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{{Infobox company
|company_name = Dark Horse Comics
|company_logo = [[File:Dark Horse Comics logo.svg|200px]]
|company_type = [[List of comic book publishing companies|Comic publisher]]
|company_slogan =
|foundation = 1986
|founder = [[Mike Richardson (publisher)|Mike Richardson]]
|key_people = [[Mike Richardson (publisher)|Mike Richardson]]
|location = [[Milwaukie, Oregon|Milwaukie]], [[Oregon]], [[United States|USA]]
|industry = [[Comics]]
|homepage = http://www.darkhorse.com
}}
[[File:DarkHorseHQMilwaukieOR.jpg|thumb|Dark Horse Comics headquarters]]
'''Dark Horse Comics''' is the largest independent [[United States|American]] [[comic book]] and [[manga]] publisher.

Dark Horse Comics was founded in 1986 by [[Mike Richardson (publisher)|Mike Richardson]] in [[Milwaukie, Oregon]], with the concept of establishing an ideal atmosphere for creative professionals. Richardson started out by opening his first comic book store, Pegasus Books, in Bend, Oregon, in 1980. From there he was able to use the funds from his retail operation to start his own publishing company. ''[[Dark Horse Presents]]'' and ''[[Boris the Bear]]'' were the two initial titles in 1986 and within one year of its first publication, Dark Horse Comics added nine new titles to its roster, including ''[[The American (comics)|The American]]'', ''The Mark'', ''Trekker'', and ''Black Cross''. In 2011, ''Dark Horse Presents'' relaunched including the return of [[Paul Chadwick]]'s ''[[Concrete (comics)|Concrete]]'' and [[Steve Niles]]'s ''[[Criminal Macabre]]'', as well as new talent including Sanford Greene, [[Carla Speed McNeil]], Nate Crosby and others.

==Overview==
{{Expand section|History|date=January 2011}}
Dark Horse publishes many licensed comics, including comics based on ''[[Star Wars]]'', ''[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV series)|Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]'', ''[[Aliens (film)|Aliens]]'', ''[[Predator (film)|Predator]]'', ''[[Mass Effect]]'', ''[[Conan the Barbarian|Conan]]'', and ''[[Who Wants to be a Superhero?]]'' Dark Horse also publishes [[creator owned]] comics such as [[Frank Miller (comics)|Frank Miller]]'s ''[[Sin City]]'' and ''[[300 (comics)|300]]'', [[Mike Mignola]]'s ''[[Hellboy]]'', [[Stan Sakai]]'s ''[[Usagi Yojimbo]]'', [[Gerard Way]]'s ''[[Umbrella Academy]]'', and [[Michael Chabon]]'s ''[[The Escapist (character)|The Escapist]]''. Today, the comic arm of the company flourishes despite no longer having its own universe of superpowered characters.<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=19422 | title=From the Editor's Desk: Scott Allie | work=[[Comic Book Resources]] | accessdate=2010-03-23}}</ref>

==Imprints and studios==

===Comics' Greatest World/Dark Horse Heroes (1993–1996)===
{{Main|Comics' Greatest World}}
From 1993 to 1996, Dark Horse published a line of superhero comics under the Comics' Greatest World imprint, which was later re-named Dark Horse Heroes. After 1996, publication of this line came to a near halt, ceasing production of any books concerning the characters with the publication of the last crossover books involving [[Ghost (Dark Horse Comics)|Ghost]], in the early 2000s.

===Legend (1994–1998)===
'''Legend''' was a [[comic book]] [[imprint]] at Dark Horse Comics created in 1994 by [[Frank Miller (comics)|Frank Miller]] and [[John Byrne (comics)|John Byrne]] as an avenue for creator-owned projects.<ref name=ModernMasters>{{Cite book | first=George | last=Khoury | coauthors=Eric Nolen-Weathington | title=Modern Masters Volume Six: Arthur Adams | year=2006 | publisher=[[TwoMorrows Publishing]] | isbn=978-1893905542}}</ref> Its logo was a [[moai]] drawn by [[Mike Mignola]]. Later on, other creators were asked to join them. The imprint ended in 1998.

