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Dark Horse Comics

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Dark Horse Comics
Company typePrivate
IndustryComic books, graphic novels, manga, art books
FoundedJanuary 1, 1986; 40 years ago (1986-01-01) in Milwaukie, Oregon, United States
FounderMike Richardson
Headquarters
Milwaukie, Oregon
,
United States
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Mike Richardson (Founder and CEO)
ProductsComic books, graphic novels, manga, art books
ParentEmbracer Group
Websitewww.darkhorse.com

Dark Horse Comics is a U.S.-based publisher specializing in comic book, graphic novel, manga, and art book productions. Established in 1986 in Milwaukie, Oregon by entrepreneur Mike Richardson, the company was initially funded through profits from Richardson's Pegasus Books comic store chain, which began operations in 1980.

Ranking as the fourth-largest comic book publisher in the United States, Dark Horse has distinguished itself by offering profit-sharing arrangements to creators and upholding artistic ownership rights. The publisher primarily focuses on licensed properties frequently outside mainstream channels. Among its prominent series are Sin City, Hellboy, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, 300, Ninja Gaiden, and various Star Wars comics.

In March 2022, after announcing the acquisition in December 2021, Swedish gaming conglomerate Embracer Group completed its purchase of Dark Horse Media, the parent organization of Dark Horse Comics, aiming to broaden its international reach and diversify its entertainment holdings.

Overview

Dark Horse’s catalogue includes numerous licensed comic series such as those based on Star Wars, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Ninja Gaiden, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Aliens, Predator, and Terminator. The company was founded by Mike Richardson with a mission to prioritize creator ownership, addressing dissatisfaction with prevailing industry practices. Its portfolio features acclaimed creator-owned titles including Frank Miller's Sin City and 300, Mike Mignola's Hellboy, Stan Sakai's Usagi Yojimbo, and Gerard Way's Umbrella Academy.

The publisher’s strategy centers on mini-series and limited runs, enabling them to discontinue underperforming projects while retaining reprint rights for earlier releases. This model fosters sustainable growth and adaptability within the market.

In 2006, The New York Times spotlighted Dark Horse’s compensation system, where creators receive payment per story or page and share profits from both comics and merchandise sales. This stands in contrast to the typical work-for-hire arrangements at major competitors like DC and Marvel, which maintain most revenue streams and merchandising rights.

Origins

Mike Richardson’s participation in the Amateur Press Association (APA), a network dedicated to comic critique and fan interaction, connected him with Randy Stradley, who became an early editor and collaborator. Utilizing contacts from the APA community, they recruited artists and writers from leading publishers to assemble Dark Horse’s creative team.

1986–2006

Dark Horse was launched in 1986 by Mike Richardson with Dark Horse Presents No. 1, introducing Paul Chadwick's Concrete and Chris Warner's Black Cross, selling approximately 50,000 copies—surpassing initial projections. This series became an important platform for emerging talent. The company’s rise coincided with the 1980s trend toward specialized comic book retail stores. Richardson expanded Dark Horse’s offerings by securing rights to major franchises such as Godzilla (1987), Aliens and Predator (1989), and acquiring the previously Marvel-held license for Star Wars in 1991. In 1991, Dark Horse also diversified into toy production and established Dark Horse Entertainment, its film and television division.

Following the launch of the first Aliens and Predator comics in 1988, Dark Horse broadened its market footprint with titles like Tarzan and crossover events featuring DC Comics’ characters such as Superman and Batman, as well as titles like WildC.A.T.s.

In 1991, Frank Miller debuted his influential series Sin City within Dark Horse Presents, which became among the publisher’s most successful works. Miller also contributed limited series including Give Me Liberty (1990-1991) and Hard Boiled, further enriching Dark Horse’s catalogue.

Mark Badger’s miniseries The Mask, first published in 1991, inspired a popular film adaptation starring Jim Carrey released in 1994; however, this did not substantially increase comic sales.

Dark Horse introduced its own superhero imprint titled Comics' Greatest World in 1993; however, due to shifts in market dynamics during the 1990s, most titles were discontinued except for Ghost, leading the company back toward a more focused business scale.

The publisher continued emphasizing creator-driven projects through imprints like Legends and collaborations with artists such as Mike Mignola. In 1994, Mignola’s character Hellboy was launched with multiple series and crossover stories including one with DC's Batman.

That same year saw Dark Horse release a monthly manga miniseries titled Oh My Goddess! along with acquiring licensing rights for a limited run of a new Tarzan series from 1995 through 1998.

