Karen Berger Leaving Vertigo

bbgunn · 03 December, 2012, 10:37:47 PM

Karen Berger has announced her departure from Vertigo http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=42478

I admire her work with the imprint and her contributions to comics, and I'm saddened by the news.

Professor Bear · 03 December, 2012, 10:47:29 PM

I'm sure Dan DiDio has a replacement with great ideas for the future already lined up.

Ancient Otter · 03 December, 2012, 10:48:27 PM

Whoever replaces her is going to have a heck of job trying to restore Vertigo to former glory if DC Comics is even bothered with it anymore.

gdwessel · 04 December, 2012, 04:07:27 AM

Yeah, Vertigo's toast. Between contract rejigging from Time-Warner Corporate, to the fact that of their 4 big 2012 premieres, one was yet another FABLES spinoff, and two others are over (only ONE of which was meant to be a miniseries, and the one that was supposed to be an "ongoing" lasted one issue less than the mini!)... yeah. Without Berger, time to put it to rest IMO.

Colin YNWA · 04 December, 2012, 08:36:48 AM

Its been on the cards. Wonder what she'll be moving onto?

Done many great things and you do wonder how long Vertigo will now last, but we'll see. Mind she doesn't like John Smith's work, if the rumours are to be believed, so she's not all good!

mygrimmbrother · 04 December, 2012, 09:15:14 AM

Would like to see American Vampire conclude, and hopefully not in a rushed fashion. Not really attached to any other Vertigo titles these days, though if it folds, it certainly leaves behind a fantastic back catalogue.

Link Prime · 04 December, 2012, 10:40:11 AM

Quote from: Colin_YNWA on 04 December, 2012, 08:36:48 AM
Its been on the cards. Wonder what she'll be moving onto?

I'm sure Eric Stephenson could find her a cosy office.

zombemybabynow · 04 December, 2012, 12:21:53 PM

QuoteI'm sure Dan DiDio has a replacement with great ideas

Didio, great ideas? surely an oxymoron? To me he seemed to simply steals Quesada's ideas eg. cup o' joe / dc nation?!

Professor Bear · 04 December, 2012, 01:31:49 PM

To be fair, it's always been a back and forth with DC/Marvel doing each others' ideas with their own characters - Marvel Now is basically just Nu 52, for instance.

My comment about DD was sarcastic. If rumor is to be believed, he really, really hates that Vertigo is seen as a separate company from DC and it's taken as granted that he wants to dismantle the Chinese wall between the two, which presumably means the current DC staffers will end up running Vertigo in the same way as they have DC for the last ten years.
You may make of that statement what you wish.

Ancient Otter · 04 December, 2012, 07:33:34 PM

Quote from: Link Prime on 04 December, 2012, 10:40:11 AMI'm sure Eric Stephenson could find her a cosy office.

He could, but does he need to? Image got on fine without her. Would they take her just to deny other publishers the chance?

Link Prime · 04 December, 2012, 07:49:58 PM

Quote from: Ancient Otter on 04 December, 2012, 07:33:34 PM
Quote from: Link Prime on 04 December, 2012, 10:40:11 AMI'm sure Eric Stephenson could find her a cosy office.

He could, but does he need to? Image got on fine without her. Would they take her just to deny other publishers the chance?

Good point.
Stephenson has certainly proven his editorial chops, but she'd be a damn good asset with the direction Image has taken.

gurnard · 05 December, 2012, 12:52:54 PM

The only thing that pissed me off in recent years is that fact that they killed Unknown Soldier and Air two very enjoyable books. I guess if they don't make the bread then they get dropped, just a little sad.

But they did give DMZ and Vikings in recent years which were also fantastic.

At the moment there is nothing from Vertigo that interests me which is a shame as it is somewhere where you can find gritty not afraid to step outside of comfort zone (politicly not just tits, arse and sex) books.

Professor Bear · 05 December, 2012, 03:18:04 PM

Vertigo has been sidelined in recent years by other companies with more attractive contracts for creators - Image is usually the first stop for anyone looking to publish creator-owned books, especially now with Walking Dead as a huge advertisement. By contrast, Vertigo's biggest success of late was the McGuyver-esque Human Target tv series that has nothing to do with the comics and made naff-all cash for Peter Milligan.

radiator · 05 December, 2012, 03:21:12 PM

Used to adore Vertigo in the late nineties, when Preacher, 100 Bullets and Transmetropolitan were all running.

Not much they've done has interested me since though, and I've tried.

SmallBlueThing · 05 December, 2012, 03:43:34 PM

Karen Berger going so soon after the announced cancellation of Hellblazer is interesting to say the least. What'll be even more so will be her first tell-all interview however many years down the line.
As far as im concerned the woman is twice the editor Dan Didio is at least, and i hope she immediately goes to Marvel and starts a whole new and wildly successful Epic Comics line. Or comes here and reinvigorates the non-prog uk industry.

SBT