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Graphic Novel Publishers
More than 125 publishers produce and distribute Graphic Novels nationwide in the United States. A handful of large companies dominate the industry; most of the remaining players are small firms who publish one or two titles apiece.
Analysts typically divide the industry into two segments: MAJOR PUBLISHERS and the so-called INDEPENDENTS.
For most of the past three decades, two of the major publishers (the Big Two) have enjoyed a combined market share of more than 80% of total industry sales.
Major Publishers
DC Comics
The largest comics publisher in the U.S., in terms of total size and market share. Subsidiary of Time Warner.
DC also publishes under the Vertigo and Wildstorm imprints:
- Vertigo - Vertigo is DC's label for comics dealing with mature themes, including adult situations and language and extreme violence. Vertigo titles do not carry the seal of the Comics Code Authority.
- Wildstorm - Recently acquired from Image Comics, the Wildstorm umbrella includes several additional imprints: America's Best Comics, Homage, and Cliffhanger.
| Representative DC titles Action Comics Batman Batgirl Batman Gotham Knights Birds of Prey Detective Comics The Flash Hitman Impulse JLA JSA Legion of Super-Heroes Martian Manhunter Nightwing Robin Starman Supergirl Superman Titans Wonder Woman |
Representative Vertigo titles 100 Bullets Books of Magic The Dreaming Hellblazer Preacher Transmetropolitan Selected Wildstorm titles Astro City Battle Chasers Crimson Gen13 Leave It to Chance Planetary Promethea The Authority Tom Strong Top 10 |
Marvel Comics
Marvel is the second largest comics publisher in America, having lost the number one spot to DC in recent years. In 1999, Marvel emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization, and the company continues to publish a wide array of top-selling titles.
Archie Comic Publications
Unlike most comics publishers, most of Archie's revenues come from sales to "newsstand" distributors rather than Graphic Novel stores. Although it is difficult to estimate the company's total share of industry sales, Archie is believed to be the third largest comics publisher in America. The adventures of Archie Andrews and his Riverdale friends have sold continuously for nearly 60 years, and remain as popular as ever.
Archie Comics are the most steadfastly kid-friendly comics on the market, and the publisher works assiduously to maintain its wholesome reputation.
The company publishes an extensive line of titles in the Archie "family," including several Digest editions. A handful of non-Archie books are also produced, most notably Sonic the Hedgehog and Sabrina the Teenage Witch.
The publisher has also issued a series of trade paperback compilations, called the Archie American Series, reprinting the best stories from prior decades.
Over its long history, Archie also produced a variety of super-hero titles, such as the Fly and the Adventures of the Jaguar, but has not done so in recent years.
Representative Archie titles |
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| Archie Archie and Friends Archie's Pal Jughead Betty Betty and Veronica Cheryl Blossom Veronica |
Archie Digest Archie Double DIgest Betty and Veronica Digest Jughead Digest Laugh Digest |
Slightly more than a decade old, Dark Horse has emerged as one of America's leading comics publishers. The company is best known for it licensed products (Graphic Novel adaptations of movie and television characters), but they also publish a diverse line of other comics, including manga-style comics and many creator-owned titles.
Formed in 1992 as a consortium of independent artists' studios, Image was the third-largest comics publisher for most of the 1990s. In early 1999, the largest of the Image studios (Wildstorm) was acquired by rival DC Comics. Remaining Image owners include such fan-favorite artists as Todd MacFarlane, Erik Larsen, and Marc Silvestri.
Representative Image titles: |
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| Alley Cat Aria Crimson The Crow Dark Minds The Darkness Fathom Go Girl! Lady Pendragon Mage: the Hero Discovered More than Mortal Neon Cyber Powers |
Savage Dragon Red Star Rising Stars Rumble Girls Sam and Twitch Section Zero Shock Rockets Spawn Tellos The Tenth Warlands Witchblade |
Manga Publishers
"Manga," is the Japanese word for Graphic Novel. Depending on which interpretation you prefer, the term roughly translates as "picture book," "motionless picture entertainment," or "random pictures." In the United States, manga refers to Japanese comics which have been translated into English. The phrase "Ameri-manga" is a term coined to describe Graphic Novels written and drawn by westerners in the Japanese style.
The following companies comprise the leading publishers of manga in the United States.
