At this moment in time, Dark
Horse is on the brink of amazing growth and opportunities. We've spent years
building our company in the right way, and now we're about to see our efforts
pay off.
CBB:
Now I know you won’t answer this question,
but I’m pretty sure several head-hunters have tried to recruit you over the
years. Have you had the opportunity to share your managerial experience as a
media company publisher as say an MBA lecturer or something involved with
executive training and public speaking tours?
Richardson:
I'm constantly approached with an number of
offers and types of offers. The problem with seriously entertaining any of them
is that I love what I do. I'm determined to see Dark Horse grow, and not just
in the comics market. If an offer comes along that I do consider, it will be
because it will help Dark Horse and its goals, as well as being consistent with
our values.
CBB:
Would the comic book industry benefit from
more straightforward approaches to business than the current artistic dominated
style?
Richardson:
A strong business plan is essential for the
long term health of any company. Financially healthy companies make for a
strong industry. It's no different in the comic industry. Either of the
approaches you mention can prosper with planning and execution. In our industry
it often seems that companies created solely as business ventures have not
faired well. Likewise, those built entirely on the sales and charisma of a
single artist or artists, without the advantage of a solid business base, have
not done much better. Dark Horse has found a nice balance between both
essential components, and as a result, prospered. The fact that we're turning
twenty-one underlines that fact.
Some History
CBB:
I’m not clear on the details myself, but I
understand that you use to ran a series of comic book stores in the Portland
Oregon area before you founded Dark Horse Comics. The time also corresponded
with the boom and bust of the 1980s. How hard was it to create a comic book
publishing company then, as compared to now?
Richardson:
Dark Horse Presents #1 was pasted up on the
counter of one of my stores in Oregon by Randy Stradley and myself. We had no
real expectations at the time, simply hoping to make a great comic. We raided a
fan publication we belonged to, APA-5, for talent. Crossing our fingers and hoping
against hope that we could sell 10,000 copies in order to break even, we were
stunned when the book sold over 50,000 copies. At the time, Kevin and
Peter's Teenage Ninja Mutant Turtles had created a sensation. Suddenly
black & white comics were the rage and we decided to launch a second title
immediately. Randy and I brought on a local artist, Jim Smith, and we created
the first issue of Boris the Bear with our motto, "We reserve the right to
arm bears." Once again, we hoped to sell 10,000 copies and break even. The
first issue of Boris topped the 80,000 mark, and Dark Horse was off and
running. As we expanded, we tried to keep the quality of our books consistent.
When "Black September" arrived several years later, the strength of
our line kept us in business. At that time, there were something like nineteen
comic book distributors, and it was easier to gain traction and attention in a
marketplace that was growing and eager for new titles. Today we have one
distributor burdened by a massive number of titles and I think it's much harder
to get a book or line of books noticed. God knows that many have tried and
failed.
CBB:
How fast was Dark Horse Comics’ growth?
Richardson:
We had hoped to reach 5% in 10 years. In
fact, we hit 10% in 5 years. We actually purchased remodeled several buildings
to accommodate our ten year plan and we were out of room in two years.
CBB:
How exactly did Dark Horse survive the
1980s’ bust?
Our books were much superior to most of the black &
white titles that were flooding the market. As simple as that.
CBB:
Did Dark Horse Comics help create the bust
or was it already well on its way when it happened?
Richardson:
Well, since we were one of about 250
companies publishing black & white comics during the boom, I suppose we
contributed to the glut. Because so many companies had jumped in to the market,
and I use the term 'companies' loosely, and because so many of the books being
offered were just plain awful, the bust was coming irregardless of Dark
Horse's existence.
The Creators
CBB:
It seems today that Dark Horse Comics
rarely invites new creators into its stable of published comic books as opposed
to before, where Dark Horse was synonymous with great creators. Is this more a
perception or an evolution of talent recruitment?
Richardson:
I'm not sure what you mean by this question.
We've never stopped bringing the best creators in the world to Dark Horse. For
instance, over the last year alone we've introduced Gerard Way's Umbrella
Academy and Nicholas Gurewitch's Perry Bible Fellowship to the comics
world and overwhelming success. Established creators including Rick Remender
and Arvid Nelson have brought their creations to Dark Horse. Even mainstream
icons such as LeRoy Neiman are releasing books through us. This in addition to
those creators who have worked with us for years: Mike Mignola, Frank Miller,
Eric Powell Stan Sakai, Matt Wagner, Steve Niles, and on and on. So, like I
said, I don't quite understand the question.
CBB:
How do creators get published at Dark Horse
Comics?
Richardson:
We find them or they find us: submissions,
conventions, word-of-mouth, referrals, internet, etc.
CBB:
One issue that has had me perplexed about Dark Horse
Comics’ business model is about its creator owned contracts. I am of the
opinion that the creator-owned dogma that so many creators and pundits preach
is not necessarily good for the fortunes of a comic book publisher and
therefore, comic books on a long term basis. I do not believe that creators are
the best person to make business decisions about their properties. I believe
that publishing rights should remain with a publisher, even if the copyrights
are owned by the creator.
