New comic book publisher sees creators as partners, and stockholders
Creators of comic books are “famous for being mistreated by publishers,” said David Steinberger, a co-founder and the CEO of DSTLRY, a new company that wants to give writers and artists a greater stake for their creative efforts.
Comic book characters can be lucrative intellectual properties, particularly when they make the leap from the printed page to the silver screen, but they primarily benefit the companies that own them.
It is a rueful tradition that goes back to the earliest days of the industry.
The creators of Superman sold their rights to the Man of Steel for $130 in 1938, the year he debuted, not knowing the global recognition and longevity he would gain.
Unlike the creators of Superman, the founding creators of DSTLRY will retain ownership of their characters and concepts, as well as have an equity stake in the company.
DSTLRY will produce oversize print comics as well as collectibles, including vinyl figures and posters.
The publisher will also offer comics digitally – but only for a limited time. Once the sales window closes, the digital copies will be available only in a virtual marketplace for collectors.
The seller will set the price, and a portion of resales will go to the creators.
“The main drive here is to create a more sustainable and equitable future for creators,” said Chip Mosher, the other co-founder of DSTLRY and its chief creative officer.
“That’s our macro goal – benefiting the creators, and in turn benefiting readers and retailers.”
Publishing models for comic books are on a spectrum. On one side, the company is king: DC and Marvel Comics reap the primary benefits of the success of flagship characters like Batman and Captain America, which earn millions annually for their publishers.
On the other end are publishers like Image Comics, which have a creator-owned model. Image published “The Walking Dead,” which was a financial windfall for its creator, Robert Kirkman.
In between there are many companies that will take a chance on new properties but usually for a share of the intellectual property rights.
Comics creators for AWA, which was established in 2019, received stock in that publisher.
The initial comic book creators for DSTLRY are a murderers’ row of talent.
They include writers Brian Azzarello, Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV and Ram V and artists Mirka Andolfo, Elsa Charretier, Lee Garbett, Jock and Jamie McKelvie.
Another creator recruited for the company is Tula Lotay, the founder of the Thought Bubble Comic Art Festival in Yorkshire, a county in northern England.
Lotay, who will draw and write stories for DSTLRY, said the opportunity excited her.
“We literally co-own the publishing company, which is amazing,” she said. “Aside from that, I know Chip and David know my body of work and trust what I’m doing, and so it feels like I have absolute freedom to be as creative as I want to be.”
The first comic from DSTLRY is “The Devil’s Cut,” which will have self-contained stories by most of the founding creators.
It will be available at comic book stores around the country and in time for Comic-Con International, the pop culture festival planned for July 20-23 in San Diego.
The DSTLRY founders are no strangers to working together.
In 2007, Steinberger founded Comixology, a digital comics distributor that Amazon acquired in 2014. Mosher was the head of content for Comixology.
“We are really honored by the founding creators’ faith in us and their goodwill and the goodwill that is out there for doing something like this,” Mosher said.