If you grew up as a fan of comics in the Portland area, chances are you grew up with Things From Another World, the local chain of small comic shops where your talented artist friend’s work always got displayed at the register, the dice selection was always impressive and the guys behind the counter always had time to chat about any nerdy topic under the sun. What you may not have realized about Things From Another World–formerly known as Pegasus Books–is that it was created in Bend, Ore., of all places, by PSU alum Mike Richardson, six years before he went on to start a scrappy little independent comics label he called Dark Horse.
Much more than a one-trick pony
If you grew up as a fan of comics in the Portland area, chances are you grew up with Things From Another World, the local chain of small comic shops where your talented artist friend’s work always got displayed at the register, the dice selection was always impressive and the guys behind the counter always had time to chat about any nerdy topic under the sun.
What you may not have realized about Things From Another World–formerly known as Pegasus Books–is that it was created in Bend, Ore., of all places, by PSU alum Mike Richardson, six years before he went on to start a scrappy little independent comics label he called Dark Horse.
Now, 28 years later, the Milwaukie, Ore.-based Dark Horse enjoys international acclaim and a place in the spotlight alongside Marvel and DC Comics.
However, amidst all the action figures, award-winning books and big-budget movie deals, Dark Horse’s top brass have not forgotten their roots.
Mike Richardson, founder and president of Dark Horse Comics, and Executive Vice President Neil Hankerson (also a PSU alum) are donating two copies of every Dark Horse comic ever made to PSU’s Branford P. Millar Library, including all foreign language editions, to create a working archive of Dark Horse’s entire collection.
“This archival program solidifies Dark Horse Comics’ legacy,” said Richardson in a press release issued by Portland State, “not only as a company dedicated to organic growth, but also as one of the world’s foremost comic book publishing companies.”
The archive is among the first of its kind in the nation, adding yet another bright star to PSU’s growing sphere of unique, frequently specialized programs. One copy of each work will be cataloged and placed in Special Collections–PSU’s veritable treasure trove of rare and unique books–and the other copy will be made available in the library for general student use.
The acquired copies will benefit not only local PSU students, but also researchers from colleges throughout the Northwest, through the Orbis Cascade Alliance program that links university libraries together. The comics will also be available to researchers internationally via the interlibrary loan service.
Head librarian Helen Spalding said the collection should prove useful for anyone studying a wide variety of topics beyond comics themselves, such as pop culture or gender studies.
The donation is on-going, meaning not only all of Dark Horse’s current comics, but all future works as well will make their way to the shelves of the Millar Library.
Having grown up among the back-drop of Things From Another World and Dark Horse titles, it seems only natural and fitting that the rest of my collegiate career be enhanced by an entire library of the comics giant’s oft-times groundbreaking works. Now if only the Millar library started carrying a game dice checkout system.
Dark Horse Collection Library CelebrationCome rejoice in comics for the people! Mike Richardson will be attending and giving a keynote speech on the history of comics.When: Tonight, 7 p.m.Where: SMSU BallroomFree
Dark Horse through the agesA few highlights from Dark Horse’s illustrious collection.
Sin CityFrank MillerBasin City, aka Sin City, is a tough town full of tough people. Criminals, crooked cops and ladies of the night rule the city’s streets and fill the comic’s pages with tales of murder, revenge, love and survival.Why you should read it: Comic noir at its finest, Sin City gives readers equally healthy doses of sexy, dark and brutal.
HellboyMike MignolaOne of Dark Horse’s most well-known titles, Hellboy chronicles the story of an orphaned demon summoned by Nazis, raised by the U.S. government, who grows up to become a paranormal investigator, often working with mortal law-enforcement agencies to bring down the bad guys. Why you should read it: Fans of sleuth stories and paranormal adventures alike should pick this series up, as well as those who are fans of “sheer awesome.”
Usagi YojimboStan SakaiSeventeenth century feudal Japan, plagued by civil war across the land sets the stage for Usagi Yojimbo, the saga of a wandering, masterless samurai who also happens to be an anthropomorphic rabbit. The series focuses often on historically accurate elements such as clothing, artwork and customs of the time, in addition to being completely badass. Why you should read it: If an engaging storyline, well-developed characters and beautiful art are not enough reasons to pick up an issue, just think of all the Japanese history you’ll pick up while leafing through it. Instant culture points!
ConcretePaul ChadwickFollowing the curious adventures of Ron Lithgow, a speechwriter to a U.S. senator who gets his brain-meats transplanted into a stone body made by aliens. After his escape from the alien lab, Ron is allowed to lead his own life posing as a cyborg developed by the government.Why you should read it: Far from your typical “average man gets crazy-awesome powers” comic, Concrete instead focuses on an everyday, slightly downtrodden man given a voice in the world and a chance to do good on a more grounded level. It is, according to Harlan Ellison, “…probably the best comic being published today by anyone, anywhere.”
Star Wars TalesVarious authorsTales is a series of stories set among various points in the Star Wars universe timeline. Twenty-five issues of Star Wars Tales were released between 1999 and 2005, including a special Free Comic Book Day edition in 2002. Each issue is an anthology of short, unrelated stories, sometimes featuring well-known characters from the series and sometimes taking radical departures from the mythology, which has defined George Lucas’ space opera.Why you should read it: It’s Star Wars, fool!
