Author Archives: Brett

Mike Richardson is Out at Dark Horse

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Dark Horse Comics logo

After 40 years, Mike Richardson is no longer running Dark Horse. In a bit of a surprise, the founder of the publishing company was removed from the position as their owner, Embracer Group, attempts to right its financially floundering mess. Jay Komas, the head of The Middle Earth Group which includes Dark Horse, will take over as interim CEO.

Dark Horse Comics was launched in 1986 by Richardson. He had previously opened a comic book store in 1980, Pegasus Books. The publisher became known for news making releases and boomed in the indie revolution of the 90s and published series such as Concrete, Hellboy, Sin City, The Goon, Umbrella Academy, Aliens, Predator, and so much more. They held the Star Wars license before Marvel took it back after it being purchased by Disney.

Dark Horse embraced Hollywood under Richardson with hits and misses including Timecop, Barb Wire, The Mask, Hellboy, Sin City, 300, and most recently The Umbrella Academy.

Embracer Group purchased Dark Horse in 2022. The company was primarily known for video and tabletop games having purchased numerous studios. Then, in 2023 the company revealed that a partnership worth $2 billion fell through. Then, in 2024 Embracer Group announced it was going to split into three entities, each being a separate, publicly listed company.

Dark Horse fell under Middle-earth Enterprises & Friends which was focused on video games as well as the steward of The Lord of the Rings and Tomb Raider intellectual properties, among many others.

It’s unknown what Embracer’s vision for the comic publisher is. It has been publishing comics based on Embracer video game properties like Tomb Raider but it’s pipeline of comic properties to video games, tabletop games, and movies and television has been sparse. It recently cut a deal to distribute comics from Abstract Studios.

A statement has been released by Dark Horse:

As part of our long-term vision to better align Dark Horse within a more connected and forward-looking group structure, we are implementing changes to modernize the business and strengthen collaboration across publishing, games, film, merchandise, and other key areas. Our goal is simple: to ensure Dark Horse is positioned for sustained success while continuing to serve creators, partners, and fans at the highest level.

With this in mind, Jay Komas has stepped into the role of Interim CEO at Dark Horse. Jay brings extensive experience with global intellectual properties across games, film, and consumer products. Over the course of his career, he has held senior leadership roles at Electronic Arts, Activision Blizzard, and LucasArts, where he worked with some of the most recognized entertainment brands in the world. His background in managing and expanding IP across multiple categories will be instrumental as we build on Dark Horse’s legacy and strengthen its position in an increasingly connected entertainment landscape.

Please be assured that Dark Horse remains fully committed to working closely with you and to creating the very best products and experiences for fans worldwide. Our partnerships are central to everything we do, and this transition is designed to enhance collaboration, unlock new opportunities, and support long- term growth together.

In closing, it is important to recognize Mike Richardson’s extraordinary contribution to Dark Horse and the broader comics and entertainment industry. Without his dedication, vision and creative leadership, Dark Horse would not be the company it is today. His impact on creators, stories and fans over the decades has been profound, and we are deeply grateful for the foundation he built.

We look forward to continuing our work together and to sharing more about our plans in the coming months.

Discovery Hashed Out in Court Cases Between Diamond and some Publishers

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Diamond Comic Distributors

One of the major outstanding issues with Diamond‘s bankruptcy is the status of consignment inventory. Diamond currently has stock that was provided to it by publishers on a consignment basis. That stock is currently physically held by Sparkle Pop which purchased some of Diamond’s assets, including taking over the warehouse where these are stored, though they don’t have a right to sell it (which they did and there was drama around that). Earlier today, we reported that a group of publishers filed a motion to dismiss their cases and thus take control of their goods. But, there’s still a few more publishers that are outstanding and since that motion hasn’t been decided, things are still in motion.

Today, a report was filed concerning the cases of Goodman Games, BOOM! Entertainment, Fantagraphics, and Avatar Press, laying out the plans for “discovery.”

The various parties and Diamond met on February 26 and March 3-4 to attempt to find a resolution, the nature of the claims and defenses, to arrange disclosures, and propose a discovery plan.