- Viz Communications
An American subsidiary of the Japanese firm Shogakukan Inc., Viz is the largest manga publisher in the U.S. Best known as the force behind the Pokemon craze, Viz has been publishing manga in the U.S. since 1986. Popular titles include:
- CPM Manga
This company and its parent, Central Park Media, publish both manga and anime for the American market. Popular titles include:
- Dark Horse Comics
Best known as a publisher specializing in Graphic Novels of licensed characters, such as Star Wars, Aliens, and Predator, Dark Horse also produces an impressive manga line. Popular titles include:
- Blade of the Immortal
- The Dirty Pair
- Ghost in the Shell
- Gunsmith Cats
- Oh My Goddess
- Shadow Lady
- Blade of the Immortal
- Mixx Entertainment
Los Angeles-based Mixx is an Internet entertainment company specializing in Japanese popular culture for the U.S. market, and is best known for its Tokyopop.com Web site. Mixx also maintains the U.S. license for several leading manga series. Popular titles include:
- Cardcaptor Sakura
- Ice Blade
- Magic Knight Ray Earth
- Sailor Moon
- Cardcaptor Sakura
- Antarctic Press
Best known as a publisher specializing in Graphic Novels of licensed characters, such as Star Wars, Aliens, and Predator, Dark Horse also produces an impressive manga line. Popular titles include:
- Gold Digger
- Ninja High School
- The Courageous Princess
- Warrior Nun Areala
- Gold Digger
Selected Independent Publishers
- Acclaim
Once one of the larger comics publishers in the country, Acclaim now issues few titles, most of which involve characters from the video games produced by its parent company. Popular titles are Turok, Shadow Man, and cult favorite Quantum & Woody.
- Antarctic
Primarily noted for Ameri-manga titles, such as Gold Digger and Ninja High School. Other major titles include the unique, alternative history fantasy Luftwaffe 1946, "nuns-with-guns" prototype Warrior Nun Areala, and slice-of-life romance Box Office Poison.
- Astonish Comics
Newer independent company focusing on comics for younger readers. Primary titles are the critically acclaimed Hero Bear and the Kid, by Mike Kunkel and Zoom's Academy for the Super Gifted by Jason Lethcoe.
- Awesome
Founded by controversial artist Rob Liefeld, Awesome publishes super-hero, bad-girl, and supernatural titles aimed at teenage boys, with stories big on drama and action. Titles include Awesome Adventures, Coven, Kaboom, Re-Gex, and Supreme.
- Bongo Entertainment
Matt Groening, creator of "The Simpsons" TV show, the "Life in Hell" comic strip, and other modern-day classics, publishes his own line of Graphic Novels, based on his work but typically written and drawn by others. Ongoing titles include the flagship Simpsons comic, Bart Simpson, Futurama, and an annual Halloween special called Bart Simpson's Treehouse of Horror.
- Cartoon Books
This company is best known as the self-publishing vehicle for Jeff Smith's hugely successful Bone comics. Smith has recently begun publishing works of other creators with similar sensibilities, most notably Linda Medley's wonderful Castle Waiting series.
- Caliber
One of the most consistently diverse independent publishers. Current and former titles include Pakkins' Land (fantasy adventure), the Explorers (action-adventure), Saint Germaine (supernatural), and the Maze Agency (detective). Under the Tome imprint, Caliber publishes a line of literary, historical, biographical, and art comics, whose range is unique in today's market. Examples of Tome titles include the Sherlock Holmes Reader, Legends of Camelot, the Alamo, and the Art of Frederic Remington.
- Chaos!
Violent or ultra-violent supernatural fare with a strong teen following. Representative titles include Evil Ernie, Lady Death, and the Undertaker.
- Cross Plains Comics
Award-winning publishing arm of Robert E. Howard Properties, which maintains the rights to works by the late pulp fiction writer best known as the creator of Conan. Cross Plains produces annotated, beautifully illustrated , prestige format comics such as Robert E. Howard's Worms of the Earth.
- CrossGen Comics
Launched in 2000 with considerable marketing fanfare, financial backing, and experienced creative talent, CrossGeneration Comics (CrossGen) hopes to become a major force in Graphic Novel publishing. Its leading series weave an interrelated tale of star-spanning sword and sorcery, but each title in the line can be read independently of the others. Current titles include Meridian, Mystic, The First, Scion, and The Sigil.
- Event Comics
Small, traditional publisher known for strong stories and outstanding art. Major titles are Painkiller Jane (female bounty hunter) and Ash (super-hero). Latter title notable for its positive portrayal of professional firefighters (the protagonist works as a fireman).
