KAREN BERGER TO START NEW IMPRINT AT DARK HORSE

pastemagazine.com/articles/2017/02/dark-horse-announces-new-line-of-books-overseen-by.html

Seems like a wise move, Dark Horse need some new direction on their creator-owned front and I can't think of anyone better suited than the Queen of Vertigo herself

Surgeon X is pretty meh, especially now that the artist, who was the strongest part, has passed away. We'll see how this goes.

What Dark Horse needs is young new talent. They've already got a solid group of established legends like Darrow, Sakai, Corben, and Mingola

They need more comics like Simon Roy's Tiger Lung, Cullen Bunn and Tyler Crook's Harrow County, or Damon Gentry and Aaron Conley's Sabertooth Swordsman

Completely agree. I think they rely far too heavily on their well-established old guard, even in Dark Horse Presents. It doesn't feel even slightly penetrable for newcomers

Wow. That is HUGE for DH. Good on them

Neat.

That explains the Stan thread. Who was it?

John Watkiss. It was a while ago though.

John Watkiss, an excellent British artist mostly known only within the artists community

This makes perfect sense and a great move, a lot of recent DH books feel like Vertigo books. Like Harrow County.

tk

The first issue of Surgeon X was awful, does the plotting/characterization/infodump get any better?

Once the infodump is done it's just meh, like I said. Honestly I don't know what Berger saw in this pitch, it just sounds creatively bankrupt in every sense. Makes me a little worried about this new imprint desu.

bump

>queen of vertigo
Was she really that important or was it a "comic book journalist" meme?

I mean she founded Vertigo.

She was the editor in charge of getting talent she was important but as far as I'm aware it's not like she ghost wrote some really great comic. She might keep some dudes in check by having them actually stick to deadlines unlike Image but this line's success really depends on who she manages to pick up and if they're willing to play ball. Image basically letting you do whatever the hell you want with no editor is a big reason people go there.

Wow, Surgeon X really flopped huh

They just need better marketing and to give new series a chance. They have all the talent they need but nothing lasts ten issues and sales are bad for everything except licensed shit and Hellboy. Because they are content being a company for licensed comics first and foremost.

Harrow County is on issue 20 something.

They gave Fear Agent a place to get to the end.

I don't see Black Hammer going away. (Although it is using the variant for every issue trick.)

Dark Horse could have done something better for Past Aways. Sure. But they do try.

How is that "huge"? Vertigo wasn't profitable for DC. What makes you think it'll be profitable for Dark Horse?

Yeah, but she may at least bring some creatives to Dark Horse that will make books people actually talk about, even if they don't buy them. I mean, what was DH's last big thing? Hellboy in Hell? And it's been how long since?

Who gives a fuck? Surgeon X is terrible.

Vertigo was profitable for DC.

People need to learn the difference between "not profitable" and "not as profitable as mainline".

Is that really a surprise when its only selling point was its editor?

The fact that Image is stepping on the big two's toes? This imprint sounds like DH's Image, hopefully more carefully curated.

I'm not sure what everyones complaining about, esp given what dc's Young Animal has done so far... its more potentially good and cool comics, how is that a bad thing?

keeping in mind I do realise Dark Horse isnt in a position to tank a ton of money into something ridiculous

who do you think she'll get to write?
Isn't she responsible for a lot of the UK writers coming over

Nothing, Berger isn't a writer, she's an editor through and through, and that's the way I like her. Too many editors got a bit too comfortable being pseudo-writers at Marvel and it shows.

what? Which writers do you think she'll bring in because I thought she was responsible for the likes of Morrison, Milligan, Carey, Millar, and a bunch of others becoming popular

If surgeon x is anything to go by she'll just take in comic newcomers who have experience with other mediums

She is directly responsible for Sandman and she's one of the few people at DC Alan Moore will still talk to.

you didn't read the comment you replied to properly dipshit

Karen has the best eye for talent in the industry, so I'm pretty hype.

She's not at DC and Alan told her to lose his number.

>Vertigo was profitable for DC

No it wasn't. Even Sandman lost money.

Image is not an "indie" and never has been.

Can you show me a source?

Maybe the floppy did but I'm sure it made money in trades

Image is indie and always has been. Go Google "indie comics" and you'll find Image, because the whole world disagrees with you. In the world of comics, "indie" just means "not Marvel and not DC".

If you want "not published by a corporation", try the term "self-published" and a lot more people will agree and understand you.

All the trades are still in print. They'd be unlikely to do that if they weren't making money.

So is it a good time to pitch to dark horse?

Yes, as a backup in case your pitch to Image doesn't work out.

So say hypothetically you got accepted by both around the same time.

Which one is the better deal, economically speaking? I know image let's you do whatever the fuck you want but it doesn't pay a page rate, not sure if dark horse does it plus editorial.

It depends on how popular you think your comic will be.

Dark Horse will pay you the same amount regardless of whether you sell 5k or 50k.

Image doesn't pay you, they pass the money directly from the retailers to you. If your comic sells 5k, you'll make a little money, hopefully enough to pay your bills. If your comic sells 50k, you'll be rich.

Image is better if you think your comic will be popular, Dark Horse is better if you think your comic will be unpopular.

That's pretty candid. Thanks m8.

You knew what I meant and bullshit.

She had a good eye for talent but she was still a key editor at Vertigo as it was declining. I don't pay enough attention to the Vertigo end of the business so for all I know this may have been interference from the DC suits, or being swallowed up by New 52 bull shit (just like the Earth One graphic novels really didn't kick off an entire new imprint like they should have mostly because everyone who was needed to help pull that off was too busy twirling their thumbs over George Perez and what not).

From what I see of DH, I also think the folks saying they seem content to license stuff are correct. I rarely look for DH comics when I am looking for something new and different to check, even if we were talking pirated comics, so certainly less so at an LCS.

Is Dark Horse still sheltering known sexual predators or what?

Don't forget Steve Rude and Mike Baron! Which reminds me...new Nexus mini-series when?!

>DH
>publishing alt-right propaganda
Good luck with that.

bitey the clown did nothing wrong

Surgeon X approached Berger though. Presumably in this position she'll be leading on her own books.

What they do is dominated by license comics, but I hope this is something new driving original talent. Tiger Lung mentioned upthread was an amazing comic: it would be really great to fuel and establish more original creative stuff from DH.

What?

Bump

>that kerning

all of my why