====Members====
* [[Art Adams]]
* [[Frank Miller (comics)|Frank Miller]]
* [[John Byrne (comics)|John Byrne]]
* [[Mike Mignola]]
* [[Mike Allred]]
* [[Paul Chadwick]], [[Dave Gibbons]], and [[Geof Darrow]] were also on the initial Dark Horse Legend launch tour.

===Dark Horse Manga===
Dark Horse Manga is an imprint for Japanese [[manga]]. Publications include ''[[Akira (manga)|Akira]]'', ''[[Astro Boy]]'', ''[[Berserk (manga)|Berserk]]'', ''[[Blade of the Immortal]]'', ''[[Ghost in the Shell]]'', ''[[Trigun]]'' and [http://www.darkhorse.com/Books/18-138/Blood-Blockade-Battlefront-Volume-1-trade-paperback-collection ''Blood Blockade Battlefront''] by [[Yasuhiro Nightow]], ''[[Gantz]]'', ''[[Hellsing]]'' and ''[[Drifters (manga)|Drifters]]'' by [[Kouta Hirano]], ''[[Blood+]]'', ''[[Multiple Personality Detective Psycho|MPD Psycho]]'', and America's longest running manga series, ''[[Oh My Goddess!]]'' by [[Kōsuke Fujishima|Fujishima]]. Dark Horse also publishes a number of [[CLAMP (manga artists)|CLAMP]] titles including ''[[Clover (manga)|Clover]]'', ''[[Chobits]]'', [http://www.darkhorse.com/Books/15-310/Okimono-Kimono-TPB ''Okimono Kimono''], ''[[Cardcaptor Sakura]]'', ''[[Magic Knight Rayearth]]'', and ''[[Gate 7]]''. A manga magazine titled ''Super Manga Blast'' was published by Dark Horse starting in the spring of 2000. It was discontinued in December 2005 after 59 issues.<ref>{{cite web | date=November 24, 2005 | title=Super Manga Blast Discontinued | url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2005-11-24/super-manga-blast-discontinued | publisher=[[Anime News Network]] | accessdate=November 1, 2011}}</ref>

===Maverick (1999–2002)===
{{Main|Maverick (Dark Horse)}}
Maverick was an imprint for creator owned material.

===DH Press===
The [[DH Press]] [[imprint]] publishes [[novelization]]s of Dark Horse's more popular comic book titles, including ''[[Aliens (novel)|Aliens]]'' and ''[[Predator (novel series)|Predator]]''. DH Press has now been absorbed by DH Books.

===M Press===
Quirky publications ranging from novels to film books by [[Leonard Maltin]] about [[John Landis]], to comic related material such as a biography of [[Will Eisner]], to health books. They have also published a series reprinting [[Playboy]] interviews. The M Press imprint was created to publish a diverse list of both literary fiction and non-fiction prose for authors with a unique voice. The newest addition to M Press is an original comic series by [[Tom Morello]] called Orchid. Issue one is due out October 12, 2011.

===[http://digital.darkhorse.com Dark Horse Digital]===
In 2011, Dark Horse launched their iOS app and online digital comics store. Dark Horse is in the process of developing a native [[Android (operating system)|Android]] app. Any device with a modern web browser can be used to read Dark Horse comics at their web store.

===DH Deluxe===
Initiated in 1998, Dark Horse Deluxe rolled out a line of merchandise that included model kits, toys, apparel and collectibles. Its original purpose was to draw on Dark Horse properties but expanded to include such collectibles as [[Tim Burton]]'s ''Tragic Toys for Girls and Boys'', [[Joss Whedon]]'s ''[[Serenity (film)|Serenity]]'', and most recently, merchandise for the popular video-game franchise ''[[Mass Effect]]''. Dark Horse, working with Big Tent Entertainment and the [[NHK Broadcasting Center|NHK broadcasting corporation]], brought [[Domo (NHK)|Domo-kun]] to the United States with a series of products ranging from [[Qee]] figurines to journals and stationery sets.