- Fantagraphics
Large publisher of alternative comics, best known for Acme Novelty Library, Eightball, Hate, Love and Rockets. Fantagraphics also publishes the award-winning nonfiction works of Joe Sacco, including Safe Area Gorazde and Palestine.
- Harris Publications
Best known as the long-time publisher of Vampirella, the sexy, scantily clad alien vampire. Also publishes Vampi, a teenage sci-fi version of the character drawn in the manga style.
- NBM Publishing
Book publisher Nantier, Beall, Minoustchine (NBM) specializes in paperback and hardcover graphic novels for different age groups. Genres include realistic fiction, mystery, fantasy, science fiction, humor, children's literature, and adaptations of classic literature. Among the outstanding titles in their backlist are Vittorio Giardino's acclaimed A Jew in Communist Prague, P. Craig Russell's adaptation of Fairy Tales of Oscar Wilde, and Will Eisner's Last Knight: An Introduction to Don Quixote.
- Oni Press
This relative newcomer has received critical acclaim for its diverse line of quality comics, most of which are limited series. Recent examples include the raunchy humor of Jay and Silent Bob, the gripping police-procedural of Whiteout, the espionage action of Queen & Country, the youthful humor of Alison Dare, the super-hero parody of Grrl Scouts, and the historical adventure of the Marquis.
- Quadre Enterprises
A small, independent book publisher specializing in children's books and illustrated nonfiction, Quadre is notable for its "Heritage Collection" series: meticulously detailed military history titles published as prestige format Graphic Novels. Among the titles in this series are Antietam: The Fiery Trial; Blockade; and The War in Korea.
- Sirius
Publishes innovative, high quality fantasy tales for a variety of tastes, from charming children's adventures to sword and sorcery with a cynical twist. Major titles are Akiko, Klor, Poe, Poison Elves, Scary Godmother, and Dawn.
- Slave Labor Graphics
Focuses on dark and twisted humor for older readers. Representative titles of this type include Milk & Cheese, Dork, Johnny the Homicidal Maniac, Lenore, and Squee. A newer, more serious title for older teens is Gloomcookie. SLG also publishes humor titles suitable for younger readers, including Patty Cake and Little Gloomy.
Unlike the book publishing community, the Graphic Novel industry accepts self-publishing as a respectable outlet for creative effort. Experienced, talented Graphic Novel professionals often publish their own work as a means of realizing their artistic vision without editorial interference from mainstream publishers. Most self-published comics are created using the same professional, high-quality production standards as titles from major publishers. Many have enjoyed long-lived commercial success and/or critical acclaim. In fact, some of the most original, exciting, and groundbreaking comics in today's marketplace result from self-publishing activity.The following list represents a selective, though representative look at some of the best self-published comics available in recent years.
- Aardvark-Vanheim
Cerebus (Dave Sim)
- Abiogenesis
Strangehaven (Gary Spencer Millidge)
- Abstract Studio
Strangers in Paradise (Terry Moore)
- Active Synapse
Clan Apis (Jay Hosler)
- Adhesive Comics
Too Much Coffee Man (Shannon Wheeler)
- AiT/Planet Lar
Astronauts in Trouble (Larry Young)
- Basement Comics
Cavewoman (Budd Root)
- Blindwolf Comics
Patrick the Wolf Boy (Art Baltazar)
Weirdsville (Franco Aureliani)
- Crusade Comics
Shi (Billy Tucci)
- Cryptic Press
Quicken Forbidden (Dave Roman and John Green)
- Cup O' Tea Studios
Xeno's Arrow (Gregg Beetham and Stephen Geigen Miller)
- Dork Storm
Dork Tower (John Kovalic)
- El Capitan Books
Stray Bullets (David Lapham)
- Exhibit A Press
Supernatural Law (Batton Lash)
- Helikon Comics
Galaxion (Tara Tallan)
- I Box Publishing
Thieves and Kings (Mark Oakley)
- Insight Studios
Liberty Meadows (Frank Cho)
- Lethargic Comics
Lethargic Lad (Greg Hyland)
- Mighty Gremlin
Electric Girl (Michael Brennan)
- New England Comics
The Tick (Ben Edlund)
- Studio Foglio
Girl Genius (Phil and Kaja Foglio)
Buck Godot, Zap Gun for Hire (Phil Foglio)
- Warp Graphics
Elfquest (Wendy and Richard Pini)