The solo title Ghost was published from 1995 to 1998 before being relaunched later that year.

Stan Sakai’s Eisner Award-winning series Usagi Yojimbo began publication under Dark Horse Comics in 1996 as a monthly issue run that continued until 2019.

Starting in 1996, Dark Horse translated Hiroaki Samura’s manga series Blade of the Immortal, completing its publication by 2015.

For the first Free Comic Book Day on May 4, 2002, Dark Horse issued Star Wars: Tales – A Jedi's Weapon and has participated annually ever since.

2006–2021

By 2006, Dark Horse had established itself as the third largest comics publisher, capturing a 5.6% share of the market, trailing behind Marvel's 36.9% and DC's 32.9%, according to data from Diamond Comic Distributors.

In 2007, the company contributed its complete publication archive to the Portland State University Library, which now maintains an official Dark Horse collection comprising more than 10,000 titles.

The 2011 revival of Dark Horse Presents brought back familiar series such as Paul Chadwick's Concrete and Steve Niles' Criminal Macabre, while also introducing new talents including Sanford Greene and Carla Speed McNeil. Beginning in 2013, Dark Horse resumed full-color reprints of the classic EC Comics archives from the 1950s, continuing the work previously started by Gladstone.

In 2017, Dark Horse collaborated with Crypton Future Media to publish the official English-language manga of Hatsune Miku. The following year, it launched comics for Mysticons and revealed a strategic alliance with Chinese media firm Vanguard Visionary Associates. This partnership involved Vanguard acquiring a substantial investment stake in Dark Horse Entertainment, the company’s entertainment division. Industry estimates placed this investment at approximately $20 million, granting Vanguard majority ownership and enabling growth in both media production and publishing sectors.

In 2020, Dark Horse ended its relationship with editor Scott Allie amid multiple allegations of sexual misconduct spanning over ten years. Founder Mike Richardson acknowledged prior internal responses but confirmed Allie's exit after he continued freelance engagements.

June 2021 marked the debut of Dark Horse Games, a newly formed branch dedicated to creating AAA video games based on Dark Horse’s intellectual properties.

Later that year in November, CEO Mike Richardson announced that Dark Horse would resume publishing all-ages Star Wars comics and graphic novels through a collaboration with Lucasfilm and Disney Publishing Worldwide. This initiative revived their earlier licensing rights that had been held from 1991 until 2015.

Acquisition by Embracer Group

In December 2021, reports emerged that Dark Horse Comics was available for purchase, with potential buyers including Netflix and The Walt Disney Company. Subsequently, Embracer Group—a holding company specializing in video games—declared its acquisition of Dark Horse Media, encompassing both Dark Horse Comics and Dark Horse Entertainment, positioning it as the tenth operational division within Embracer.

This transaction provided Embracer access to Dark Horse’s extensive portfolio of over 300 intellectual properties, thereby increasing its market presence and broadening its content offerings. Founder and CEO Mike Richardson maintained creative oversight while the company gained enhanced financial backing compared to its previous independent status following its separation from Chinese pop culture entity Vanguard Visionary Associates.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, this acquisition offers Embracer strategic opportunities beyond the gaming industry by leveraging Dark Horse’s media partnerships—including a first-look agreement with Netflix and connections with Universal Content Productions—to advance projects across comics and other entertainment platforms. Dark Horse currently ranks as the fourth largest comic book publisher in the United States, reflecting its significant industry stature.

Embracer completed the acquisition on March 14, 2022.

Distribution

In June 2022, Dark Horse revealed a new strategic alliance with Penguin Random House, appointing them as its chief comic book distributor, thereby ending a three-decade relationship with Diamond Comic Distributors. On September 21, 2022, Dark Horse announced an extension of this multi-year distribution agreement, set to commence in June 2023. CEO Mike Richardson emphasized that the collaboration aims to improve worldwide availability of comic books while addressing the excessive distribution costs previously imposed by Diamond Comics.

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

Between 1993 and 1996, Dark Horse released a superhero series under the banner Comics' Greatest World, which was later rebranded as Dark Horse Heroes. The line concluded in the early 2000s following the final crossover event featuring characters such as Ghost.

Legend (1994–1998)

Legend was a creator-driven imprint initiated in 1994 by founders Frank Miller and John Byrne, showcasing creations from notable industry talents including Art Adams, Mike Mignola, and Walter Simonson. This imprint ceased operations in 1998.

