Bob Schreck
A comic book editor with a punk-rock spirit who helped launch the careers of indie darlings and mainstream superheroes alike.
Born 1955 (age 71)·American comic book writer and editor·Birthday: February 2·Baby Boomers
Biography
Bob Schreck's career is a roadmap of modern comics' evolution. Starting at the indie haven Pacific Comics, he became a defining force at Dark Horse in the 1990s, where his taste for bold, creator-driven work helped shape the era's aesthetic. He didn't just follow trends; he built platforms, co-founding Oni Press to give even more unconventional stories a home. His move to DC Comics brought that indie sensibility to the heart of the superhero establishment, where he guided landmark runs like Frank Miller's 'All Star Batman & Robin'. Known for his sharp eye and unwavering support for talent, Schreck has spent decades operating as a crucial bridge between comics' rebellious underground and its corporate summits.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Bob was born in 1955, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Bob Was Born
The biggest hits of 1955
#1 Movie
Lady and the Tramp
Best Picture
Marty
#1 TV Show
The $64,000 Question
Bob's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1955Born
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1960Started school
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1968Became a teenager
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1971Could drive
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1973Could vote
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1976Turned 21
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1985Turned 30
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1995Turned 40
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2005Turned 50
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2015Turned 60
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
2025Turned 70
AI agents go mainstream
Gas: $3.10/galHome: $385,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"APT." — Rose & Bruno Mars
2026Age 71 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as a founding editor of Oni Press, a pivotal independent comics publisher.
- As a senior editor at DC Comics, oversaw the Batman line and edited Frank Miller's 'All Star Batman & Robin'.
- During his tenure at Dark Horse Comics, edited major titles like 'The Mask' and 'Grendel'.
- Currently serves as Deputy Director of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, advocating for free speech in comics.
Did You Know?
He was the initial editor for Mike Mignola's 'Hellboy' at Dark Horse Comics.
He is frequently credited with helping to popularize the 'prestige format' for comic books.
He worked as a manager at a comic book store, Comic Relief, before breaking into publishing.
“Good comics come from creators who have something urgent to say.”
