There's an inherent danger in paying too much attention to any milestone anniversary--and that is the temptation to rest on one's laurels. Re-living past glories is fine in moderation, but one must never lose sight of the fact that, while the reminiscing may warm the heart of those who were around in the "good ol' days," those in your audience who have come along since are more interested in what you've done for them lately.
That's why, two years ago, when it dawned on us that Dark Horse might actually reach its twentieth anniversary, the editors here began planning for future projects. Our sights were set on reminding readers of the thrill they got when they read their first Dark Horse comic by giving them something new and equally thrilling. What's exciting about Dark Horse is not what we've done, but what we're doing next. And not just for our year of celebration, but for years to come.
Which is not to say we're going to ignore our roots, or that our schedule won't include a few nods to some of the high points in our history. But, to my mind, the best thing about our past accomplishments is that they've provided a solid foundation on which to build, and set lofty goals for which we'll strive.
Since the beginning of this year, you've seen some of the signs of our efforts: long-running series or lines of books have been revamped and revitalized, new series have debuted, and new creators have been introduced. It's an exciting time, no doubt about it.
But all of this is just the beginning. We have many (many!) more projects yet to announce. This year's reinvigoration has become the starting point for a celebration that will last far beyond our twentieth anniversary. So, please, enjoy our anniversary festivities, but don't think that once 2006 is over that the party will end!
And, please, no sitting on the laurels.
-Randy Stradley
Old-guy editor