Dark Horse Manga

Dark Horse Manga focuses on translating Japanese manga into English, debuting with Oh My Goddess! in 1994, which remains the longest-running manga series in the United States. Prominent titles include Akira, Berserk, Ghost in the Shell, Trigun, along with works by creators like Yasuhiro Nightow and Kouta Hirano. The imprint also publishes works from the all-female artist collective CLAMP, such as Cardcaptor Sakura and Magic Knight Rayearth.

In 2000, Dark Horse launched the manga anthology Super Manga Blast!, which ran for 59 issues until December 2005. The company additionally distributes Korean manhwa series including Banya: The Explosive Delivery Man.

Maverick (1999–2002)

Maverick served as an imprint dedicated to creator-owned projects.

DH Press

DH Press produced novel adaptations of Dark Horse’s well-known comic franchises like Aliens and Predator. This imprint has since been integrated into DH Books.

M Press

M Press offered a wide-ranging catalog that included novels, film-related publications such as Leonard Maltin’s work on John Landis, comic biographies exemplified by Will Eisner’s stories, and health-related books. It concentrated on distinctive literary fiction and non-fiction titles, featuring series like Tom Morello's Orchid (2011–2013) and the original graphic novel The Fifth Beatle (2013), created by Vivek Tiwary, Andrew Robinson, and Kyle Baker.

Dark Horse Digital

Debuting in 2011, Dark Horse Digital launched an iOS application alongside an online comics store, followed by a beta Android app in 2012. Accessible through contemporary web browsers, it facilitated digital comic purchases until its shutdown on February 24, 2025. Users retain access to their previously acquired comics.

DH Deluxe

Founded in 1998, Dark Horse Deluxe broadened its product range to include collectibles such as model kits, toys, apparel, and memorabilia linked to both Dark Horse properties and external intellectual properties like Tim Burton’s Tragic Toys, Joss Whedon’s Serenity, and the video game franchise Mass Effect. Partnerships also introduced Domo-kun merchandise to the American market. David Scroggy held the position of Vice President of Product Development from 1993 until his retirement in 2017.

Kitchen Sink Books

In 2013, Denis Kitchen and John Lind established Kitchen Sink Books through a collaboration with Dark Horse, revitalizing the legacy of Kitchen Sink Press. This imprint specializes in art volumes and premium collections, typically releasing two to three prominent projects each year. Distinguished contributors include Will Eisner, Frank Miller, Harvey Kurtzman, Tony DiTerlizzi, alongside anthologies featuring Jack Davis, Art Spiegelman, Harvey Pekar, Al Jaffee, and others.

Berger Books

Karen Berger, formerly the executive editor at Vertigo, launched the Berger Books imprint at Dark Horse in 2017. Key works published under this label include Hungry Ghosts by Joel Rose and Anthony Bourdain, Mat Johnson’s Incognegro and its prequel Incognegro: Renaissance, Ann Nocenti’s The Seeds, Christopher Cantwell’s She Could Fly, and Nnedi Okorafor’s LaGuardia.

Dark Horse Games

On June 2, 2021, Dark Horse expanded its portfolio by inaugurating a Gaming and Digital Entertainment Division. This new branch collaborates with AAA game studios to transform both classic and lesser-known intellectual properties into video game formats.

Secret Stash Press (2022–present)

In March 2022, Dark Horse joined forces with filmmaker Kevin Smith to introduce Secret Stash Press, Smith’s personal publishing imprint. The initial offerings include Maskerade, co-authored with Andy Mcelfresh, and Quick Stops, set within the View Askewniverse.

Flux House

Matt Kindt announced the launch of Flux House at Dark Horse in April 2022. The imprint debuted with MIND MGMT: Bootleg and followed up with the release of Hairball in April 2023.

Dogu Publishing (2022–present)

Stan Sakai transferred his renowned Usagi Yojimbo series to Dark Horse under his Dogu Publishing imprint in July 2022.

Albatross Funnybooks (2022–present)

Eric Powell brought his Albatross Funnybooks imprint to Dark Horse in September 2022. This includes titles such as The Goon, Hillbilly, and Big Man Plans, along with Brendon Small’s Galaktikon and Rebecca Sugar’s Pug Davis.

Tiny Onion Studios (2022–present)

In November 2022, Dark Horse partnered with James Tynion IV to publish works from his Tiny Onion Studios. This collaboration features original projects as well as printed editions of previously Substack-released material. Noteworthy publications include Blue Book by Tynion and Michael Avon Oeming, launched in February 2023, and The Oddly Pedestrian Life of Christopher Chaos by Tynion, Tate Brombal, and Isaac Goodhart, which commenced in June 2023. Due to high pre-order demand, Christopher Chaos expanded from an initially planned five-issue limited series into an ongoing title.