==Titles==
{{Main|List of Dark Horse Comics publications}}
Dark Horse Comics has acquired the rights to make comic book adaptations of many popular films and series. Some of these include ''[[Alien (comics)|Aliens]]'', ''[[Army of Darkness]]'' (before Dynamite Entertainment acquired the license), ''[[Indiana Jones comic books#Dark Horse Comics|Indiana Jones]]'', ''[[Predator (comics)|Predator]]'', ''[[Predators (comics)|Predators]]'', ''[[RoboCop (comics)#Dark Horse Comics|RoboCop]]'', ''[[Star Wars (comics)|Star Wars]]'', ''[[Terminator (comics)|The Terminator]]'', ''[[Timecop]]'', ''[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer comics|Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]'' (and it's spin-off, ''[[Angel (TV series)|Angel]]''), ''[[Planet of the Apes (2001 film)|Planet of the Apes]]'', and ''[[Let Me In (film)|Let Me In]]''.

==Dark Horse Entertainment==
{{Main|Dark Horse Entertainment}}
Dark Horse's film arm, Dark Horse Entertainment, produces films and television shows based on Dark Horse Comics. Established by Richardson in 1992, Dark Horse Entertainment set up shop on the lot at [[20th Century Fox|Twentieth Century Fox]] through a first-look deal with [[Lawrence Gordon (producer)|Larry Gordon]] and [[Largo Entertainment]]. Dark Horse Entertainment has produced over two dozen films and television projects.<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=150132 | title=Dark Horse/Universal Sign First Look Deal | work=[[Newsarama]] | date=March 18, 2008}}</ref>

===Television===
The following are TV projects based on Dark Horse comic books:<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.imdb.com/keyword/dark-horse-comics/?title_type=tv | title=Best 'Dark Horse Comics' Television | work=[[Internet Movie Database|IMDb]]}}</ref>

*''[[The Mask (1995 TV series)|The Mask]]'' (1995–1997 animated series)
*''[[Timecop (TV series)|Timecop]]'' (1997 series)
*''[[The Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot (TV series)|Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot]]'' (1999–2001 animated series)
*''[[Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense#Television|The B.P.R.D. Declassified]]'' (2004 special)
*''[[The Amazing Screw-On Head]]'' (2006 pilot)

===Films===
The following are feature films based on series from Dark Horse Comics:<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://us.imdb.com/keyword/dark-horse-comics/?title_type=feature | title=Best 'Dark Horse Comics' Movies | work=IMDb | date=May 1, 2009 | accessdate=2010-07-28}}</ref>

* ''[[The Mask (film)|The Mask]]'' (1994)
* ''[[Timecop (film)|Timecop]]'' (1994)
* ''[[Barb Wire (film)|Barb Wire]]'' (1996)
* ''[[Mystery Men]]'' (1999)
* ''[[Virus (1999 film)|Virus]]'' (1999)
* ''[[Alien vs. Predator (film)|Alien vs. Predator]]'' (2004)
* ''[[Hellboy (film)|Hellboy]]'' (2004)
* ''[[Sin City (film)|Sin City]]'' (2005)
* ''[[Son of the Mask]]'' (2005)
* ''[[Hellboy: Sword of Storms]]'' (2006, animated, direct-to-video)
* ''[[300 (film)|300]]'' (2007)
* ''[[Hellboy: Blood and Iron]]'' (2007, animated, direct-to-video)
* ''[[Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem]]'' (2007)
* ''[[Hellboy II: The Golden Army]]'' (2008)
* ''[[El Zombo Fantasma]]'' (2010)
* ''[[R.I.P.D.]]'' (2013)
* [[Beasts of Burden (comics)#Film|''Beasts of Burden'']] (2013)
* ''[[The Umbrella Academy]]''

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==Further reading==
*{{Cite book | title=Dark Horse Comics: The First Twenty Years | first=Mike | last=Richardson | authorlink=Mike Richardson (publisher) | coauthors=[[Frank Miller (comics)|Frank Miller]], ''et al.'' | publisher=Dark Horse Comics | date=March 2008 | isbn=1-59307-608-8}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
{{Portal box|Comics|Anime and manga|Oregon|Companies}}
* {{Official website|http://www.darkhorse.com}}
* [http://www.tfaw.com Things From Another World] Online retailer of comics and collectibles; sister company of Dark Horse Comics.
* {{Gcdb publisher|id=512}}
* [http://www.comics-db.com/Dark_Horse_Comics/ Dark Horse Comics] at the [[Big Comic Book DataBase]]
* {{Comicbookdb|type=publisher|id=5}}
* {{Oregon Encyclopedia|dark_horse_comics}}