Discovery is a process where documents are handed over to the lawyers for them to go through. This could be contracts, emails, text messages, and more and is a gathering of evidence to be used during the trial. It can be a costly process and involve millions of documents that need to be sorted through. With that, rules and dates are laid out for the case concerning the discover process including on the production protocol.

There are key dates now as per the initial agreement.

(a) Discovery Requests. The Parties shall serve all initial document requests, interrogatories, and requests for admissions on or before May 11, 2026.
(b) Agree on ESI Search Terms. The Parties will make reasonable efforts to agree on ESI Search Terms on or before May 25, 2026.
(c) Substantial Document Production Completion Date. The Parties expect to have document production substantially completed by July 6, 2026.
(d) Fact Discovery Cut Off. The Parties have agreed that, except for Rule 26(a)(1) disclosures, all fact discovery in this case shall be initiated so that it will be completed on or before August 31, 2026. The Parties have agreed that they may take fact depositions at any time prior to the expiration of the fact discovery deadline.
(e) Privilege Logs. Privilege logs shall be produced in accordance with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure so as to be completed within five (5) business days of the related document production. Privileged communications occurring after April 29, 2025, need not be included on a privilege log.
(f) Expert Initial Disclosures. The identify of expert witness and subject matter of expected testimony, per Rule 26(a)(2)(A) and 26(a)(2)(C)(i), shall be disclosed on September 8, 2026. Any rebuttal experts, and subject matter of expected testimony, shall be disclosed on September 18, 2026.
(g) Expert Reports and Expert Discovery Cut Off. Expert reports and all other information required by Rule 26(a)(2)(B), along with any documents or information considered by the expert, shall be exchanged on October 8, 2026. Rebuttal expert reports and all other information required by Rule 26(a)(2)(B), along with any documents or information considered by the expert, shall be exchanged on October 29, 2026. All expert discovery shall be completed by November 20, 2026.

With that final date, that would mean the earliest a trial would happen would be late November but with Thanksgiving, early December is more likely and this agreement estimates it’d last 3 to 4 days.

Narco #1 is a hell of an opener that delivers shocking horror

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Narco #1

Marcus Wesphal has a rare form of narcolepsy— when he gets excited, he passes out. He’s adapted: homebound life, a harmless infatuation with the girl next door. But when he witnesses her murder and collapses, he becomes suspect #1. Now, he must leave his apartment to pursue a killer. Narco #1 is a great debut that sets up its premise well and delivers some classic horror vibes.

Written by Doug Wagner, Narco #1 is a fantastic start to the series that really keeps things focused. The issue introduces us to Marcus and through various moments, we learn when his heartbeat increases due to stress/excitement, he passes out. Wagner doesn’t tell us this and instead chooses to show us putting Marcus into situations where it happens or he’s trying to manage it.

But Wagner also gives us a character to like with Marcus. He has friends he regularly hangs out with and is rather shy. He’s relatable, an everyman, who is just trying to manage his life… and figure out how to ask his crush out. That’s the build up to the issue which ends with a blood splattering shock that is expected due to the premise of the comic but delivered with a surprise still.

Part of the enjoyment of the comic is due to the art of Daniel Hillyard. The style has a grounded feel about it making Marcus come off as a schlub and a bit weak in a way. This isn’t some super person who will run after some villain but instead he’s clearly borderline wimp. The color by Dave Sewart and lettering by Ed Dukeshire helps round out the look of the comic that’s in Hillyard’s distinct style but also visually is interesting in what it focuses on. Marcus running, the count of his monitor, the way the passing out is depicted, it creates an intriguing look. Then there’s the end which is presented in a fantastic way that ups the shocks and puts the comic squarely in the horror space.

Narco #1 is a fantastic debut that’s an interesting concept and done so in a way that’s just really well done. The characters are easy to connect with and even when you know the concept, it still delivers a punch at the end. It’s a great start that has us excited to see what’s next.

Story: Doug Wagner Art: Daniel Hillyard
Color: Dave Stewart Letterer: Ed Dukeshire
Story: 9.0 Art: 9.0 Overall: 9.0 Recommendation: Buy

Image Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: Kindle

DC K.O. #5 wraps up the event with a battle across history

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DC K.O. #5

In the melee that started with dozens of heroes and villains vying for their chance to win the ultimate power in the universe, now only one remains! But to truly be crowned the King Omega, you must battle more than the obstacles in your path…you must battle yourself. It’s the finale to end all finales as the one true champion is crowned, the fate of all that lives hangs in the balance, and a shocking decision will bring the DC Universe to the next level. We would type more, but honestly, anything else is a spoiler—so suit up, get ready, and leap into the final round! DC K.O. #5 wraps up the event with an interesting concept but overall a hollow finale.

