"You got to like your work. You have got to like what you are doing, you have got to be doing something worthwhile so you can like it . . . because it is worthwhile, that it makes a difference, don't you see?"
-Colonel Sanders
Good thing the Colonel liked chicken, huh?
Many of us in the comics and collectibles field grew into our jobs as an outgrowth of our hobbies, our passions. We have found a way to parlay an avocation into an occupation. It makes us feel pretty lucky, at least most of the time, and we are centered in the projects we do, and grateful for the opportunity.
In pursuing my own path for around thirty-five years, I have been able to work in a variety of capacities in the business: columnist, retailer, mail order, distribution, editorial, artist's agent, convention and trade show organizer, and, for the last decade, product development, making all sorts of collectibles and pop-merchandise items. Either I can't hold a job (likely) or have been blessed with opportunities.
The funny part is, I would probably have been involved with a lot of this stuff anyway, if only as a fan.
"I enjoy my work so much that I have to be pulled away from my work into leisure."
-Ralph Nader
One of the best parts of a long career path like this is that you meet a lot of interesting folks along the way. And some of them turn out to be your friends. That is nice, to be sure. But what might be even nicer is when childhood friends become your professional associates. Then you've really got it all.
That's the way it has turned out to be with me and Craig Yoe, and by extension the rest of the talented team at Yoe! Studio. I first met Craig in the seventh grade at Litchfield Junior High in Akron, Ohio. He heard that I liked comic books and collected them, and wanted to meet me to talk about them. We did, and found we had a lot of interests in common. Here we are in the art club at Firestone High, pictured with our soon-to-be-famous classmate Chrissie Hynde.
After getting out of high school (and Akron), our contact was sporadic, but every so often our paths would cross. Like when I was at Pacific Comics and we were doing a project with artist Rick Griffin, and lo and behold, Craig was rooming with him temporarily. Or seeing each other at one of the very first licensing shows in New York, which landed me an invitation to tour Jim Henson's legendary brownstone studio with Creative Vice President Craig Yoe as a guide.
When Craig set up Yoe! Studio, we would check in with each other periodically to see if there wasn't something we could collaborate on. Color me stupid, but since I always thought of Craig for his award-winning two-dimensional graphic design work, it took awhile for us to figure out that working on sculptural projects was a better fit. We tried a few projects, concentrating on the vintage cartoon material that Craig is a world-class expert at. The results spoke for themselves.
Craig also continued to produce numerous books by and about comics, as well as his lauded series published by Fantagraphics, Modern Arf. His efforts are online as well, as evidenced by the recently launched site on Krazy Kat artist George Herriman: http://www.georgeherriman.com
When Dark Horse President Mike Richardson proposed that we make retro-style statuettes in the manner of the 1940s Syroco premiums, I knew there was only one place to go for the creative--straight to Yoe! Studio. We began a series of limited-edition statuettes that has continued to this day, and has emerged as one of the most satisfying projects either of us has done.
Craig worked hard to capture just the right look and feel for the work. He didn't want to be too "slick"--he wanted to evoke the period look without trying to fool people that the pieces were really from that era, and of course he wanted to find a pose and the other nuances that would bring forward the essence of each individual character. When he arrived at a finish that was deliberately a little chunky, with visible seam lines and distressed paint application, that was perfect. Craig has called his approach "primitive but charming."
There have been other projects as well--ornaments, vinyl figures, and other versions of vintage characters like Little Lulu, Underdog, Mutts, and numerous others. The skills at capturing diverse art styles haven't been limited to vintage material, however. Yoe has also successfully, at Dark Horse's request, turned his hand to very modern artists' characters such as Gary Panter's Jimbo and Mark Beyer's Amy & Jordan, to name a few.
Craig has built a great team, who are helpful in many aspects of each job. Certainly all of us at Dark Horse would be lost without Jayne Antipow, for starters. But special acknowledgment must go to Yoe! Studio CEO Clizia Gussoni, otherwise known as "the brains of the outfit," who not only runs a tight ship up there in Peekskill, but is also a top creative talent in her own right. She met Craig at (where else?) an international comics conference in Lucca, Italy. One thing led to another, and now she is Mrs. Yoe as well as a business partner. Here they are with one of our Peanuts statuettes, which were a big joy to Clizia, who is a world-class Peanuts expert.