===Interviews===
{{More footnotes|section|date=April 2009}}
*[http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=19458 From the Editor's Desk: Tim Ervin]. [[Comic Book Resources]]. January 8, 2009.
*[http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=19536 From the Editor's Desk: Chris Warner]. Comic Book Resources. January 14, 2009.
*[http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=19619 From the Editor's Desk: Diana Schutz, Part I]. Comic Book Resources. January 20, 2009.
**[http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=19664 From the Editor's Desk: Diana Schutz, Part II]. Comic Book Resources. January 22, 2009.
*[http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=20168 From the Editor's Desk: Randy Stradley]. Comic Book Resources. February 25, 2009.
*[http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=20429 From the Editor's Desk: Shawna Gore]. Comic Book Resources. March 16, 2009.

{{Comic book publishers in North America navbox}}
{{Clive Barker}}

[[Category:Dark Horse Comics| ]]
[[Category:Comic book publishing companies of the United States]]
[[Category:Manga distributors]]
[[Category:Manhwa distributors]]
[[Category:Companies based in Milwaukie, Oregon]]
[[Category:Companies established in 1986]]
[[Category:Webcomic publishers]]
[[Category:Book publishing companies of Oregon]]

[[br:Dark Horse Comics]]
[[de:Dark Horse Comics]]
[[es:Dark Horse Comics]]
[[fr:Dark Horse Comics]]
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[[he:דארק הורס]]
[[hu:Dark Horse Comics]]
[[nl:Dark Horse Comics]]
[[ja:ダークホースコミックス]]
[[no:Dark Horse Comics]]
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[[zh:黑马漫画]]

Revision as of 19:10, 13 February 2012

Dark Horse Comics
Company typeComic publisher
IndustryComics
Founded1986
FounderMike Richardson
HeadquartersMilwaukie, Oregon, USA
Key people
Mike Richardson
Websitehttp://www.darkhorse.com
Dark Horse Comics headquarters

Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent American comic book and manga publisher.

Dark Horse Comics was founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson in Milwaukie, Oregon, with the concept of establishing an ideal atmosphere for creative professionals. Richardson started out by opening his first comic book store, Pegasus Books, in Bend, Oregon, in 1980. From there he was able to use the funds from his retail operation to start his own publishing company. Dark Horse Presents and Boris the Bear were the two initial titles in 1986 and within one year of its first publication, Dark Horse Comics added nine new titles to its roster, including The American, The Mark, Trekker, and Black Cross. In 2011, Dark Horse Presents relaunched including the return of Paul Chadwick's Concrete and Steve Niles's Criminal Macabre, as well as new talent including Sanford Greene, Carla Speed McNeil, Nate Crosby and others.

Overview

Dark Horse publishes many licensed comics, including comics based on Star Wars, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Aliens, Predator, Mass Effect, Conan, and Who Wants to be a Superhero? Dark Horse also publishes creator owned comics such as Frank Miller's Sin City and 300, Mike Mignola's Hellboy, Stan Sakai's Usagi Yojimbo, Gerard Way's Umbrella Academy, and Michael Chabon's The Escapist. Today, the comic arm of the company flourishes despite no longer having its own universe of superpowered characters.[1]

Imprints and studios

Comics' Greatest World/Dark Horse Heroes (1993–1996)

Main article: Comics' Greatest World

From 1993 to 1996, Dark Horse published a line of superhero comics under the Comics' Greatest World imprint, which was later re-named Dark Horse Heroes. After 1996, publication of this line came to a near halt, ceasing production of any books concerning the characters with the publication of the last crossover books involving Ghost, in the early 2000s.