The King Omega has been crowned and they must battle Darkseid for the fate of all of reality, past, present, and future. DC K.O. #5 is the culmination of months of stories heading up by Scott Snyder and Joshua Williamson and an event that at times has been fun but overall, a bit of a headscratcher. This issue is a prime example of that. It opens with the King Omega crowned. We’re not spoiling who but when we left everyone in DC K.O. #4 that had happened and we flashed to another time to see the corruption of Booster Gold. DC K.O. #5 dives into the next round as the King Omega must face a giant Darkseid who has gone all kaiju. From there, it’s a battle through time as the champion and Darkseid punch it out for the fate of everything.

Visually, the comic is great with some very memorable moments of two combatants slugging it out literally through time. But, the comic leaves things a bit unsettled as a lot is unanswered as to the how and impact of it all and teases of yet another “Crisis” event to come. That’s the headscratcher, DC K.O. #5 doesn’t feel so much of a finale as just a resting point until the next major “Crisis” event. It’s a chapter in a very connected storyline. But, this teased storyline feels like something we’ve seen before with DC’s Metal concept and the Dark Multiverse. We get far more than just that with hints at “Next Level,” the launch of new series and characters getting the spotlight, plus storylines and possible other series yet to be announced.

The art is pretty solid. Javi Fernández, Xermánico, and Wes Craig handle different points of the story creating visuals that feel epic. Two combatants literally battling through time feels massive in the scope of it all though the fighting lacks a bit of a punch as far as the damage Darkseid does with his barrage. The trio are joined by Alejandro Sánchez on color and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou for lettering and together the comic looks good.

DC K.O. #5 goes for big swings and ideas as two titans battle. It doesn’t really hit at an emotional level when it should. It’s surface level entertainment missing a depth to really connect readers. It also reads as incomplete with a “to be continued” type ending as opposed leading to a new beginning and fresh start. Like recent DC events, DC K.O. comes off as one for the diehard fans invested in the meta story and who get excited when they see “Crisis” dropped on the comic page.

Story: Scott Snyder, Joshua Williamson Art: Javi Fernández, Xermánico, Wes Craig
Color: Alejandro Sánchez Letterer: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
Story: 7.5 Art: 8.25 Overall: 7.5 Recommendation: Read

DC Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: Zeus Comics – Kindle

Publishers Motion to Dismiss Diamond’s Adversary Complaints

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Diamond Comic Distributors

One of the major outstanding issues with Diamond‘s bankruptcy is the status of consignment inventory. Diamond currently has stock that was provided to it by publishers on a consignment basis. That stock is currently physically held by Sparkle Pop which purchased some of Diamond’s assets, including taking over the warehouse where these are stored, though they don’t have a right to sell it (which they did and there was drama around that).

Diamond wants to sell the consigned goods to help pay back its creditors. Publishers obviously want their stock back. A judge put a stay on the decision which has been playing out for months. Diamond then went a submitted adversary proceedings against publishers, over 30 of them. In short, instead of this decision being handled at a macro level, the judge said Diamond could sue each publisher individually to figure out the product status.

Now, Diamond is in chapter 7 and due to key dates having passed, the Consignment Group, which is made up of multiple publishers, has submitted motions in each of those adversary proceedings to dismiss the complaints. Oddly a filing had the Trustee of the chapter 7 process selling the consigned goods to Sparkle Pop so it’s unclear how this motion and that clashes.

Filings by Massive Publishing, Oni Press, Panini, Alien Books, Titan Comics, Vault Storyworks, Dynamic Forces, Aspen, Black Mask Studio, Dark Horse, DSTLRY, Heavy Metal, and Magnetic Press were all revealed today were submitted to the court to “Dismiss Adversary Proceeding Complaint(s).”

