Up Close: Dark Horse Comics’ David Scroggy
By Karyn M. Peterson -- Gifts and Dec, 1/1/2008 12:30:00 PM
(Editors note: An abbreviated version of this story, “Dark Horse’s Domo Dreams,” appeared in the January 2008 issue of Playthings magazine.)
Looks can be deceiving! Domo—or Domo-kun, as he is known in Japan, where he has been the wildly popular stop-motion mascot of broadcaster NHK since 1998—is a cave-dwelling creature with big teeth … but an even bigger heart. As his fan base has grown overseas and online in recent years (leading to countless deals for consumer products in Asia and Europe), finally the cuddly carnivore arrives in full force in the U.S. this year.
New Domo plush is already at retail from master toy licensee Play Along, Deerfield Beach, Fla., with figures, keychains and feature plush due in the spring. And taking the brand one step further, additional items from eclectic collectibles creator Dark Horse Comics, Milwaukie, Ore., will debut at specialty soon. Both Play Along and Dark Horse—as well as those licensees in numerous other categories already signed by Domo’s U.S. rep Big Tent Entertainment—hope to ride a wave of popularity once kids discover Domo on Nickelodeon, which will soon begin airing 26 new two-minute interstitials. And for Dark Horse, there’s added potential of sales to a broader marketplace outside its traditional collector channels.
As David Scroggy, vice president of product development for Dark Horse, told Playthings in an exclusive interview last month, the character is an ideal addition to Dark Horse’s eclectic mix of properties. Scroggy also shared with us his plans for the company’s newest licenses, Dilbert and Will Eisner’s The Spirit, the latter ahead of the release of Frank Miller’s big-screen adaptation, due out from Lion’s Gate in January 2009. Core brands, which include Lenore and Hellboy Animated, will also see some hot new products debuting at Toy Fair and beyond.
Dark Horse’s Domo dreams
Q: When and how did Dark Horse acquire this license? Had it been on your radar?
Scroggy: We have noticed this property for awhile. Dark Horse probably has spent more time than most traditional American comics publishers looking at Japanese material, which is reflected in our extensive manga program. However, in this case, we became aware of the licensing opportunity through the efforts of Stella Bella's Isabel Miller [former executive vice president at the Jim Henson Co.], who was assisting Big Tent in identifying key licensees for Domo. We looked around at retailers we knew who were selling import items, and determined that it was viable for us in this arena. As the licensee list grew, we felt we might have the "best of both worlds," in that we could sell to our traditional collector and specialty channels while enjoying the potential of sales to a broader marketplace as well.
Q: How does Domo fit in with Dark Horse’s other properties?
Scroggy: The appeal to us is the appeal of the character itself. Who can resist a lovable furball with razor sharp teeth? The juxtaposition of terminal cuteness with unbridled savagery is kind of special, don't you think? He fits in in the sense that it is unique, creative, entertaining and of high quality. Dark Horse is well-known for having a completely diverse and eclectic mix of products and properties. We publish everything from Sin City to Star Wars, "lowbrow" artists to Disney's Gremlins. You could say that none of it fits!
Q: What kinds of Domo products will debut in 2008?
Scroggy: We have an initial grouping of items slated for April. Ideally, these can be boutiqued together in shops, with or without Domo items from other licensees. There is a journal in the format of our existing line, which utilizes creative photographic images of Domo in a colorful setting, a self-mailing stationery and writing paper set, sculpted refrigerator magnet, and an embroidered patch. We have also come up with a special journal. It is die-cut in the shape of Domo, and features a flocked surface that creates the sensation of fur. This is combined with laminates on board, so his teeth and mouth contrast in a tactile way, not just with color. His round black eyes are made of plastic affixed to the surface, and the spiral binding is concealed under his arm. It's a unique item.
Q: Are you looking to target kids, or adult collectors? Do you think Domo will be popular?
Scroggy: The centerpiece of the program, which will come later on in May, is a limited-edition 8.5-inch vinyl figure. This will also sport a flocked surface. We have been granted special permission to also make three color variants of the figure: white, pink and blue. As far as we know, we are the only licensee who will create Domo in a color other than brown, so we think these will be sought-after. Although the edition quantity isn't finalized, there will be fewer of the variants than of the regular edition.
