PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Timbers and Portland Thorns FC once again have partnered with iconic, local comic book publisher Dark Horse Comics to create player-specific superheroes in recognition of National Superhero Day, it was announced today.

Timbers midfielder Sebastián Blanco and Thorns FC midfielder Lindsey Horan will both be transformed into superheroes and have alter-egos created by local artist Ron Chan. The collaboration will be launched on Sunday, April 28, on National Superhero Day, marking the second consecutive year in which the Timbers and Thorns FC have partnered with Dark Horse Comics. In 2018, Timbers midfielders Diego Chara and Diego Valeri and Thorns FC midfielder Tobin Heath and forward Christine Sinclair were each transformed into superheroes.

“We are excited to build upon the partnership with Dark Horse and continue this special collection to celebrate the club and athletes,” said Cory Dolich, Timbers and Thorns FC senior vice president of business operations and marketing. “Given the feedback and reaction from last year, it was an easy decision to extend the collaboration and grow our set of PTFC superheroes.”

As part of the project, comic book writer Paul Tobin created unique origin stories for each player, detailing the genesis of their individual superpowers. Blanco’s superhero, ‘The Mighty Blanco,’ is gifted with incredible strength and power, the ability to wield fire and the capacity to transform into a whirling titan on the field. Horan’s superhero, ‘The Great Horan,’ has special powers that allow her to transport herself through a portal anywhere on the field, that simultaneously enhance her strength, endurance, stamina and physical ability.

"Dark Horse is thrilled to be working with our friends from the Portland Timbers and Portland Thorns again this year,” said Mike Richardson, Dark Horse President and founder. “We're excited to once again combine the creative talent of our staff and talented creators at Dark Horse with the athletic prowess of the Timbers and Thorns players."

The special creative will be displayed on individual t-shirts featuring Blanco and Horan. Additionally, a commemorative scarf, t-shirt and individual patches will feature all six players, including last year’s group of superheroes – Chara, Heath, Sinclair and Valeri. Each product will be available in-person at the PTFC Team Store during regular business hours, and online at www.shopthornsfc.com, starting on Sunday, April 28, at 9 a.m. (Pacific). The commemorative scarf will also be available for purchase at www.MLSStore.com.

About Dark Horse Comics

Founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson, Dark Horse Comics is an excellent example of how integrity and innovation can help broaden a unique storytelling medium and transform a company with humble beginnings into an industry giant. Under a new partnership with Vanguard Visionary Associates, Dark Horse is positioned to further expand its reach globally with publishing, products, and filmed entertainment. Over the years, Dark Horse has published the work of creative legends such as Yoshitaka Amano, Margaret Atwood, Paul Chadwick, Geof Darrow, Will Eisner, Neil Gaiman, Dave Gibbons, Faith Erin Hicks, Kazuo Koike, Matt Kindt, Jeff Lemire, Mike Mignola, Frank Miller, Moebius, Chuck Palahniuk, Wendy Pini, and Gerard Way. In addition, Dark Horse has a long tradition of establishing exciting new creative talent throughout all of its divisions. The company has also set the industry standard for quality licensed comics, graphic novels, collectibles, and art books, including Aliens, Stranger Things, Avatar: The Last Airbender, The Legend of Korra, Predator, Minecraft, The Legend of Zelda, Super Mario, Dragon Age, James Cameron’s Avatar, Game of Thrones, Mass Effect, StarCraft, The Witcher, and Halo. Today, Dark Horse Comics is one of the world’s leading entertainment publishers.