The motion goes right into it stating that Diamond has not submitted facts to back up their complaint and discovery has not revealed evidence, and that the court can dismiss it over this.

The Complaint(s) in this case is devoid of any meritorious allegations that might possibly support Plaintiff’s claims; thus, this Complaint must be dismissed.

The filing then goes on about the agreement between Diamond and the publishers saying it’s “executory in nature” and Diamond’s obligations were to ship goods, properly store the goods, and pay the publishers when the goods ae sold.

On December 19, 2025, Diamond’s Chapter 11 was switched to Chapter 7 and with that, they had until February 17, 2026 to assume or reject an executory contract. The deadline to assume or reject their contracts has been an issue throughout the Chapter 11/Chapter 7 case with the deadline to do so pushed out over and over. The latest request to extend the deadline was denied in early February.

February 17 has come and gone and since the deadline wasn’t extended again and the agreements weren’t assumed, then they can be deemed rejected.

Because the agreement has been rejected, they are now terminated the Consignment Group argues and the agreement is now in breach and the next steps due to that breach need to be determined.

The Consignment Group feels the agreement has answers to that and as per a Supreme Court case, the publishers would then retain the rights it has received under the agreement. The motion lists out the various ways the agreement can be terminated (something we have mentioned before) and then goes on to state since the Consignors are owed money still and no proof of claim has been filed, the agreement has been terminated by its own terms.

The agreement lays out what happens next:

  1. Effect of Termination
    d. Except as provided herein, the termination of this Agreement shall not relieve or release any party from any of its obligations existing prior to such termination. Upon termination of this Agreement, title to all material containing the
    Trademarks, or Seller’s copyrights, service marks, or similar rights shall be deemed to have automatically vested in Seller. Unless otherwise agreed to by Seller, Buyer shall immediately deliver such material to Seller, at Seller’s cost. Buyer, at Seller’s option, may destroy such material at Seller’s cost, and upon such destruction furnish Seller a certificate of destruction satisfactory to Seller and signed by an officer of Buyer.

In short, the Buyer (aka Diamond) needs to return the goods to the Seller (aka publishers) with the Sellers paying for shipping. The Buyer can also destroy the material if the Seller wants, with the Seller paying for that.

The Consignment Group’s motion then concludes that due to all of that, the consigned goods are now clearly owned by the publishers and the Adversary Complaints should be dismissed.

This is a pretty big motion that might be the first real step to settle the outstanding question as to who owns the consigned goods. With the lapse of the date concerning the acceptance or rejection of existing agreements, the publisher’s case gets stronger.

We’ll be watching this closely and report when the court makes a decision regarding this key issue.

We open a pack of Kayou’s tokidoki Wonder Voyage Collectible Cards – Roaming Edition!

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Kayou, China’s No.1 collectibles company and top trading card brand, is bringing their cards to the US and we get a look at a pack of tokidoki cards.

Kayou’s tokidoki Wonder Voyage Collectible Cards – Roaming Edition takes fans on an “Adventure Journey” through tokidoki’s imaginative world. The rarest Four Seasons Parade Train – Brush Rare (BP) cards depict beloved characters across spring, summer, autumn, and winter, connecting to form a colorful panorama. The seasonal theme extends to retail, where fans can choose from four booster pack designs–one for each season. At the top of the chase, Romantic Adventure – Extreme Rare (XR) cards feature theatrical duos, while Peking Opera Adventure – Cute Rare (QR) cards reimagine tokidoki characters as Chinese opera icons. Fan-favorite characters like Donutella, Stellina, and SANDy appear in vibrant designs enhanced with foil, gold stamping, holographic elements, and anti-counterfeit finishes. Fans can collect 157 cards across 12 rarity levels, including a U.S. exclusive Yuma card.

You can get yours:
Gamestop

Kayou provided Graphic Policy with FREE product for review
This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links and make a purchase, we’ll receive a percentage of the sale. Graphic Policy does purchase items from this site. Making purchases through these links helps support the site

Blokees Build: DC Comics Batman Defender Version 01 – The Tumbler Batmobile

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Defend the city of Gotham from all sorts of supervillains with the Batman Defender Wave 01 model kits! Featuring the legendary Dark Knight as seen in iconic moments from across 85 years of the Caped Crusader’s escapades, these model kits are the perfect way to grow your DC Comics collection in style!