But at the end of the day, it is the Syroco-style statuettes that are the mainstay of the relationship. When I looked back on the whole list--see complete list below--it kind of snuck up on me that we have gone a long way toward capturing most of the greatest characters in newspaper strips and comic books. This was always Mike Richardson's vision for the project, and we are getting there. It has also been pointed out to us that we are quietly creating some of the most genuinely collectible items of the past decade. Time will tell how true that observation is, but it seems likely.
We are currently soliciting orders for a new series depicting characters from Matt Groening's The Simpsons. What fun! Here is Homer Simpson, and an advance look at the just-completed Lisa Simpson.
In addition, we have recently been awarded a license for and begun work on a new set of Syroco-style figures that is one of the ultimate properties a couple of old-time comic-book fans could ever work on--the incredible Duckburg denizens from Disney's Uncle Scrooge comics by the great Carl Barks. Wow!
To say that this is a labor of love is an understatement. We have an affinity for this material built on long familiarity, and our respect for the work of Barks is great. At Dark Horse, we seldom state up front that we think something will be collectible. Who knows? We feel that if you buy our books and products because you enjoy them, then you will always be happy to own them. Some may appreciate in price and some may not, but if you buy and collect what you truly enjoy then you will always be satisfied. With the classic Uncle Scrooge figurines, we are speculating that you will have the best of both worlds. Just like I have with my friend and colleague Craig Yoe.
-David Scroggy
"Nobody can give you advice after you've been collecting for a while. If you don't enjoy making your own decisions, you're never going to be much of a collector anyway."
-Charles Saatchi
Classic Comic Characters Series
#1 Krazy Kat
#2 Popeye
#3 Prince Valiant
#4 The Phantom
#5 Ignatz
#6 Olive Oyl
#7 Mandrake the Magician
#8 Li’l Abner
#9 Daisy Mae
#10 Dick Tracy
#11 Beetle Bailey
#12 Sarge
#13 Little Orphan Annie
#14 Flash Gordon
#15 Terry (Terry & the Pirates)
#16 Dragon Lady
#17 Fearless Fosdick
#18 Felix the Cat
#19 Dagwood
#20 Blondie
#21 Smokey Stover
#22 Wimpy
#23 Bluto
#24 Pogo
#25 Albert (from Pogo)
#26 Nancy
#27 Sluggo
#28 The Spirit
#29 Alley Oop
#30 Little Nemo
#31 Yellow Kid
#32 Little Lulu
#33 Tubby
#34 Tarzan
#35 Shmoo
#36 Ming the Merciless
#37 Jeep
#38 Offissa Pupp
#39 Buck Rogers
#40 Wilma Deering
#41 Popeye #2
#42 Alice the Goon
#43 Gasoline Alley (Walt)
#44 The Lone Ranger
#45 Tonto
#46 Dennis the Menace
#47 Barney Google
Kellogg's Series
#1 Tony the Tiger
#2 Sugar Pops Pete
#3 Smaxey the Seal
#4 Coco the Monkey
#5 Cornelius
#6 Snap
#7 Crackle
#8 Pop
Peanuts Series
#1 Charlie brown
#2 Lucy
#3 Linus
#4 Schroeder
#5 Pig Pen
#6 Peppermint Patty
#7 Snoopy
#8 Woodstock
#9 Marcie
#10 Sally
DC Comics Series
#1 Superman
#2 Batman
#3 Wonder Woman
#4 The Flash
Modern Comics Series
#1 Hellboy
#2 Bone
#3 Magnus Robot Fighter
#4 Sin City
#5 Conan
#6 Groo
#7 The Green Lama
#8 Grendel
#9 Elfquest
#10 Ghost
#11 The Goon
#12 The Rocketeer
Forthcoming:
Uncle Scrooge Series
#1 Uncle Scrooge
#2 Donald Duck
#3 Gyro Gearloose
#4 Magica De Spell
#5 Gladstone Gander
#6 Beagle Boy
Forthcoming:
The Simpsons
#1 Homer Simpson
#2 Lisa Simpson
#3 Marge Simpson (w/Maggie)
#4 Ned Flanders
#5 Mr. Burns
#6 Apu
#7 Itchy & Scratchy
#8 Bart Simpson
Additional characters TBA