Legend (1994–1998)

Legend was a comic book imprint at Dark Horse Comics created in 1994 by Frank Miller and John Byrne as an avenue for creator-owned projects.[2] Its logo was a moai drawn by Mike Mignola. Later on, other creators were asked to join them. The imprint ended in 1998.

Members

Dark Horse Manga

Dark Horse Manga is an imprint for Japanese manga. Publications include Akira, Astro Boy, Berserk, Blade of the Immortal, Ghost in the Shell, Trigun and Blood Blockade Battlefront by Yasuhiro Nightow, Gantz, Hellsing and Drifters by Kouta Hirano, Blood+, MPD Psycho, and America's longest running manga series, Oh My Goddess! by Fujishima. Dark Horse also publishes a number of CLAMP titles including Clover, Chobits, Okimono Kimono, Cardcaptor Sakura, Magic Knight Rayearth, and Gate 7. A manga magazine titled Super Manga Blast was published by Dark Horse starting in the spring of 2000. It was discontinued in December 2005 after 59 issues.[3]

Maverick (1999–2002)

Main article: Maverick (Dark Horse)

Maverick was an imprint for creator owned material.

DH Press

The DH Press imprint publishes novelizations of Dark Horse's more popular comic book titles, including Aliens and Predator. DH Press has now been absorbed by DH Books.

M Press

Quirky publications ranging from novels to film books by Leonard Maltin about John Landis, to comic related material such as a biography of Will Eisner, to health books. They have also published a series reprinting Playboy interviews. The M Press imprint was created to publish a diverse list of both literary fiction and non-fiction prose for authors with a unique voice. The newest addition to M Press is an original comic series by Tom Morello called Orchid. Issue one is due out October 12, 2011.

Dark Horse Digital

In 2011, Dark Horse launched their iOS app and online digital comics store. Dark Horse is in the process of developing a native Android app. Any device with a modern web browser can be used to read Dark Horse comics at their web store.

DH Deluxe

Initiated in 1998, Dark Horse Deluxe rolled out a line of merchandise that included model kits, toys, apparel and collectibles. Its original purpose was to draw on Dark Horse properties but expanded to include such collectibles as Tim Burton's Tragic Toys for Girls and Boys, Joss Whedon's Serenity, and most recently, merchandise for the popular video-game franchise Mass Effect. Dark Horse, working with Big Tent Entertainment and the NHK broadcasting corporation, brought Domo-kun to the United States with a series of products ranging from Qee figurines to journals and stationery sets.

Titles

Main article: List of Dark Horse Comics publications

Dark Horse Comics has acquired the rights to make comic book adaptations of many popular films and series. Some of these include Aliens, Army of Darkness (before Dynamite Entertainment acquired the license), Indiana Jones, Predator, Predators, RoboCop, Star Wars, The Terminator, Timecop, Buffy the Vampire Slayer (and it's spin-off, Angel), Planet of the Apes, and Let Me In.

Dark Horse Entertainment

Main article: Dark Horse Entertainment

Dark Horse's film arm, Dark Horse Entertainment, produces films and television shows based on Dark Horse Comics. Established by Richardson in 1992, Dark Horse Entertainment set up shop on the lot at Twentieth Century Fox through a first-look deal with Larry Gordon and Largo Entertainment. Dark Horse Entertainment has produced over two dozen films and television projects.[4]

Television

The following are TV projects based on Dark Horse comic books:[5]

Films

The following are feature films based on series from Dark Horse Comics:[6]

References

  1. ^ "From the Editor's Desk: Scott Allie". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved 2010-03-23.
  2. ^ Khoury, George (2006). Modern Masters Volume Six: Arthur Adams. TwoMorrows Publishing. ISBN 978-1893905542. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  3. ^ "Super Manga Blast Discontinued". Anime News Network. November 24, 2005. Retrieved November 1, 2011.
  4. ^ "Dark Horse/Universal Sign First Look Deal". Newsarama. March 18, 2008.
  5. ^ "Best 'Dark Horse Comics' Television". IMDb.
  6. ^ "Best 'Dark Horse Comics' Movies". IMDb. May 1, 2009. Retrieved 2010-07-28.

Further reading

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Dark Horse Comics.

Interviews

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