Dec 4th 2012 By: Andy Khouri

The Comics Industry Reacts to Vertigo Executive Editor Karen Berger's Resignation

Vertigo Executive Editor and SVP Karen Berger announced yesterday her forthcoming exit from the mature readers imprint she founded at DC Comics nearly 20 years ago. The news came as a great surprise to many in the comic book industry who've long admired the work Berger did to develop projects and talents that greatly expanded the scope and reputation of the American/western comic book scene. With such titles as The Sandman, Hellblazer, Preacher, Fables, Scalped, The Invisibles and more, Berger's Vertigo imprint championed dark, sexy, mind-bending, funny and even literary comics that were utterly distinct from those of the mainstream direct market throughout the 1990s and 2000s. DC says Vertigo isn't going anywhere, but Berger's tenure at the imprint influenced generations of readers and creators in ways that many industry insiders have characterized as immeasurable, and with that impact came an outpouring of earnest testimony when the news broke on Monday.

Below you will find a sampling of comics creators and editors who paid tribute to Karen Berger and her work, which many hope will not end when she leaves DC Comics.

Wishing Karen Berger the best! In 2006 Karen, Shelly Bond & Steve Seagle took a chance on me in American Virgin, and I've never looked back!

- Becky Cloonan (@beckycloonan) December 3, 2012

Imagine what Karen Berger could do at a company like Image or Dark Horse without all the corporate stuff. It'd be neat, is what I'm saying.

- Tim Seeley (@HackinTimSeeley) December 3, 2012

Very sad to hear about Karen Berger leaving Vertigo. A painful end to an era that shouldn't have ended. I wish her the best.

- Steve Niles (@SteveNiles) December 3, 2012

It'd be interesting to see Karen Berger turn up at First Second or some other book-trade GN imprint, wouldn't it? Maybe a whole new one.

- Kurt Busiek (@KurtBusiek) December 3, 2012

Karen Berger is a class act, and is responsible for some of the best American comics of the last few decades.

- Chris Roberson (@chris_roberson) December 3, 2012

Best wishes and good luck to Karen Berger, who's leaving DC after a legendary tenure. Vertigo brought me back to comics as an adult...

- Duane Swierczynski (@swierczy) December 3, 2012

I had pretty much given up on comics in the early 90's but it was the work that Karen Berger fostered that brought me back and inspired me.

- Ryan Kelly (@funrama) December 3, 2012

Karen Berger was the editor I wanted to work with since I was old enough to know what an editor was. She launched my career. I <3 that woman

- G. Willow Wilson (@GWillowWilson) December 3, 2012

Love Karen Berger, wish her nothing but happiness.Her effect on both my work and the whole industry is impossible to calculate.

- Brian Wood (@brianwood) December 3, 2012

Karen Berger leaves behind an extraordinary editorial legacy behind her. Easily one of the best ever.

- Stephen Wacker (@StephenWacker) December 3, 2012

Wow. Karen Berger has had a huge effect on comics for the entire time I've been reading them, much less worked on them.

- Gabriel Hardman (@gabrielhardman) December 3, 2012

Karen Berger is a stone cold bad ass. #realtalk

- Sam Humphries (@samhumphries) December 3, 2012

Karen Berger has been my life in comics and associated with so much that made the industry I love great and creatively inspiring. Sad day.

- Gary Erskine (@garyerskine) December 3, 2012

Karen Berger has been nothing but gracious and wonderful to me. Vertigo soared under her command. Wishing her happiness. #Vertigo #gratitude

- Trish Mulvihill (@trishm) December 3, 2012

I wish Karen Berger the best in whatever she chooses to do next! I wish I'd taken up her offer to work in Vertigo editorial many years ago.

- Ben Abernathy (@Ben_Abernathy) December 3, 2012

There was a time years back when I might have stopped reading comics if it wasn't for Karen Berger and what she built at Vertigo.

- Jason Aaron (@jasonaaron) December 3, 2012

Karen Berger gave me my first gigs @ DC, tolerated my growing pains, gave me more than one chance, fronted the best work of my life. RESPECT

- Colleen Doran (@ColleenDoran) December 3, 2012

Add me to those rooting Karen Berger on to bigger and better!

- Jeff Parker (@jeffparker) December 3, 2012

A tribute to Karen Berger seems extraneous. She's Karen F***ing Berger. I can't wait to see What Next.

- Kieron Gillen (@kierongillen) December 3, 2012

Karen Berger gave me my first DC Comics job on WonderWoman. I'm happy to say I pencilled the first Vertigo issue of Sandman.

- Jill Thompson (@thejillthompson) December 3, 2012

Nothing but profound respect and gratitude for Karen Berger. Vertigo inspired and nurtured my career. Thank you!

- Cliff Chiang (@cliffchiang) December 3, 2012

Comics need Karen Berger! She'll be heard from, I'm certain.

- J.H. Williams III (@JHWilliamsIII) December 3, 2012

Finishing my work day to check the internets and find out about Karen Berger leaving Vertigo. Goddamn. Amazing editor, best of luck

- DAVID LAFUENTE (@srDAVIDLAFUENTE) December 4, 2012

Without Karen Berger, I have doubts that Seaguy 3 will ever see the light of day...

- Cameron Stewart (@cameronMstewart) December 3, 2012

Hats off to Karen Berger, who shepherded some amazing books over 2 decades. With no @vertigo_comics I don't know where I'd be. Thank you.

