CBR Discusses "Itty Bitty Mask" With Mike Richardson

08/07/2014 12:36pm
A quick glance around the office of Dark Horse Comics president and publisher Mike Richardson will tell you -- he's undeniably passionate about comics. Its walls covered in original art from various Dark Horse projects across the years, along with licensed products, newspaper clippings and movie posters, Richardson's office is a historical vault of his company's history, and one character in particular holds a special place among the dozens and dozens of items: The Mask. Whether it's a replica of the green mask on top of Richardson's coat rack, or a framed newspaper piece about the movie behind his desk, it's easy to see the character's importance to Richardson and the publisher.
His love for The Mask is certainly justified -- created by Richardson in 1982 and popularized in comics by John Arcudi and Doug Mahnke, the character became a mainstream phenomenon thanks to "The Mask" film starring Jim Carrey. Though it's been quite some time since the character was seen in comics, Dark Horse is set to bring him back in November for "Itty Bitty Mask" by Art Baltazar and Franco, a series in the same vein as the duo's "Itty Bitty Hellboy."
"We love the work that Art and Franco had been doing on the 'Itty Bitty' comics," Richardson told CBR News. "In fact, we're planning a whole line. We've been talking about reviving The Mask, both in film and in comics. We've had a couple of false starts. The Mask has become something bigger than when we started. Of course, everyone remembers the original movie with Jim [Carrey] and Cameron [Diaz]. It's shown constantly on television, so there's that impression that people have of the character. There's also the comics version of the character that isn't necessarily the yellow zoot-suited film Mask."
Richardson, his voice soft but determined, went on to describe the "Itty Bitty" program as "the perfect vehicle to bring the character back."
"We can have a lot of fun, and it doesn't have to be canon," he said. "It's a fun comic, where we take the 'Itty Bitty' concept and apply it to a well-known character."
Mike Richardson discusses Dark Horse's upcoming "Itty Bitty Mask" series, how it opens the door for more "Mask" comics and the launch of a new "Itty Bitty" line.

By Steve Sunu

A quick glance around the office of Dark Horse Comics president and publisher Mike Richardson will tell you -- he's undeniably passionate about comics. Its walls covered in original art from various Dark Horse projects across the years, along with licensed products, newspaper clippings and movie posters, Richardson's office is a historical vault of his company's history, and one character in particular holds a special place among the dozens and dozens of items: The Mask. Whether it's a replica of the green mask on top of Richardson's coat rack, or a framed newspaper piece about the movie behind his desk, it's easy to see the character's importance to Richardson and the publisher.

His love for The Mask is certainly justified -- created by Richardson in 1982 and popularized in comics by John Arcudi and Doug Mahnke, the character became a mainstream phenomenon thanks to "The Mask" film starring Jim Carrey. Though it's been quite some time since the character was seen in comics, Dark Horse is set to bring him back in November for "Itty Bitty Mask" by Art Baltazar and Franco, a series in the same vein as the duo's "Itty Bitty Hellboy."

"We love the work that Art and Franco had been doing on the 'Itty Bitty' comics," Richardson told CBR News. "In fact, we're planning a whole line. We've been talking about reviving The Mask, both in film and in comics. We've had a couple of false starts. The Mask has become something bigger than when we started. Of course, everyone remembers the original movie with Jim [Carrey] and Cameron [Diaz]. It's shown constantly on television, so there's that impression that people have of the character. There's also the comics version of the character that isn't necessarily the yellow zoot-suited film Mask."

Richardson, his voice soft but determined, went on to describe the "Itty Bitty" program as "the perfect vehicle to bring the character back."

"We can have a lot of fun, and it doesn't have to be canon," he said. "It's a fun comic, where we take the 'Itty Bitty' concept and apply it to a well-known character."

Read the full interview with Mike Richards at CBR.

"Itty Bitty Mask" debuts November 12.

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dark horse comics mike richardson mask Announce CBR itty bitty
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