Richardson: The ethic behind our company is that creators should have
the right to own and control their own original creations. We enter into
negotiations that clearly spell our which rights are granted and for how long.
Most creators are happy to leave the issues related to the actual business of
publishing a book to us. In light of the actual performance of publishers over
the history of comic books, and taking into account the history of their
treatment of the creators they've worked with, I can't agree with your
last two statements. Over the history of the comic book industry I don't think
you need more than two hands to count the number of companies that have lasted
more than twenty years. We're one of them, so our approach must be a sound,
from both and ethical and business perspective.
CBB:
Does Dark Horse Comics retain the rights to
perpetually publish a comic book series previously or are the rights transferred
with the artists, if he /she decide to leave?
Richardson:
We publish a specific comic book creator's
work as long as he/she wants us to publish it.
The Business
CBB:
In the 1990s, everybody was talking about
Dark Horse. Many saw in this company, hopes for change in the comic book
industry. What is it about how Dark Horse does business that prompted so many
to see the publisher as a saviour?
Richardson:
You mean everyone isn't still talking about
us? We haven't changed our approach. Last year was the best year in our history
from a financial perspective. We feel we are the future of the industry and
that's how we approach the marketplace. If you look at our history carefully,
you'll see that we have, and continue to have, a tremendous effect on the
comics industry. Our creator owned policies changed the way Marvel and DC dealt
with creators and provided the spark for companies such as Image. Our approach
to licensed books certainly changed the way publishers viewed and produced
these titles. We've been a pioneer in bringing on-line strips to the printed
page. We want to be ahead of the curve. The other companies can continue to
live off characters (and I admit, I love 'em, too) created for the grandfathers
of todays readers. We'll continue to look for the next Mike Mignola .
. . or Gerard Way.
CBB:
These days, it seems that Dark Horse Comics
has settled into a niche it knows well. New publishers are constantly trying to
chip at the corners of that niche by offering a mix of licensed properties and
original contents in comic book format. I’m not certain the product mix is
right for many of these publishers. Is there something about the mix of titles
that gives Dark Horse its edge against these other publishers, are you better
at execution or just lucky?
Richardson:
It doesn't have anything to do with luck.
We've created a publishing mix that works. I think everyone agrees that it's
suicide to try and compete with Marvel and DC by launching a line of
super-heroes, As a result, they look at us and our line. It's no coincidence
that many of the publishers out there trying to copy our approach once worked
for me. The bottom line is that publishing a line of comics today is a tricky
mix of talent, marketing, and publishing savvy. We seem to have gotten
pretty good at it, but it's not so easy to imitate as some would think. It also
seems that because of the attention comics have received from Hollywood, some
publishers have gotten twisted around backwards. Dark Horse has had great
success adapting comics to film (believe it or not, more than twenty projects
in just a dozen years) because we have great books with great stories and
characters. We publish a comic because we think it will make a great comic. If
we can take the project to film, all the better. A number of companies have
begun publishing comics just so they can sell them as films. Not a good idea.
If you publish great comics, the other opportunities will come.
CBB:
For years, Dark Horse Comics was seen as
the Third Publisher. But it seems that the pie chart has not been favourable to
Dark Horse or any other publisher outside of DC and Marvel Comics. Is the Third
Publisher billing still a sustainable ideal or counter to your company’s
strategy?
Richardson:
Naturally, we'd like to increase
market-share, but the pie chart you mention is an illusion. It doesn't include
re-orders or bookstore sales, both of which are very strong for Dark
Horse. The truth is, we've been able to remain profitable for our entire twenty
years. Other companies have come and gone. We all know about the financial
troubles experienced by Marvel despite their share of the pie. If we continue
to produce quality work, the pie chart will take care of itself.
CBB:
There have been many comparisons with other
publishers such as Image Comics, Valiant, even Ony and Top Shelf. What,
according to you is the real Dark Horse Comics? What do you wish the public,
and your peers would recognize you for?
Richardson:
That is a group of very different publishers,
and aside from the fact that we all publish comics, I'd guess that the only
reason that we're mentioned together in any discussion is that none of us are
Marvel or DC. With that said, I think Dark is recognized for its willingness to
respect creative talent, work toward the highest level of quality possible on
every book or product we produce, and the fact that we have a very human feel
to the company. If you deal with Dark Horse, and you have a problem, you can
call the owner. I'm not sure that's true at any of the other companies with
significant market-share.
CBB:
Are Things From Another World, Dark Horse
Entertainment and Dark Horse Deluxe all part of a larger Dark Horse Inc entity
or are they separate but related companies?
Richardson:
Separate, but related by ownership.
Successes
CBB:
The one area where Dark Horse Comics has
had success is in licensing properties from Hollywood and other media centers
to create comic book and collectible products from them. Is this successful
licensing reach generated through a buying team or is it fostered through
personal contacts in the entertainment industry?
