Calling all heroes! Dark Horse workers rally to save senior editors

Milwaukie, Ore.—Since its formation in late May, members of Dark Horse Workers United (DHWU) have been hard at work. The positive feedback from comic book fans has been encouraging—in less than a week, they collected over 5,000 signatures on a petition for voluntary recognition, and for a moment, it seemed like Dark Horse leadership had heard the message loud and clear. In early June, management published a statement announcing their intent to voluntarily recognize the union: 

“We care deeply not just about the stories we bring you, but about how we bring them to life. With greater respect and improved working conditions, we’ll build a Dark Horse you can believe in for more than just great comics… We look forward to sitting down at the bargaining table with Dark Horse Workers United and continue to build something of which we are all proud.”

Members of the union were excited to begin negotiations, but sadly “that good faith has not been reciprocated.” Last week the comic book workers took to social media to shed light on some of the union-busting tactics that are being leveraged against them. In posts on both social media platforms X and Instagram, DHWU explained the ways in which Dark Horse leadership is “attempting to reduce Union membership.” Not only did they fire half of IT and the entire warehouse department (workers who would have been eligible for the union), but now they are “threaten[ing] the Senior Editors with a demotion and severe pay cut unless they accept supervisory status and abandon their union eligibility.” Since supervisors aren’t allowed to be in the union, management is trying to “clarify” that Senior Editors are managers, which is historically not true—they have never had hiring or firing power.

Many argue that not only are these tactics borderline illegal, but they’re also disingenuous and just plain shady. Spearheaded by Heads of Publishing Tim Wiesch and Vanessa Todd-Holmes, Dark Horse seemingly hopes to placate fans by claiming to be working with the union, but reports from workers indicate the company is doing everything they can to hinder democracy behind the scenes. These recent actions seem to be the latest in a long string of transgressions since the union announcement. Leadership has also forced employees to go without pay at the bargaining table, threatened disciplinary action on employees exercising their union rights, and leveraged expensive union-busting lawyers to make legal attacks to destroy the newfound worker power.

Now if there’s one thing comic book fans understand well, it’s justice. DHWU has been biding its time and gathering evidence for its case against management (several Unfair Labor Practices have already been filed with the NLRB), and now the time has come to ask the fans for help. On Monday, August 3, the union hosted a rally at Milwaukie Bay Park to raise awareness about the situation.

The theme of the rally was “Calling All Heroes,” and the organizers encouraged fans to show up with comic book-themed costumes and signs. At 5 pm, a crowd gathered amidst the wildfire-polluted air to listen to several speakers. A DHWU Organizing Committee member opened the rally by explaining the impetus for this public action:

“[Dark Horse management is] willing to threaten the jobs and careers of our Senior Editors to gain the upper hand and continue to deny Dark Horse Employees a voice. This displays a disregard for our Union’s collective action and goals for a democratic workplace that treats workers with respect, not as pawns in Management’s desire to hold power and deny equity… We, the membership of Dark Horse Workers United, demand that Senior Editors be recognized as frontline workers, as union members, and retain their current pay.”

Emma Buckley, co-chair of New Seasons Labor Union Local 1010, encouraged DHWU with the tale of their own fight against union busting. Emma emphasized that the fight will be long and difficult, but maintaining patience and solidarity is essential for victory.
Angelita Morillo, the Portland City Councilperson from District 3, proudly reminded the protesters that Portland is a union-friendly city. She called on Dark Horse leadership to put their money where their mouth is and to live up to the lofty values that they supposedly hold so dear: 

“Dark Horse Comics prides itself on creative ownership, creative freedom, and shared profits, but they’ve turned their back on their own workers. We need Dark Horse to come to the table and negotiate a fair deal, Portland will not accept anything less.”

Energy was high, even while the summer smoke threatened to choke out the rally. After the speeches, attendees marched past the Dark Horse office with their signs and chants. Those who dressed up in costumes went home with their very own DHWU T-shirts.

Many would argue that the whole point of indie publishing is to lift up small creators who would get trampled at larger companies like Marvel or DC—so why doesn’t that same ethos apply to Dark Horse workers? The editors, designers, marketers, press technicians, and yes, even Finance, HR, and IT workers are the ones who make it all possible. Advocates assert that they deserve fair pay, adequate benefits, and working conditions just as much as everyone else.

It could be said that the legal precedent for DHWU’s victory already exists—but the battle will be hard-fought. Dark Horse management has expensive lawyers and rich CEOs on their side, but—if the recent rally is any indication— the workers have a horde of passionate fans. Management seemingly had the advantage when all the bargaining was happening behind closed doors, but DHWU, with its call for heroes, is blowing the lid off the whole operation.

The creative industries are chronically underrepresented in the labor struggle, but that is slowly changing. With the help of passionate fans and creators, workers at Dark Horse are hoping to secure a brighter future for not only themselves, but for the entire publishing business. The fight for a contract is ongoing, but you can help to amplify the message by visiting DHWU’s website or by following them on social media.

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