- Jason Latour (@jasonlatour) December 4, 2012

Few editors have changed the entire comics industry. Karen Berger is one of them. Her leaving DC is the end of an era.

- Stephen Christy (@stephenchristy) December 4, 2012

For the comprehension impaired, I have nothing but good things to say about Karen Berger and her legendary reign. This is a VERY sad day.

- Mark Waid (@MarkWaid) December 4, 2012

I hope Karen Berger starts her own imprint called Bertigo

- Chip Zdarsky (@zdarsky) December 3, 2012

Tags: karen berger - KarenBerger

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11 Comments

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J Cecil

It's kinda sad to see DC fall in on itself as it is. They still are, and will, put out good things but corporate meddling is all over its face (it's worse than Marvel's Jemas years, which I didn't think could happen) and it's rapidly losing the respect of a lot of comicdom. Sales may be good for some things, but the moves they've been making turn off a lot of readers who won't come back and, more harmful, won't recruit new readers. DC Editorial may say they need to widen the reader base, but the way the industry is now, those old timers are the way you get new readers and I see more of them leaving all the time.

Karen will surely be just fine. Land at a better imprint or even start something new. Vertigo, however, is probably just walking dead now and it's a sad thing to see former greatness ruined by Didiot and his two yes men.

December 05 2012 at 9:42 AM Report abuse Permalink +2 rate up rate down Reply

Thete Sigma

...And just like that, Vertigo is officially dead.

Somewhere in his office at Disney, Alan Horn is laughing like a mad man that he is knowing he's succeeded in his master plan to not only destroy creator's rights for the Vertigo banner with those damned contracts but morph DC into the IP farming editorial dictatorship it's became since he was at the WB (I'm now strongly convinced he was the one who hired Dan DiDio).

Thanks for nothing, Mr. Horn. You schmuck!

December 04 2012 at 8:36 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Project1174

Well that's great.
And that's why I'm shying away from DC.
...
Well that and the dated art, hilariously immature vapid writing with a decided bent towards undersexed teenage boys, horrifying treatment of some of comicdoms most beloved characters, and general crapitude of the company on the whole.

As far as I'm concerned this is a devastating loss. The last thing a company set on such an uninspired path needed was the loss of one of their greatest true visionaries.

As I see it DC is not well and the loss of Karen Berger will only make things worse.

December 04 2012 at 4:52 PM Report abuse Permalink +5 rate up rate down Reply

Thad

"The news came as a great surprise to many in the comic book industry"

Really? I mean, it's terrible news, but I don't see how it could have blindsided anybody.

DC's been slowly dismantling Vertigo over the past few years with changes to creator contracts, and QUICKLY dismantling it over the past year and a half by moving Swamp Thing and John Constantine back into the DC Universe proper.

Way I see it, Fables is the only Vertigo book that's safe now -- it'll keep going much the same as it is, with minimal interference. As for the rest, who can say?

Long term, though, I choose to be an optimist -- this is DC's loss, and it's going to be someone else's gain. Berger's already transformed the American comics industry; l can't wait to see what she does next.

(And hey, I do believe there's a long list of talented creators who don't want to do business with DC anymore but still love Karen Berger. I doubt she'll even have to get the ol' Rolodex out; they'll call her before she calls them.)

December 04 2012 at 1:44 PM Report abuse Permalink +1 rate up rate down Reply

1 reply to Thad's comment

Peter Milling

You are being very optimistic about Fables future there, Thad
If they can stick Hellblazer and Shade in a team book with the words "Justice League" in the title, then be prepared for a Fables and Superman crossover next year.
Perhaps Batman could get Preacher to help on a case?
Y the Last Man meets Kamandi?
Lobo and The Saint of Killers? (Actually that would be cool)

December 04 2012 at 4:50 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

1 reply to Peter Milling's comment

BringTheNoise

The key difference there, of course, is that Swamp Thing, Shade and Hellblazer were Work-For-Hire creations owned by DC and the rest of those characters are creator-owned. I doubt Ennis, Vaughn or Willingham would be particularly interested in any of those cross-overs.

December 04 2012 at 6:28 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down

bucky500

I bet there are countless stories that can be told about volumes of work that'd never have existed without Karen Berger being there to champion their cause.

After the Hellblazer news this was inevitable. I hope she goes forth and succeeds elsewhere, I'll be there to support whatever she may help to produce.

December 04 2012 at 12:32 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

1 reply to bucky500's comment

Elias Algorithm

Sadly yeah. The writing's been on the wall a while that DC editorial has no interest in being anything other than a production line for corporate interests and Hellblazer was like cutting off a leg to distract from the pain of its rotting hands.

December 04 2012 at 10:37 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Travis

After hearing horror stories about editors past to present, this show of gratitude towards Karen is amazing. As a fan, I can echo everyone that says the books she edited kept me going to the comic book store. It's too bad something could not have been worked out.
If all of this talent follows her to a new destination, I am very excited to see what happens!

December 04 2012 at 12:14 PM Report abuse Permalink +1 rate up rate down Reply

Tyler Ward

Oof. That Cameron Stewart tweet is a real bummer. She's done an amazing job, I'm not surprised by the response. Vertigo got me back into comics. I eagerly await whatever's next for her.

December 04 2012 at 11:52 AM Report abuse Permalink +4 rate up rate down Reply

1 reply to Tyler Ward's comment

Tim B.

yep, also collecting Seaguy 2 in trade. I suppose Image could publish Seaguy 3.

December 04 2012 at 12:37 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply