Tag Archives: mike richardson

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.

Things From Another World webstore announces its closure

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Things From Another World

In a sort of surprise, retail store Things From Another World has announced its closure of its webstore. The online shop will shutdown as of April 30, 22025. The physical stores in Milwaukie, OR, Beaverton, OR, and Universal CityWalk, CA will remain open.

The announcement isn’t a total surprise as product availability has been spotty at best for quite some time and the site announced it was shutting down its affiliate program with no replacement, usually a sign of issues behind the scenes.

Things From Another World was opened in 1979 as a physical store by Mike Richardson who also launched Dark Horse Comics.

In 2021, Embracer Group purchased Dark Horse which included Dark Horse Comics, Dark Horse Entertainment, and Things From Another World. Embracer has been having issues of its own after an aggression expansion and splitting into three standalone entities. Embracer also owned the tabletop game retailer Miniature Market which it sold in 2024.

The last day for in-stock orders from the Things From Another World webstore is April 21 and it will officially go offline on April 30.

Below is the full email announcement:

Dear Valued Customers,

We regret to inform you that as of April 30, 2025, TFAW.com will be shutting down. The TFAW.com Team would like to sincerely thank you for your continued support, and for making us your comic shop. It’s been a pleasure serving the comic community for over 25 years. Please note: our physical stores located in Milwaukie, OR, Beaverton, OR, and Universal CityWalk, CA will remain open, and we hope to continue serving you in person.

Below are the relevant dates and how they will impact you.

  • As of the announcement, we will start to remove future preorders that will be impacted by this site closure.  
  • April 9, 2025, will be the last subscription and preorder processing day. Any pending preorders received will be processed this day, regardless of your shipping frequency. We will allow you to remove any preorders from your account regardless of the date they were added if you do not want this last shipment. 
  • April 21, 2025, will be the last day for In-Stock orders on the site so we can ensure all items will be shipped by April 30, 2025. You will be able to access your account up until that date. 
  • On April 30, 2025, the site will go offline.

Revenge stalks a young girl in Gunslingers

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Dark Horse Comics presents a new and gritty Western tale about revenge, family, and surviving the ruthless West in the original graphic novel, Gunslingers. Written by Dark Horse Comics Founder Mike Richardson with art by creative partner Jordi Armengol and lettering by Jim Campbell, readers should be prepared for gunfights and powerful action when this posse arrives in March 2025.

Josephine’s 12th birthday turns to tragedy when, on a trip with her family into town for a special treat, her parents are shot and killed by a group of drunken cowboys. That group just happens to include Andrew McGeary, the son of an influential rancher celebrating his upcoming wedding. The following day, things go from bad to worse when, while at the sheriff’s office, Andrew shifts the blame onto Josephine’s parents. Enraged by the lie, and traumatized by the sight of her parents’ murder, Josephine unthinkingly grabs the sheriff’s gun and shoots Andrew dead. As a result, Andrew’s father wants Josephine tried and hanged for her crime. She is unexpectedly freed from custody by the outlaw grandfather she never met. Ethan Foster, a gunfighter long thought dead, comes out of hiding to save the only remaining member of his family. He and the girl face the relentless pursuit of the McGearys’ hired gunmen in order for him to accomplish the one last thing that might atone for his past.

Don’t miss your shot to secure Gunslingers, set to hit bookstores on March 18, 2025, and comic shops on March 19, 2025. This 128-page paperback (6.625 x 10.1875″) book is now available for pre-order for $19.99 from TFAW, Amazon, Barnes and Noble or your local bookstore, or visit Comic Shop Locator for more details and stores near you.

Gunslingers

Charlie Day is set to star in Kill Me for XYZ Films and Dark Horse

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Dark Horse Comics logo

Writer, director, actor Charlie Day has been set to star in the dark comedy Kill Me, directed and written by Peter Warren. The film is produced by XYZ Films, Mike Richardson and Keith Goldberg for Dark Horse Entertainment, Charlie Day and Peter Warren, and is executive produced by Paul Schwake and Kasey Adler for Dark Horse. The film is financed by XYZ Films, who will also be handling worldwide sales.

In the film Jimmy (Charlie Day) wakes up in a bathtub after having tried to kill himself. Or, at least, that’s what it looks like to his friends and family. Jimmy is pretty sure he didn’t do it…Maybe. Together with Margot, the 911 operator who took his call, Jimmy sets out on a mission to solve a vitally important whodunit: did someone try to kill him, or are they chasing the specter of depression? Kill Me is described as “a gripping, hilarious, and deeply moving murder mystery.”

The film will begin shooting next spring.

