Karen Berger

Karen Berger (/ˈbɜːrɡər/; born February 26, 1958) is an American comic book editor. She is best known for her role in helping create DC Comics' Vertigo imprint in 1993 and serving as the line's Executive Editor until 2013. She currently oversees Berger Books, an imprint of creator-owned comics being published by Dark Horse Comics.

This article is about an American comic book editor. For the travel/outdoor writer, see Karen Berger (writer).
Karen Berger
Born (1958-02-26) February 26, 1958
NationalityAmerican
Area(s)Writer, Editor
Awards"Best Editor" Eisner Award (1992, 1994 and 1995)

Biography

Berger majored in English literature and art history at Brooklyn College, and upon her graduation in 1979, she entered the comics profession as an assistant to editor Paul Levitz at DC. She later became Levitz's editor when he was writing Legion of Super-Heroes. More interested in horror comics, she soon became editor of House of Mystery,[1] and was instrumental in nurturing Alan Moore's Swamp Thing book, taking over the editing from co-creator Len Wein. She also edited Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld. She later helped bring Neil Gaiman's work to a mass audience by having him write The Sandman.[2][3]

The success of these titles, and her willingness to help the writers who worked with her push the envelope of what could be done in mass-circulation comic books, led to the creation of the mature-reader Vertigo line in 1993. Her critically and popularly successful titles under that imprint include Fables, Hellblazer, The Invisibles, 100 Bullets, Preacher, V for Vendetta, and Y: The Last Man.

Berger is married to Richard Bruning,[4] who also formerly worked at DC.

In 2007, Berger was named supervising editor (along with Senior Editor Shelly Bond) of Minx, a new comic book imprint published by DC. Minx published comics and graphic novels aimed at teenage girls until they were cancelled in 2008.[5]

On December 3, 2012, she announced that she would be stepping down from her post as Executive Editor & Senior Vice President of DC Entertainment's Vertigo imprint and that she would remain on through March 2013 to assist in the transition to a new editorial team.[6]

The New York Times profiled Berger and her departure from Vertigo in an article entitled "Comics' Mother of 'The Weird Stuff' is Moving On".[7]

In February 2017, Dark Horse Comics announced that Berger would be overseeing a new line of creator-owned comics published by Dark Horse under the imprint: Berger Books.[8]

Berger Books' first print publication was Berger Books Free 2018 Preview dated November 2017.[9] Berger Books first full comic was Hungry Ghosts #1, (written by Anthony Bourdain and Joel Rose) on sale in comic book shops on January 31, 2018.[10]

As of February 2019, Berger Books publishes several titles including Incognegro (10th anniversary edition) and a prequel Incognegro: Renaissance (2018 February) both written by Mat Johnson,[11] Mata Hari written by Emma Beeby (2018 Feb–Sept),[12] She Could Fly written by Christopher Cantwell (2018 July)[13] (with a sequel starting in 2019 April), The Seeds written by Ann Nocenti (2018 August),[14] and Olivia Twist written by Darin Strauss (award-winning writer) and Adam Dalva (2018 Sept – 2019),[15] and LaGuardia written by Hugo Award winner Nnedi Okorafor (2018 December).[16]

Awards

Berger won the Inkpot Award in 1990,[17] three Eisner Awards (1992,[18] 1994[19] and 1995[20]), and the Comics Buyer's Guide Award for Favorite Editor every year from 1997 through 2005.

See also

References
  1. Irvine, Alex (2008). "House of Mystery". In Dougall, Alastair (ed.). The Vertigo Encyclopedia. New York: Dorling Kindersley. p. 88. ISBN 978-0-7566-4122-1. OCLC 213309015.
  2. Jewish Women's Archive. "Karen Berger". Jewish Women's Archive. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  3. Darius, Julian (December 3, 2012). "Karen Berger to Leave DC". Sequart.org. Sequart. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  4. "Chains of command unfolding at DC" Archived 2010-02-21 at the Wayback Machine by Heidi MacDonald for The Beat, February 18, 2010. Accessed February 18, 2010.
  5. Schneider, Karl (2006-11-29). "DC to launch 'Minx' comic for girls". Mania: Beyond Entertainment. Archived from the original on 2008-07-12. Retrieved 2008-07-22.
  6. "Karen Berger Steps Down as Vertigo Executive Editor, SVP". 2012-12-03. Retrieved 2012-12-03.
  7. Itzkoff, Dave (29 May 2013). "Comics' Mother of 'the Weird Stuff' Is Moving On" – via NYTimes.com.
  8. Amato, Peter (17 February 2017). "Dark Horse Announces New Line of Books Overseen by Vertigo Founder Karen Berger" – via pastemagazine.com.
  9. "Berger Books Free 2018 Preview (2017) nn - Comic Book DB". comicbookdb.com. Archived from the original on 10 February 2019. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  10. "New Releases For 1/31/2018". PreviewsWorld.com. Diamond Comic Distributors. January 2018. Archived from the original on 10 February 2019. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  11. "New Releases For February/7/2018". PreviewsWorld.com. Diamond Comic Distributors. February 2018. Archived from the original on 10 February 2019. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  12. "Series - MATA HARI - Previews World". PreviewsWorld.com. Diamond Comic Distributors. Archived from the original on 8 July 2022. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
  13. "New Releases For July/11/2018". PreviewsWorld.com. Diamond Comic Distributors. July 2018. Archived from the original on 10 February 2019. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  14. "New Releases For August/1/2018". PreviewsWorld.com. Diamond Comic Distributors. 2018. Archived from the original on 10 February 2019. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  15. "Series - OLIVIA TWIST - Previews World". PreviewsWorld.com. Diamond Comic Distributors. Archived from the original on 8 July 2022. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
  16. "New Releases For December/5/2018". PreviewsWorld.com. Diamond Comic Distributors. December 2018. Archived from the original on 10 February 2019. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  17. Inkpot Award
  18. 1992 Will Eisner Comic Industry Award Nominees and Winners at the Comic Book Awards Almanac
  19. 1994 Will Eisner Comic Industry Award Nominees and Winners at the Comic Book Awards Almanac
  20. 1995 Will Eisner Comic Industry Award Nominees and Winners at the Comic Book Awards Almanac
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