Richardson:
There is no "buying team." It has
been fostered from the beginning through personal relationships and the fact
that the quality of our licensed projects is acknowledged as the best.
CBB:
How much does the Dark Horse Deluxe arm of
the business bring to Dark Horse Comics in general. Specifically, is the
ability to generate merchandising revenues important in the current
entertainment industry?
Richardson:
Dark Horse Deluxe is a growing division
of Dark Horse Comics. It is a natural extension of the comic line and gives us
complete control of the products we are interested in seeing produced. It also
gives the creators we work with the chance to be personally involved with the
toys and collectables based on their characters.
CBB:
Is the comic book based market segment for
merchandise spin-offs saturated or is there some growth left?
Richardson:
There's always room for quality product.
CBB:
How does news of an upcoming Dark Horse
Deluxe property, like say Star Wars statue reach the potential collector who is
not part of the comic book collecting demographics?
Richardson:
Putting aside the direct sales market. There
is a rather large group of toy and hobby shop stores that look for product not
sold in the big chains. We see large internet sales, and also have a staff of
sales people who create outreach programs and attempt to place product in the
mass market locations.
CBB:
Mangas are seen as the new saviour of the
comic book industry and cash cow to some. To Dark Horse Comics’ credits, you
have had a real involvement in the publishing of Manga series and have one of
the largest library of such material. What prompted you to publish mangas in
the first place?
Richardson:
I've always been interested in Japanese culture, at one
time collecting Japanese children's books. I became aware of manga while in
college and began pursuing titles almost from the day I started Dark Horse.
Unlike many of the other publishers today, Dark Horse's interest is due to a
love of Japanese manga and interest in Japanese creators. We have the longest
running manga series in America, as well as being the company with the longest
continuing manga publishing schedule.
CBB:
Were the Dark Horse Star Wars comic book
series officially accepted as cannon from the beginning, or did the company
have to prove its worth before obtaining the status?
Richardson:
Cannon was not an issue when we started
publishing Star Wars. At the time, as hard as it is to believe, there was very
little of anything related to Star Wars being published. Our Dark Empire series
roughly coincided with the Timothy Zahn paperbacks and the frenzy was on. When
we actually started discussing continuity with LucasFilm, the concept of what
belonged as canon was discussed and the Dark Horse stories were included.
Failures
CBB:
Although Dark Horse Comics had been
developing the World Greatest Heroes for years, it arrived the same summer
everybody in comic books was pushing new universes and continuities. Though the product line was superior too much of the material in 1993, it failed to
reach the right audience. What can you tell us about World’s Greatest Heroes?
Richardson:
We had always wanted to launch our own
super-heroes. We decided to wait until we were established before entering
territory clearly dominated by Marvel and DC. The fact that we launched our own
"universe" at the same time as a million other companies (or so it
seemed at the time) was a pure accident. Despite a false report by Wizard that
the launch was unsuccessful, the books were actually fabulously successful, all
selling well into the six figure range. We followed up with a second launch a
year later which was also successful. Of course, we were done in by the glut of
company "universes." I think we had the most unique approach to our
own super hero world, which was a giant, science fiction "mystery
box," as J.J. Abrams would say. Stick around and you'll see relaunches of
several of the most popular characters, including X and GHOST.
CBB:
Cheval Noir was a daunting project. It was
publishing serialized strips from the world’s best cartoonists. It seemed to me
that the direct competition for such a series was Heavy Metal and Métal
Hurlant, Negative Burn or even Casterman’s À Suivre, at the time. Was the
public that read Dark Horse comics prepared too stepped in the world of
international comic books or was the series just too early for regular North
American collector?
Richardson:
The series, which I edited, was a direct
result of my interest in comics creators from other countries. My first
exposure to comics outside was in France's METAL HURLANT, a forerunner of HEAVY
METAL. Individual issues were expensive at the time, but we really gave readers
their money's worth, The series ran for fifty issues over more than five years.
Not bad for any series, so I think the North American reader (as opposed to
collector) was more than fine and responsive to it.
CBB:
What step have been taken so that Dark
Horse Comics be able to fulfil orders of comic book and trade paperbacks based
on Dark Horse-related movies in the future?
Richardson:
Interesting question, probably fueled by the
300 trade controversy. We are always on top of the trade situation when one of
our books is released on film. With regard to 300, we had over 100,000 unsold
copies in the marketplace when that specific article appeared saying the book
was out of print. In addition, we actually air freighted books in so that no
retailer had to wait long to receive copies. One of the comics industry's
leading retailers replied to the alleged situation by saying he could get all
the copies he needed. The HELLBOY film generated a different problem. We made a
point of anticipating orders by contacting selected buyers and then printed
several times the number. Surprisingly, that number sold out almost
immediately. We reprinted several times the re-order number. That sold out
before it shipped. We do the best we can in these situations, but we can't
order an infinite number of returnable books.
Conclusion
CBB:
Fanboy question. Will you ever publish the
second volume of the Venus Wars?
Richardson:
Never say never.
CBB:
Thank you very much.
Richardson:
You are welcome.