We are proud of the non-book products we make at Dark Horse, and have a lot of fun with it. We don't really look to other companies that much, since we feel secure in our creative choices and they usually resonate with our kind of consumer. But once in awhile we encounter a company that seems like a good fit, and we work together on sales and distribution. New in that category is Retro A-Go-Go, who knocked our socks off with their unique line of licensed, high-quality and fun giftware. As we got to know principal Kirsten Pagacz and her team, we started having even more fun. As you get to know her and her products from this short chat, you'll see why.
Can you tell us a little bit about Retro-a-go-go! and how it came to be?
For more than twenty-five years, I have been collecting retro artwork: from movie posters to pulps, from vintage men’s magazines to vintage valentines. Sure, some stuff was on the walls in my home and studio, but a good portion of these gems were in flat files, sitting in the dark and not having a vivid life in front of the eyes of other retro enthusiasts. I’m a curious person at nature and wondered if I could turn some of the cool retro magazine front covers into necklaces for ladies to wear. My first attempt at a wearable piece of art was an old 1930s Film Fun magazine turned into a rectangular pendant necklace. It turned out okay, but I realized that I needed a lot more practice to be a jewelry maker!
At the same time, I was really burnt out with my corporate jobs and wanted to make a big change in my life and move from corporate culture to an artful way of living and expressing myself. So I dove into the deep and haven’t looked back since.
What was involved in figuring out what kind of products to make?
After the necklaces became more refined, I saw that my art archive could be turned into appealing and different products. People really responded to what I was doing, and that gave me the drive and inspiration to keep going and keep trying new product formats. Believe me, there have been duds along the way, but I have learned what appeals to my customers.
The artfulness in these vintage images has an appeal that transcends the decades. Sometimes the images become kitsch, and the unintended humor rises to the surface. In other situations the art is so amazing that today’s artists can’t match the beauty of this vintage work. For instance, many of the pinup images are so amazing that I catch myself just staring at them in awe.
What informs your choice of images? There are so many possibilities. How do you select the ones that you use?
We are a small company with a small group of employees, and frankly if the image appeals to us and our group and we either laugh or ooh and aah over it, we give it a try. It is easy to sell what you love. Also, I have to add that we don’t just use public-domain art and slap it on a boring coffee mug. We have fun adding text, blending different images together, and repurposing the art. The art has contemporary appeal that resonates with today’s audiences.
Retro-a-go-go! has begun to acquire various licenses, including those for the Buck Rogers line and the upcoming Bettie Page line available through Dark Horse. Are there different considerations when you are working with a licensed property than when you are mining the archive of the public domain?
A licensed property usually has parameters of what you can and cannot do with their images. We have been very fortunate that with Buck Rogers and Bettie Page, the licensors love our design sensibilities and are allowing us to put a fresh spin on the design and the art on our product formats.
It has always been my intention to work with contemporary artists and licensors that share the Retro-a-go-go! aesthetic. We work with licensed artist Mitch O’Connell, and even though he is a contemporary artist, there is a retro feel to his amazing art that matches our humor, vibe, and liveliness.
Let’s talk about Buck Rogers a little bit. Why do you think this science-fiction character from 1928 is still around and popular?
He was the first; he was number one. Flash Gordon, Star Wars, and the Rocketeer, to name just a few, followed in his footsteps. Also, although he came along in the late 1920s and ’30s, he was reinvented and freshened up a bit in the ’50s and again in the 1980s. Generations of Americans have grown up with a version of Buck Rogers. Hopefully, there will be a new movie and a new generation that will get to fall in love with this great character. Now, where the hell is my rocket pack?
Bettie Page had and still has the magic and that “it” quality that is hard to define and re-create. Maybe it’s because she wasn’t in movies, we don’t have voice recordings of her, and we don’t know a lot about her history, so we can project our essence onto her. She becomes what we want her to be. A lot of girls want to be Bettie and fantasize about being as engaging and appealing as she is. She can be the dark angel, the sweet-as-cherry-pie girl next door, or the pinup beauty queen. There is depth in Bettie’s mystique; she transcends time and will be a true favorite in the years to come. Don’t forget that she is also a favorite with the guys. They love her too!
When you are looking at properties like Buck Rogers and Bettie Page, how do you determine the type of products that are best for them? We have product formats that appeal to our consumer base. Our card cases, belt buckles, shirts, picture frames, and so on are proven winners. Adding dynamic art from these great properties makes them even more irresistible. We make it easy to carry a little bit of Bettie and Buck with you throughout your day, and we help people proclaim their love for these wonderful and unique icons. And hey, a Bettie Page purse that matches her charm? Where do I get one?
Dark Horse is the purveyor of all things cool. I have been a fan for years. They do it right. If something makes it through the gates of Dark Horse, it will be something I want. Early on when I started my company, I knew that I wanted to design and make products that were at the same caliber as those Dark Horse creates and distributes. It was a little miracle the day that I got to join Dark Horse’s stable. I’m so thrilled and honored to be on their team.
Will interested fans be able to meet Retro-a-go-go! at any upcoming events?
You bet. We just introduced Bettie Page at Magic 2010 and Viva Las Vegas 13, where Bettie in particular was a big hit! In the coming weeks we will be at C2E2 in Chicago, and we are looking forward to Comic-Con in San Diego.
Are there any new items under the radar that you can share with Pony Express?
Yes! Parasols. We have taken the classic Chinese parasol format and have created our own original designs. You won’t see cherry blossoms and dragons. We like the unusual! We have ten new and fresh Retro-a-go-go! parasols, and we had a prerelease of some of the designs at Viva Las Vegas. The girls love to carry them as a fashion accessory, especially to walk around at the hot-rod car shows. It’s a fresh item that isn’t out there everywhere. Whether you have tattoos or not, everyone wants to protect their skin from the sun. The Bettie Page parasols, with larger-than-life Bettie art (i.e., Bettie’s jet black hair with vibrant blue highlights), make a great decorating accessory for any studio, store, or home.
--David Scroggy