Dilbert, an ideal cubicle collectible
Q: Dilbert isn’t as edgy as some of your other lines. What’s its appeal for Dark Horse?
Scroggy: We have a long association with projects based on newspaper comic strips. We've done products on Mutts, Peanuts, Beetle Bailey and scads of others, so why not Dilbert? The appeal to us is the same as it is to its many readers—it's funny. While it is true that Dilbert is more for grown-ups than kids, I think you could say that about most of what we do product-wise.
Given that Dilbert is one of the nation's most popular strips, appealing to a general audience and not just collectors, and is a best-seller as books and calendars, we see a huge sales potential. We think that there are many, many offices where the cubicles are festooned with Dilbert clippings. Can the figures be far behind? We envision the PVC figure set as being packaged in a box that resembles an office cubicle, with six of the main characters placed in that type of environment.
Q: Which retail channels are you targeting for Dilbert? How will it be promoted?
Scroggy: We think Dilbert has an opportunity to find a home in some stores that would not usually carry a product like this. Since a lot of the readership and of course the stories and gags are centered in the office, we hope that retailers who service the office will take a look at this item. It's a witty and memorable gift for a work-related occasion. Thus, the sales may come from retailers who are not our normal clients and the purchaser will often be someone different from our regular customer. We hope so, anyway.
There are some special opportunities for us in the area of promotions. As we found our Mutts PVC figures to be newsworthy to specialty publications as diverse as Cat Fancy, Bark!, and Vegetarian Times, we intend to try some outreach with Dilbert to business publications and sites. There are very strong book store sales for anything Dilbert, so the chain book store market has more potential for this release than most other toy-type figures. We hope creator Scott Adams will like what we do well enough to plug it. His web site is one of the best ones going, and is widely read. He reviewed our previous releases before authorizing United Media to give us the license, and we anticipate a finished product that he'll be proud to endorse.
Classic comics come alive
Q: Can you tell us about The Spirit? Have you been pursuing the license for a long time?
Scroggy: The Spirit is one of the all-time classics of the comics medium, so we have been aware of it for a long time. Like most real graphic story students, we discovered it almost as soon as we took a serious look at comics, which for several us here, sadly, was quite awhile ago. We also had the honor to have both professional and personal associations with creator Will Eisner. We published several of his non-Spirit books, which are still in print. We also worked with him behind-the-scenes on a variety of industry issues and cultural events.
As was the case with virtually all who new him, he was not only a creative inspiration, but a personal role model as well. We actually did also do a couple of Spirit items a few years ago: a lunch box, a limited-edition statuette in a 1940's "syroco" style, and the final Spirit story appeared in the Michael Chabon comic The Escapist.
When we heard of the new film production, directed by another friend and inspiration Frank Miller, we were beside ourselves! Not only was this classic in the hands of a director who really understands it, but also one who is capable of bringing his own valuable interpretation to the work. We think it has potential to be the best of both worlds—comics and film, and when the opportunity arose to get involved as a licensee, we jumped at it.
The appeal of the character needs no explanation to comic fans. But like Hellboy and Sin City before it, The Spirit is largely unknown to general audiences. Like those, we think The Spirit will make the transition to a broader audience. In its heyday, The Spirit appeared in regular newspapers, not comic books. He appealed to a wide and diverse readership then, and we think he will again today. It is wonderful material.
Q: Will your Spirit collectibles be styled after the comic, or the film? What can you reveal?
Scroggy: Both. We have what for us is a pretty big number of categories. Probably the main one is sculptural pieces: busts, statues, book ends and again smaller PVC figures. We may also re-visit the "syroco" style as well. We also have a number of smaller ancillary items like magnets, paper products and that sort of thing. There are also some interesting collector item pieces that represent new areas for us that remain under wraps for now. We are also doing an art book compiling some of the graphics created by Frank Miller for the film.
