Dark Horse Comics announced to The Hollywood Reporter that it has struck a deal with superstar writer, J. Michael Straczynski, creator of the acclaimed TV series, Babylon 5 and Sense8, and longtime comic book writer (perhaps best known for his best-selling run on Amazing Spider-Man), to do new creator-owned comic book series for the award-winning comic book company best known for publishing the creator-owned work of superstar comic book creators like Frank Miller and Mike Mignola (plus current stars like Brian Michael Bendis, Scott Snyder and James Tynion IV).
Most recently, Straczynski had been doing creator-owned works for Artists, Writers and Artisans. It is unclear if he will continue his AWA work on top of his Dark Horse comic work, just yet.
What kind of comics will Straczynski be doing at Dark Horse?
Straczynski explained that the first project he will be doing for Dark Horse was, “an international, geopolitical thriller that blends science fiction with the superhero genre in a way we really haven’t seen before. It’s going to be a huge story with massive global and personal stake. This will be balanced by individual character stories designed to challenge the tropes of the superhero genre, building on what I did with books like Supreme Power, Midnight Nation and Rising Stars and taking it to the next level.”
Straczynski noted that Dark Horse has basically given him carte blanche on writing whatever he wants. He added that he will be working in different genres, “There will be titles in the modern dark fantasy and historical fantasy genres, along the lines of Neil Gaiman’s Chivalry, also from Dark Horse. Stories about strong characters that are challenging and fun, not nihilistic or too terribly dark. To that end, I’m proud to be part of the Dark Horse family of writers, artists, and other ne’er-do-wells.”
What did Dark Horse head, Mike Richardson, say about the deal?
Mike Richardson, one of the longest tenured comic book executives in the entire industry, spoke about the deal, “I’ve known Joe and have been a fan of his work for years. He’s had great success as a writer in both comics and television, and I’m very excited that he’s decided to bring his latest creator-owned projects to Dark Horse. We’re all looking forward to seeing what he’s got up his sleeve–we know it’s going to be something special.”
Straczynski’s work for Dark Horse will come in a variety of formats, from graphic novels to miniseries to ongoing series.
Source: Hollywood Reporter