MILWAUKIE, OR -- (Marketwire) -- 10/20/09 -- Millions of Americans are fans of comic book creations, and many might not even know it.

"There were more than 140,000 people who attended Comic Con International in San Diego this year, the largest of any year and the most-attended show of any convention in California," said Mike Richardson, president and publisher of Dark Horse Comics (www.darkhorse.com). "More than the attendees, the tenor of the show was set by the exhibitors. Every major and many minor movie studios had big booths, as well as mainstream book publishers like Random House, Penguin, Chronicle and others. More than comics, the show was about popular culture in all its forms."

Richardson should know, since his company publishes graphic novels and comics that have been source material for movies that most consumers don't realize came from comic books. In addition to publishing the source material for "Sin City" and "The 300," Richardson has been the executive producer of such movies as:

--  "Hellboy" and "Hellboy 2," starring Ron Perlman
--  "The Mask," starring Jim Carrey
--  "30 Days of Night," starring Josh Hartnett
--  "Barb Wire," starring Pamela Anderson
--  "Mystery Men," starring Ben Stiller
    

"Eight of the top 10 movies of 2008 came from either comic books or science fiction/fantasy genres," he said. "Comic books are no longer thought of as cheap, disposable entertainment for kids. They have become an inexhaustible source of rich intellectual property for movie studios and producers. That's Hollywood talk that means comics have a lot of original stories that appeal to everyone, and not just kids."

Dark Horse Comics has grown to become the third largest comics publisher in the U.S. and remains the number one independent voice in the industry because of the embrace of the mainstream consumer.

"Our influence on popular culture is evidenced by the fact that we now possess more than 350 properties that serve as the jumping-off point for comics, books, films, television, electronic games, toys, and collectibles. And it's all part of the mainstream, now," Richardson added.

About Mike Richardson

Mike Richardson is a writer, film producer and founder and president of Dark Horse Comics, as well as Dark Horse Entertainment. In addition, he owns the Things From Another World retail chain and website (www.tfaw.com).

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