Millarworld (2023–present)

Mark Millar signed with Dark Horse in December 2023 to publish Millarworld content. This agreement includes reprints as well as five new series slated for release in 2024, such as Nemesis Rogues' Gallery, featuring artwork by Valerio Giangiordano.

Titles

Dark Horse holds publishing rights for comic adaptations of several major franchises including Aliens, Indiana Jones, Predator, RoboCop, The Thing, Star Wars, Terminator, the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer (and its spin-off Angel), Planet of the Apes, Let Me In, Ninja Gaiden, Plants vs. Zombies, and Avatar: The Last Airbender.

In 2013, a partnership was formed between Dark Horse and CCP Games to produce comics inspired by player narratives from the MMORPG EVE Online.

After Lucasfilm announced in 2014 that future Star Wars comics would transition to Marvel Comics starting in 2015, Dark Horse redirected its focus toward other properties. Beginning in 2017, it started publishing Critical Role: Vox Machina Origins, based on the popular web series. By 2019, this title ranked as Dark Horse’s sixth-highest seller with sales reaching approximately 19,000 copies.

Dark Horse Entertainment

The film and television division of Dark Horse Comics, known as Dark Horse Entertainment, focuses on adapting Dark Horse’s comic properties for screen. Established by Mike Richardson in 1992, the studio began with a first-look agreement with Twentieth Century Fox, facilitated through Larry Gordon and Largo Entertainment. Since its inception, the studio has been involved in producing more than twenty-five film and TV projects.

In 2018, Dark Horse Entertainment joined forces with Vanguard Visionary Associates to fund the development of existing intellectual properties and acquire new content for screen adaptation, with a particular emphasis on expanding into international markets, notably China. The following year, it secured a first-look arrangement with Netflix, which was extended in August 2022, bolstering its presence in the global streaming arena.

Television

Notable television adaptations derived from Dark Horse Comics include:

  • Duckman (1994–1997, animated)
  • The Mask (1995–1997, animated)
  • Timecop (1997–1998)
  • Fat Dog Mendoza (2000–2001, animated)
  • Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot (1999–2001, animated)
  • The B.P.R.D. Declassified (2004, special)
  • The Amazing Screw-On Head (2006, animated pilot)
  • Axe Cop (2013–2015, animated)
  • Dark Matter (2015–2017)
  • The Umbrella Academy (2019–2024)
  • The Rocketeer (2019–2020, animated)
  • Resident Alien (2021–present)
  • Samurai Rabbit: The Usagi Chronicles (2022–present, animated)
  • Iyanu: Child of Wonder (2025, animated series featuring an all-Nigerian voice cast)

Projects currently in development or forthcoming include:

  • Fear Agent
  • Grendel
  • Hungry Ghosts (animated)
  • Lady Danger (animated series led by Nicki Minaj)
  • MIND MGMT
  • Minor Threats
  • She Could Fly
  • Sin City
  • Wyrd

These endeavors underscore Dark Horse Entertainment’s commitment to translating its comic book catalog into various audiovisual formats while enhancing its market reach through collaborations with major streaming services.

Television shows based on graphic novels

Video games based on graphic novels

Films

Feature-length films adapted from Dark Horse Comics titles include:

Released titles

Films currently planned include:

  • Hellboy: The Crooked Man scheduled for 2024
  • Untitled follow-up to Chickenhare and the Hamster of Darkness, anticipated in 2025 as an animated feature
  • Bang!’’'’'’'’'’'’'’'’'’'’'’'’'’'’'’'’'’'(date to be announced)
  • Film adaptation of Dept. H, date pending
  • Animated feature based on Emily the Strange, release date TBD
  • Netflix adaptation of Lady Killer, starring Blake Lively, release date forthcoming
  • Netflix project titled ‘’Mystery Girl’’ produced by Tiffany Haddish in collaboration with Dark Horse Entertainment
  • Reimagined version of Tank Girl, directed by Miles Joris-Peyrafitte and featuring Margot Robbie; release date not yet announced
  • ‘’The Black Kaiser’’ based on Polar, starring Mads Mikkelsen and Vanessa Hudgens; date to be confirmed
  • Animated version of The Goon, release date TBA

Additional resources

Related links

Conversations

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