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There have been a lot of changes at Dark Horse Comics in the past decade; even more so for those on the inside. The company has just moved to report to its fourth parent company in the past eight years, it lost the decades-long deal for creator-owned work by Frank Miller, its founder/former owner was ousted earlier this year, and its retail store division was announced to be closing (not selling off) just a few weeks back. You can see from all of this that they're concerned, and why a majority of them have started a union to more adequately talk to the large corporation they find themselves in. While they were preparing for a protracted period to get Dark Horse to formally recognize the union so it could enter negotiations, the new interim CEO has surprised more than a few people by recognizing the workers' union and opening the door to negotiations for better working conditions.

But in the formal letter recognizing the union, Dark Horse's interim CEO Jay Komas is also trying to distinguish the 'old' Dark Horse from the 'new' Dark Horse he's in charge of.

"I understand the employees’ disappointment with how issues have historically been addressed," Komas says, seemingly referring to the company's singular boss for the past 40 years, Mike Richardson. "You’ve taken this step because you believe Dark Horse can be better. So do I."

Related: After the Dark Horse boss shakeup, Hellboy creator & owner Mike Mignola hopes for the best but "time will tell"

Komas refers to circumstances at Dark Horse prior to his joining, where workers were led to be "carrying burdens that were not always fairly distributed because they believed in what Dark Horse stood for," and "accepting conditions, absorbing uncertainty..."

Komas is uniquely equipped for this part of the business. For over 20 years, he was head of legal and business affairs for quite a few major companies — Electronic Arts, Activision Blizzard, LucasArts, Google — all of which have significant dealings with various unions. Komas has 32 years as a member of California's State Bar, and has kept up his license even while moving beyond the corporate legal department and into a larger business role.

Related: Dark Horse fired its founder, but Mike Richardson isn’t leaving the building ... because he still owns it

Komas also made it a point that his letter to the Union be released on the Dark Horse website, and while the letter is addressed to the union, it also squarely talks to creators, licensors, and fans - and uses his decision to recognize the union as a selling point in the new management style coming to Dark Horse.

"Voluntary recognition is an unusual step for employers, but in doing so Dark Horse intends to reaffirm its commitment that this new leadership wants to do things differently and enter into good-faith bargaining," writes Komas. "Not because we are required to, but because it is the right thing to do. The path to a strong Dark Horse runs through a workforce that feels heard, respected, and genuinely invested in the company's future, not one that feels like it must fight just to be seen."

Taking Komas' letter as it is, this new Dark Horse interim CEO frames the upcoming negotiations with the Dark Horse Workers United union as more of a collaboration than a competition, which, if it holds up, would be good for all of them... and all of us.

Get ready for what's next with our list to upcoming comics and how to buy comics at a comic shop.