Bang! with Idris Elba and Mind MGMT get adaptations as Dark Horse and Netflix extend their partnership

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Netflix and Dark Horse Entertainment have extended their first look deal. Under this multi-year deal, Dark Horse will continue to give Netflix a first look at its IP for both film and TV. 

Netflix and Dark Horse recently collaborated on the third season of The Umbrella Academy, which in its first four weeks reached the Netflix Global Top 10 in TV in 91 countries with 283.55M hours viewed (as of July 17, 2022) 

New projects in active development under the Dark Horse Entertainment banner include:

  • Bang! starring Idris Elba and directed by David Leitch 
    • Based on the comic series by Matt Kindt and Wilfredo Torres, the feature film adaptation of this stylish spy thriller will be written by Kindt and Zak Olkewicz
    • Producers: Mike Richardson and Keith Goldberg for Dark Horse, David Leitch and Kelly McCormick for 87 North, and Idris Elba
    • When a terrorist cult sets out to start the apocalypse with a series of novels meant to brainwash their readers, the world’s most celebrated spy is sent to track down and kill the author responsible.
  • Mind MGMT with Curtis Gwinn set to Executive Produce this series adaptation of the comic book series by Matt Kindt
    • A young woman stumbles onto the top-secret Mind Management program. Her ensuing journey involves weaponized psychics, hypnotic advertising, talking dolphins, and seemingly immortal pursuers, as she attempts to find the man who was MIND MGMT’s greatest success – and its most devastating failure. But in a world where people can rewrite reality itself, can she trust anything she sees?
    • Executive Producers: Curtis Gwinn, and Mike Richardson and Keith Goldberg for Dark Horse
  • Next up for Dark Horse is the 8 episode series Grendel, based on the classic comic by Matt Wagner. Andrew Dabb created the series, which is in post-production.

Previous Dark Horse Entertainment releases include the Netflix film Polar, starring Mads Mikkelsen, the Netflix animated series Samurai Rabbit: The Usagi Chronicles, returning later this year with Season 2, and the animated film Chickenhare and the Hamster of Darkness, which recently spent four weeks on the Netflix TV (English) Top 10. 

Dark Horse Entertainment

Embracer Buys Dark Horse After Mega Deal to Buy Asmodee

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Dark Horse Comics

Embracer Group is on a buying spree to end the year. Just lack week, the video game behemoth announced the intended acquisition of Asmodee, the board game publisher, for €2.75 billion (about $3.1 billion in US dollars). Now, the conglomerate is purchasing Dark Horse Media, making it the tenth operative group of the Embracer group. Dark Horse founder and CEO Mike Richardson will continue to lead the company with existing management.

According to the announcement, Dark Horse “owns or controls” more than 300 intellectual properties. It strengthens Embracer Group’s content development in comic publishing and film and tv production. Asmodee in the recent year has expanded its non-game publishing (books, art books) and also recently announced moves to bring its properties to film and television.

In the acquisition, Embracer Group gains Dark Horse Comics, Dark Horse Entertainment (film and television), and Things from Another World (retail with three locations and e-commerce). In the Asmodee acquisition, it was revealed that Asmodee owned two stores including the popular Miniature Market which it bought in 2021. The purchase of Asmodee and Dark Horse quickly expands Embracer’s retail operations with both physical and e-commerce options as well as its reach into television and film. The firm is clearly looking at how to expand its existing properties beyond their initial silos of release.

In the announcement, Embracer specifically mentioned the “untapped potential in creating games based on Dark Horse IP”. Embracer Group is the parent company of 86 video game development studios representing over 250 IPs in over 40 countries. Studios include THQ Nordic, Gearbox Entertainment, and others with properties such as Saints Row, Dead Island, Darksiders, Timesplitters, World War Z, and Borderlands.

Darksiders and Dead Island have seen comics based on them released by Dark Horse while Borderlands has had comic tie-ins published by IDW Publishing.

Between these two purchases, Embracer quickly becomes an IP powerhouse with the abilitiy to release concepts across video games, tabletop games, comics, movies, and television.

The amount of the purchase has not been revealed “due to commercial reasons” but Embracer will purchase 80 percent of the shares of Dark Horse from a seller based in Hong Kong and the remaining 20 percent of the shares from CEO Mike Richardson and COO Neil Hankerson. The transaction is expected to be completed in early 2022.

Review: Cloaked #1

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Cloaked #1

Out of nowhere a vigilante appeared to strike fear into criminals. A mix between Batman and the Punisher, the “hero” took on crime in a “major American metropolis” and then disappeared. Twenty-five years later one of the richest people in the world has hired a former police officer, now detective, to try to figure out who the mystery hero really was. Cloaked #1 is an interesting start to the series that sets up an intriguing mystery that mixes noir/detective style with spandex.

