Posted in: Comics, Dark Horse Comics | Tagged: Dark Horse Workers United, jay komas, union

Staff Of Dark Horse Comics Form A Union After Changes At The Publisher

The staff of Dark Horse Comics form a union, Dark Horse Workers United, after recent changes at the publisher

Dark Horse Comics employees have formed a workers' union, Dark Horse Workers United, and have sent a letter to CEO Jay Komas asking him and Dark Horse to voluntarily recognise the union by the 3rd of June. This came after today, a supermajority of staff at Dark Horse Media, including associated comics retailer Things From Another World, announced their intent to unionise with the Communications Workers of America. Without voluntary recognition, Dark Horse Workers United will petition the National Labor Relations Board for an election. Fifty-nine eligible employees signed onto the letter, which explained the staff's motivations for forming the union,including a desire for equitable pay, workplace democracy, and a continued commitment to creator-owned comics.

"We, the workers of Dark Horse Media, have come together to form one union, Dark Horse Workers United (DHWU), with our parent union, the Communications Workers of America (CWA). In solidarity we stand together to contend for our rights as workers, vote as a democratic body, and improve our material conditions… The looming uncertainty from recent layoffs, wage/hiring freeze, change in leadership power, emergence of artificial intelligence, and return-to-office policies (despite their economic impact on employees) have fueled us to organize and collectively address our concerns. These are just a few examples of why we are seeking a democratic workplace."

Dark Horse Comics was founded by Mike Richardson in 1986, spinning out of his comic book stores, such as Things From Another World. They are best known for publishing the likes of Hellboy, Umbrella Academy, Sin City, Concrete, and the creator-owned libraries of the likes of Brian Bendis and Mark Millar. They have also published licensed titles such as Stranger Things, Aliens, Buffy, and Star Wars, which positioned them against Marvel and DC in the comic book marketplace, as well as an early move into manga, which continues today with the likes of Berserk and Trigun. Dark Horse was purchased by Vanguard Visionary Group in 2018, and then by Embracer Group in 2022. Many layoffs were made at the beginning of 2025, Mike Richardson was pushed out in March, and just last week, Dark Horse announced the closure of the Things From Another World comic store chain, at a time when comic book sales are on the increase. In their letter to interim CEO Jay Komas, Dark Horse staff expressed their desire to improve conditions for workers and maintain Richardson's legacy of publishing creator-owned comics.

Meg Ward, President of CWA Local 7901, said they are "proud to support the staff behind the beloved comic book publisher, Dark Horse. Dark Horse Workers United was formed because of the love Dark Horse employees have for their work, their colleagues, and the comic book industry. DHWU wants to see the company be a leader well into the future. We look forward to working collaboratively with Dark Horse leadership." Dark Horse Workers United states that they look forward to joining their fellow unionised workers at Image Comics and Seven Seas Publishing in "bringing the labor movement to the comics industry, ensuring that comics publishers continue to thrive." Of course, just as with those mentioned companies, things don't always run smoothly…

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