Founded by Michael Dowers, Starhead was based in Seattle, Washington. Dowers and Darlrymple were also fellow employees at Amoeba Music. Self-described "hippie" Michael Dowers discovered minicomics in 1982 and was immediately enthralled by the form. Patterson quotes John Dowers words from his book War Without Mercy. In October 1810 Commander Henry Coxen replaced Dowers.