Dark Horse Employees Are Unionizing, the Staff Behind Star Wars and Cyberpunk Comics
Dark Horse is a well-known name in the graphic novel industry for their Star Wars, Cyberpunk, and Avatar: The Last Airbender comics. And recent news has shared that the employees at Dark Horse are unionizing.
The staff is petitioning to form a union with the Communications Workers of America, or CWA, as announced by the group today.
In the press release, the group said that 59 eligible employees signed the letter sent to interim CEO Jay Komas, requesting that he voluntarily recognize the union by June 3, or they will petition for a union election with the National Labor Relations Board.
According to the letter, the employees are asking 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).”
The letter continues, saying, “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.”
Mike Richardson, the company’s founder, left the company earlier this year in the wake of its acquisition by Embracer Group in 2022. DHWU hopes to “improve conditions for workers and maintain Richardson’s legacy of publishing creator-owned comics.”
If their union bid is successful, Dark Horse employees will be the latest comic book staff to unionize, alongside Seven Seas Publishing and Image Comics.