The main distinction [between the lines] is that the "classic" line will be informed by the Will Eisner graphic story material and the film-related products will reflect the visual look of the film and the characters as they are on-screen and in the likeness of the actors who portray them. Frank Miller's track record as a film stylist, as evidenced by Sin City and 300, points to another innovative and graphically exciting and stylized translation of the source material. He'll be using modern technology to create something artistic and unusual, but still true to its roots.
While it is probable that the film-related stuff will enjoy a broader display in non-specialty outlets, we think that, at least to some degree, the audience who is just discovering The Spirit due to the Lions Gate film will be motivated to take a look at the classic Eisner work as well. It will reward the ones who do.
Q: When will these collectibles be available at retail?
Scroggy: We are able to start with the classic line this summer. While we would be happy if non-specialty retailers buy into it at that point, it isn't really our expectation. So we are planning the initial releases as limited-edition pieces for the collector market. We have something that we think will interest this core audience, as we were able to acquire some beautiful pencil studies that Eisner did as sculptor reference for just this type of product- both busts and statues. These are the basis of our first releases, so we are confident that these would be successful whether there was a movie in the works or not.
As the marketing plan for the theatrical release unfolds, we envision a whole new tier of retailers getting on board. The timing of this roll-out will be coordinated with Lions Gate, but as the movie is slated to open in January 2009, I think it is a good bet that we'll be seeing a significant amount of movie-related licensed product in stores by late November.
Q: How will you be marketing/promoting the line?
Scroggy: We are very encouraged by the level of communication we are having with Lions Gate and the other early licensees. All too often, smaller companies like us are overlooked when it comes to the theatrical marketing of a film. This does not appear to be the case with The Spirit, and we are envisioning a "win-win" scenario where we can be a valuable resource to them and vice-versa. There are a number of very interesting ideas percolating, and we think that we have an opportunity to help create some genuine excitement, and by extension some special interest in our product line. There are some innovative plans afoot.
We are also reaching out to other licensees in order to develop cross-promotions, and while little is final at this point, we feel good about the possibilities and the level of cooperation. They have lined up several quality companies in various categories, and I am sure we will work together generously and to our mutual benefit.
I am probably not telling tales out-of-school when I predict that The Spirit will be a major "buzzworthy" event of the 2008 Comic-Con International.
Cult following lifts Lenore
Q: What was the feedback like on your first Lenore collectibles?
Scroggy: It was in the nature of a surprise hit for us. We have been of course aware of Lenore for some time, largely through the ongoing series of graphic novels from Dan Vado's SLG imprint and the online animated shorts. We had also worked with [Lenore creator] Roman Dirge on a few non-Lenore licensed products: a lunch box, coaster set, journal and stationery. All of these did pretty well.
At that time, Lenore was subject to a moratorium for new licenses due to the terms of a film option. When the rights became available, we were able to create a boxed set of PVC figures, and a few other items like a new journal, zippo lighter and such. I suppose if we had published the graphic novels, we might have had a better understanding of just how big a following Roman's little dead girl had. The books have sold steadily for some time, and there are lots of Lenore fans out there.
Q: How will your Lenore line expand in 2008?
Scroggy: We were able to take out a new license for what we feel is the ultimate Lenore item: a roto-cast vinyl figure based on a custom design. We also got to work on a second boxed set of PVC figures. The Lenore figure is engaging, and depicts her peering out through the cellophane of the window box. An orange and black serpent is coiled around her feet. The snake has just swallowed a large, oddly-shaped object. Lenore fans will recognize the object as being in the shape of secondary character Ragamuffin. The PVC set—which, like all of our releases, is made on non-pthalate materials—is elaborately sculpted and painted when compared against other figures of this size. As with the big figure, we worked from comprehensive character studies rendered by Dirge, so we were able to get each twisted nuance. Both products come in specially-designed packaging that sports new art by Roman created expressly for this use.
Q: Have you added new retailers since you started work on Lenore products?
