| Mike Richardson | |
|---|---|
 Richardson at theNew York Comic Con in 2013 | |
| Born | (1950-06-29)June 29, 1950 (age 74) Portland,Oregon, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Area(s) | Writer, Publisher |
Notable works | |
| Awards | |
| www | |
Mike Richardson (born June 29, 1950) is an Americanpublisher, writer, and producer. In 1986, he foundedDark Horse Comics, an international publishing house located inMilwaukie, Oregon.[2] Richardson is also the founder and President of the Things From Another World retail chain and president ofDark Horse Entertainment,[3] which has developed and produced numerous projects for film and television based on Dark Horse properties or licensed properties.[4]
In addition, he has written graphic novels and comics series, including:The Secret,Living with the Dead, andCut as well as co-authoring two non-fiction books,Comics Between the Panels andBlast Off!.[5]
Richardson was born on June 29, 1950, inPortland, Oregon. His family moved to Milwaukie, a suburb of Portland, in 1955. He is a graduate ofPortland State University, where he majored in art and played for the university basketball team.[6]
While in college, Richardson built a freelance art client base and planned to start Dark Horse Graphics. In 1980, he left his job in Portland and moved toBend, Oregon, with his wife and newborn daughter. Using a $2,500 credit card, he opened Pegasus Fantasy Books on January 1, 1980. Renamed Things From Another World in 1993, the store expanded into an 11-location chain across three states, including spots atUniversal CityWalk and Sony'sMetreon.[7]
Richardson hosted signings at his stores, where creators voiced concerns over lacking control of their work. This inspired him to launch Dark Horse Comics, offering creators intellectual property rights. With Randy Stradley, Dark Horse debutedDark Horse Presents #1 in July 1986, paying creators 100% of profits. Expecting 10,000 sales, it exceeded 50,000. Early successes included Concrete, Sin City, Hellboy, and The Goon.[8]
Richardson also published manga includingLone Wolf and Cub,Akira, andGhost in the Shell, later addingBlade of the Immortal andOh My Goddess!.[9]
In 1988, Dark Horse pioneered direct-sequel comics withAliens, later applying this approach toTerminator,Predator, andStar Wars.[10][11]
Hollywood took interest in Dark Horse Comics, prompting Richardson to ensure creator involvement in adaptations. To achieve this, he founded Dark Horse Productions (later Dark Horse Entertainment) in 1989. His first co-producer credit came withDr. Giggles.[12] His creationsThe Mask andTimecop (1994) became box office hits.[13][14] In 2008, he won an Emmy for producing Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project. Since 1992, Richardson and Dark Horse Entertainment have produced over 30 film and TV projects.[15]
Richardson is married with children. He namesCharles Dickens andJames Ellroy as his favorite writers, andThe Beatles'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band as his favorite album. He is also fond of basketball, guitars, and fine wine.[16] He resides inLake Oswego, Oregon.[17][18]
| Year | Series | Executive Producer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995–1997 | The Mask: Animated Series |  N | |
| 1997–1998 | Timecop | N | |
| 1999–2001 | Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot | N | |
| 2012 | Dark Horse Motion Comics | N | Internet series |
| 2015–2017 | Dark Matter | N | |
| 2019–present | The Umbrella Academy | N | |
| 2021 | Coyote | N | |
| 2021–present | Resident Alien | N | |
| 2022 | Samurai Rabbit: The Usagi Chronicles | N |
| International | |
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| National | |
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| Other | |
