Karen Berger’s books are the reason I got into comics as an adult. I had been out of the ‘comics scene’ for two decades when I picked up Y: The Last Man on a whim. I was hooked and have been a Wednesday warrior for the last eight years since.
Her impact on comics has been substantial. Berger at Vertigo brought the likes of Grant Morrison, Neil Gaiman and Peter Milligan to American comics. Vertigo was a platform for many new young artists and writers to get their start. Sure, there were many hits, but the Vertigo she was responsible for ushered in new talent and gave them room to breathe, fail or succeed. G. Willow Wilson (Co-Creator of Ms. Marvel) got one of her first starts in comics at Vertigo.
When Karen Berger left DC/Vertigo in 2013, I was devastated. In the New York Times article that spotlighted her career thus far, she said, “she noted changes in DC’s priorities in recent years. “I’ve found that they’re really more focused on the company-owned characters,” she said. DC and its Disney-owned rival Marvel, “are superhero companies owned by movie studios.” I took this to mean that the types of books she wanted to make were no longer wanted at DC.
Since 2013 she has recently come back to comics with Image’s Surgeon X.
Now she is getting her own line from Dark Horse: Berger Books. To say that I am ecstatic about this announcement is an understatement. I cannot wait for her first book from this imprint. She has a unique perspective that she provides to all the books she edits and comics have been poorer for her absence.
Official Dark Horse Statement:
“Karen is someone I’ve always respected and admired. She’s a visionary thinker and one of the most highly regarded individuals in the comic book industry,” said Dark Horse President and Publisher Mike Richardson. “Her fiercely independent streak and forward-looking storytelling instincts are a perfect match for Dark Horse Comics. We’ll have more news in the near future, but today we’re thrilled to announce that Karen Berger and Berger Books have found the perfect home at Dark Horse Comics.”
“Dark Horse has been at the frontline of independent, creator-owned comics for decades,” said Berger. “It’s great to be working with a company that has such a rich history of publishing scores of many incredible books by some of the best writers and artists in comics. I’m very fired up about being back in the game in a big way, and to be producing this new line with top, diverse creative talent and exciting, original new voices.”
Berger founded Vertigo in 1993 and led the line for twenty years, during which time she oversaw over three hundred properties, including Sandman, V for Vendetta, Preacher, Swamp Thing, Fables, Hellblazer, Y: The Last Man, and 100 Bullets.
“Karen was instrumental in launching the careers of many comic book writers and artists who have gone on to become some of the industry’s biggest stars,” said Richardson. “Karen has a keen ability to nurture creative voices and I’m personally excited to see the names of new talent alongside the names of the best-selling creators who will launch Berger Books.”
As the editor of Berger Books, Berger will continue to work from her home on the East Coast. Berger Books will be branded with both the Berger Books and the Dark Horse Comics logos. Like all Dark Horse books, Berger Books will be distributed by Penguin Random House.