We open up our fifth box and it’s the Tumbler Batmobile!

Get yours!

BigBadToyStore

This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links and make a purchase, we’ll receive a percentage of the sale. Graphic Policy does purchase items from this site. Making purchases through these links helps support the site

Tripping Over You Vol. 2 is a fantastic second volume that’s grounded and relatable

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Now that they’ve graduated high school, our secret lovebirds face a whole new set of challenges as their career prospects begin to pull them in different directions. Milo rents a tiny studio near his new university, and throws himself into his goal of becoming an actor. He takes several jobs with the hope of climbing in the industry, and packs his work-study schedule full to bursting.

Liam moves back into his childhood home, begrudgingly following the trajectory his father had long steered him toward: law school, then working for his father’s law firm. As the sneaking around, stress from not having enough time to spend with each other, and hurt feelings snowball, the two decide it is finally time to come clean to their families about their relationship and desires for the future.

by Suzana Harcum and Owena White

Get your copy in comic shops! To find a comic shop near you, visit http://www.comicshoplocator.com or call 1-888-comicbook or digitally and online with the links below.

Bookshop
Amazon

First Second provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links and make a purchase, we’ll receive a percentage of the sale. Graphic Policy does purchase items from this site. Making purchases through these links helps support the site

Hasbro is Suing the Government Over the IEEPA Tariffs

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Hasbro

Hasbro has joined hundreds of companies suing the Federal Government to get refunds for the tariffs paid due to President Trump’s “emergency trade measures.” Those tariffs were deemed illegal by the U.S. Supreme Court towards the end of February.

Hasbro did not disclose how much it has paid in IEEPA tariffs but it is requesting refunds along with interest. There’s more than 2,000 similar cases filed in the U.S. Court of International Trade since April.

In July 2025, Hasbro’s CEO warned that prices could rise due to the tariffs. Then did so in the second half of the year though it didn’t dent sales. Revenue for the company jumped 31% to $1.45 billion beating expectations. Its profit was $201.6 million for the last three months of 2025. The increase in retail prices varied resulting in an additional 10% to 20% to the cost of items.

At the end of February, the Supreme Court struck down the tariffs in a 6-3 vote. An estimated $200 billion has been paid due to them. Tariffs are a tax that is put on goods imported into the country. It could be raw materials or finished products.

In a report it was estimated that 90% or more of the tariff’s cost was paid by US firms and consumers with the average tariff in 2025 going from 2.6% to 13%. Corporations are unlikely to eat all of that cost, so it is then passed along to consumers in the form of paying for the tariffs directly or by increased prices.

In a recent order, it was increased by a little over $5 for me, about 10% of the pre-tax price of the item which was a toy. Retailers have had to raise their prices to consumers with many making statements they would be doing so.

There are numerous lawsuits against the government and Trump administration by corporations to recoup the money paid for tariffs, it’s unknown how this Supreme Court decision will impact that.

It’s also unknown if consumers will see any relief in prices due to this decision. It’s not common for corporations to lower prices once they have been raised, so it’s possible the increase retail prices will remain, especially in a continuing uncertain economic outlook.

Media Do Acquires Seven Seas Entertainment

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Seven Seas Entertainment

Media Do has entered into an agreement with Seven Seas Entertainment to acquire the company.

Media Do is Japan’s largest eBook distribution company and owns Quality Solutions/Firebrand Technologies and NetGalley as well as Supadü which provides websites and e-commerce solutions for publishers.

Seven Seas was founded in 2004 and states it’s the “largest independently owned manga publisher in the English-language market.” The company focuses on bringing Japanese manga and light novels to English-language audiences as well as Chinese danmei, webtoons, and other works from around the globe. The company has licensed and published over 1,300 series and thousands of titles from Japan, China, South Korea, and beyond.

The collaboration allows Seven Seas to further strengthen its global distribution and provides Media Do a very larger catalogue of titles to distribute.

Seven Seas will continue to operate under its existing leadership team and editorial direction. There are no changes to distribution, publishing schedules, or core operations as a result of this transaction. All Seven Seas print imprints will continue to be distributed worldwide by Penguin Random House Publisher Services.

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