Written by Mike Richarson, Cloaked #1 feels a bit like a throwback to 1990s Dark Horse when series like Hellboy and X were just starting out. There’s a “get back to the roots” aspect about it that’s intriguing in its execution and look. The concept of the series is pretty simple, unmask a hero who disappeared but the comic takes that and mixes it with a look and style that’s much more like the recent renaissance of detective comics that have launched in the past decade.

Roger “Jake” Stevens is the detective at the center of the story and his character is rooted in the genre, strereotypes, and clichés. He’s a former police officer. He’s slightly crooked and doesn’t follow rules. He grew up a troubled youth. Then there’s the relationship issues including an affair. It’s almost like check list for the genre was used when creating the character. It’s not a bad thing and in some ways makes getting into the series a bit easier. It’s familiar and allows the reader to just sit back and enjoy the concept without having to really focus too much on the character specifics. We generally know who Jake is since we’ve seen this character so many times in the past.

Part of the throwback charm to Cloaked #1 is the art by Jordi Armengol. Joined by Nate Piekos on lettering, the comic looks like it would have fit right in with the Dark Horse Legend imprint. It also has a certain look to it that has it have a vibe similar to the modern detective comics that have been made popular by Ed Brubaker, Sean Phillips, and others. Interestingly, I think the art actually stands out most in the action scenes featuring the former superhero and has me wanting to see a series of that character with Armengol on art. There’s some issues, a sidekick’s forehead looks a little weird and out of proportion, but overall, there’s a solid match of the art to the style of story.

Cloaked #1 is a debut with a lot of potential. The comic ends in an interesting place and it’s easy to make some guesses as to where it will go from here. Hopefully, the series delivers more than my current suspicions but its mix of spandex and detective stories is an interesting one that creates a read that’s just slightly different than what else is on the shelf.

Story: Mike Richardson Art: Jordi Armengol
Color: Jordi Armengol Lettering: Nate Piekos
Story: 8.0 Art: 8.4 Overall: 8.0 Recommendation: Buy

Dark Horse provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: comiXology – Kindle

The Icon Shines a Bright Light into the Dark Corners of Truth, Justice, and the American Way

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From writer and Dark Horse founder Mike Richardson, alongside artist Jordi Armengol, comes the cataclysmic crime miniseries, The Icon.

Twenty-five years ago, a genuine masked hero came out of nowhere to declare war on crime. All of America celebrated the exploits of the black-clad vigilante as he took down one lawbreaker after another, until suddenly he vanished. But when down-on-his-luck investigator Jake Stevens is hired to find the long-missing dark avenger, his inquiries threaten to expose the myth behind the mask. In gritty realistic detail, The Icon shines a bright light into the dark corners of truth, justice, and the American Way.

The Icon #1 (of four) arrives in comic shops December 15.

Lady Killer is Coming to the Screen Adapted by Diablo Cody and Starring Blake Lively

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Academy Award Winner Diablo Cody will adapt the screenplay for a film based on the Dark Horse Comic Lady Killer. Lady Killer was written by Joëlle Jones and Jamie S. Rich and illustrated by Jones. Blake Lively will star in the film from Netflix.

Lady Killer takes place in the 1950s focusing on Josie Schuller, the perfect housewife. Josie also secretly works as a hired killer for the mafia who finds out about her double life and decides to have her killed.

The comic series debuted in 2015 running for two volumes, each five issues, and wrapping up in 2016.

Mike Richardson and Keith Goldberg of Dark Horse Entertainment and Blake Lively and Kate Vorhoff for B for Effort will produce the film.

Purchase: comiXology: Lady Killer, Lady Killer 2 – Amazon: Lady Killer, Lady Killer 2 – Kindle: Lady Killer, Lady Killer 2

Lady Killer

Graphic Audio and Recorded Books Ink Book Deal with Dark Horse Comics

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Graphic Audio and Recorded Books have inked a content publishing deal with comic book publisher Dark Horse Comics. As part of the agreement, Graphic Audio will publish several proprietary graphic novels by Dark Horse, while Recorded Books will publish audiobooks for several Dark Horse prose novels to be named soon.

Here’s a taste of what’s to come!

      September 2021

  • The Mask: I Pledge Allegiance to the Mask by Christopher Cantwell and Patric Reynolds
  • X Volume 1: Big Bad by Duane Swierczynski and Eric Nguyen

     November 2021

  • Ghost: In the Smoke and Din by Kelly Sue DeConnick, Phil Noto, Jenny Frison, Alex Ross
  • Living with the Dead: A Zombie Bromance by Mike Richardson (Dark Horse Founder and CEO) and Ben Stenbeck

The titles will be available on Graphic Audio’s website store at www.graphicaudio.net and everywhere digital audiobooks are sold.

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