Scroggy: All the time. Our in-house sales department is continually discovering new shops all over the place. These run the gamut from book stores to gift shops to hip pop-culture places. It is interesting to note that a lot of companies tend to overlook this category of business. But we have found that not only are these kinds of stores trendsetters in their communities, but they and their customers are very receptive to an offering like Lenore. By the time you collate all of these individual orders, you are left with a sense that we are tapping into a marketplace that is both vibrant and growing. We are also seeing orders from some of the specialty retail chains. Fold in the core comics specialty shops, who are old drinking buddies with Lenore and her pals, and you have a niche that is bigger than many give credit to.
Q: How will you be marketing/promoting the line? Do you have anything special planned?
Scroggy: We thought we'd lock Roman Dirge into a clear Lucite cube that would be suspended from a crane in front of the San Diego Convention Center this summer at Comic-Con International. We won't release him until the attendees have purchased at least 10,000 of the vinyl figures, which will be on sale at kiosks scattered about the parking lot. Opinions varied in-house at Dark Horse as to how effective this might be, and Mr. Dirge expressed a few personal reservations, but in the end the "nothing ventured, nothing gained" contingent won out.
But seriously—we are putting Lenore on the cover of our upcoming products catalog, which is released at the same time as the products, and are featuring it in trade/consumer catalogs like Diamond Previews, on-line, and with paid ads in venues where Lenore fans, both comic collectors and others, are likely to notice, like Toyfare and Juxtapoz magazines.
Licensed to thrill
Q: What other properties are you excited about for 2008? What’s new for Hellboy?
Scroggy: We did a pretty good-sized line of licensed products in support of the animated version of Hellboy: four sculpted busts, two full-size statues, journal, stationery, a fun note card & rubber stamp kit, a series of sculpted magnets, and of course graphic novels.
Like everyone, we eagerly await the summer release of the next Hellboy film from Universal, once again directed by Guillermo del Toro. This one will have lots more of everything that made the first movie a hit. He's probably the biggest Hellboy fan going, and his films just keep getting better. This one looks like a blockbuster, and it isn't just us saying that.
As before, there are a number of other companies creating film-related licensed merchandise, so on the product side we are concentrating more on the underlying Mike Mignola graphic story material. We have a long association with Mignola, who has emerged as one of the true superstars of modern comics, both as writer and artist, which is rare.
We are fortunate to have his attention and creative involvement in our development process, and have worked with him on what is now a fairly extensive program of collectibles in addition to being his publisher. This will continue in 2008.
Q: What's your philosophy or approach when signing new licenses and creating new product?
Scroggy: Our philosophy is similar to our publishing criteria: we want the best quality in terms of artistic merit. We have confidence in our creative choices, both as far as artists and properties we want to be involved with and also as to what sort of product applications are right for those creators or characters. This allows us to go with items that are under-the-radar with companies who are more removed from the creative end. We find it pays off for us since this kind of affinity results in a line of cool stuff that resonates with its target audience. Mike Richardson says he wants to publish the kind of comics and books that he likes to read. He has a broad but discriminating taste, but he hits the target with the audience most of the time.
Likewise, our in-house product development team, with lots of input from sales, marketing, editorial and design, tries to come up with the kind of merchandise that they'd like to buy. It may not click in a big way every time, but it always rings true. Another factor is that whenever possible, we work directly with the creator of the underlying property. These talents know we will go the extra mile to capture their personal vision, and will also ensure quality in manufacturing and packaging, so they are many times willing co-conspirators as we bring their ideas forward. It's lucky for us, so we try not to let them down. We think about what is right for the character as well. We don't want to shoehorn a character into a category where it doesn't fit. We think fans recognize that there is integrity to our approach, even though this diversity makes it hard to sum up our product mix in a sentence or two. It certainly creates a challenge for someone like a traditional sales rep, but the fans of the character get it.
We hope to continue to take the next steps in our evolution as producers and sellers of nifty stuff. We are exhibiting at several trade and consumer events. First up is International Toy Fair in February in New York. We've moved to Javits Center this year from our traditional showroom location. We have a new trade catalog arriving at that time, as well as a direct mail piece for retailers. We'll be back to Javits Center in April for New York Comic-Con.
We would love your feedback!
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Dark Horse's Domo Dreams
Jan 1, 2008
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