Acme Press Ltd. (styled as ACME Press), later known as Acme Comics, was a British

comic book A comic book, also called comicbook, comic magazine or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) simply comic, is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are of ...

publisher Publishing is the activity of making information, literature, music, software and other content available to the public for sale or for free. Traditionally, the term refers to the creation and distribution of printed works, such as books, newsp ...

active from 1986 to 1995. The company's initial publication was ''

Speakeasy A speakeasy, also called a blind pig or blind tiger, is an illicit establishment that sells alcoholic beverages, or a retro style bar that replicates aspects of historical speakeasies. Speakeasy bars came into prominence in the United States d ...

'', a monthly

fanzine A fanzine (blend word, blend of ''fan (person), fan'' and ''magazine'' or ''-zine'') is a non-professional and non-official publication produced by fan (person), enthusiasts of a particular cultural phenomenon (such as a literary or musical genre) ...

of comics news and criticism. Acme published a number of

licensed A license (or licence) is an official permission or permit to do, use, or own something (as well as the document of that permission or permit). A license is granted by a party (licensor) to another party (licensee) as an element of an agreeme ...

comics featuring the British espionage properties

James Bond The ''James Bond'' series focuses on a fictional British Secret Service agent created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short-story collections. Since Fleming's death in 1964, eight other authors have ...

and

The Avengers Avenger, Avengers, The Avenger, or The Avengers may refer to: Arts and entertainment In the Marvel Comics universe * Avengers (comics), a team of superheroes ** Avengers (Marvel Cinematic Universe), a central team of protagonist superheroes o ...

. The company also published early work by popular British creators like

Alan Moore Alan Moore (born 18 November 1953) is an English author known primarily for his work in comic books including ''Watchmen'', ''V for Vendetta'', ''The Ballad of Halo Jones'', ''Swamp Thing'', ''Batman:'' ''The Killing Joke'', and ''From Hell' ...

Brian Bolland Brian Bolland (; born 26 March 1951)Salisbury, Mark, ''Artists on Comic Art'' (Titan Books, 2000) , p. 11 is a British comics artist. Best known in the United Kingdom as one of the definitive Judge Dredd artists for British comics anthology '' 2 ...

, and

Warren Pleece Warren Pleece is a British comics artist. He is best known for his work at the DC Comics imprint Vertigo and the 2012–16 Irish novel series ''Zom-B''. Biography Warren, with his brother Gary Pleece, wrote and drew three issues of a self-publi ...

, and it published English translations of some European comics. In the latter half of its existence, Acme formed relationships with American independent publishers

Eclipse Comics Eclipse Comics was an American comic book publisher, one of several independent publishers during the 1980s and early 1990s. In 1978, it published the first graphic novel intended for the newly created comic book specialty store market. It was ...

and

Dark Horse Comics Dark Horse Comics is an American comic book, graphic novel, and manga publisher founded in Milwaukie, Oregon by Mike Richardson in 1986. The company was created using funds earned from Richardson's chain of Portland, Oregon comic book shops known ...

, enabling Acme's comics to be distributed in the United States. Acme operated a comics retail location in

South London South London is the southern part of London, England, south of the River Thames. The region consists of the Districts of England, boroughs, in whole or in part, of London Borough of Bexley, Bexley, London Borough of Bromley, Bromley, London Borou ...

from 1987 to 1995, also sponsoring a gallery in the basement which featured exhibitions of original comic book art.

History

Origins

Acme Press had its origins in Acme Comics, a comics

direct market The direct market is the dominant distribution and retail network for American comic books. The concept of the direct market was created in the 1970s by Phil Seuling. The network currently consists of: * four major comic distributors: ** Lunar ...

service set up 1984 by Richard Ashford, publisher of the fanzine ''

'' (launched in 1979). Meanwhile, Bambos Georgiou, Richard "Dick" Hansom, and Cefn Ridout were all contributors to ''Speakeasy''. Acme Press itself was founded in 1986 as a publishing

cooperative A cooperative (also known as co-operative, co-op, or coop) is "an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly owned and democratically-control ...

by Ashford, Bambos, Hansom, and Ridout. At this point, with the experience of having put out ''Speakeasy'' for close to seven years, the founders felt the time was ripe to branch out into monthly comics publishing. Acme Press' editorial board members included Ian Abbinnett, Alan Cowsill, Andrew Currie, and HansomAcme Press entry
''Who's Who of American Comic Books, 1928–1999''. Retrieved Jan. 8, 2020. (who also served as editorial director for the company's entire existence).Hansom entry
''Who's Who of American Comic Books, 1928–1999''. Retrieved Jan. 8, 2020. (Bambos stayed with the company until 1988, Ashford appears to have left around 1989, and Ridout departed in 1992.) In 1986, Acme secured

distribution Distribution may refer to: Mathematics *Distribution (mathematics), generalized functions used to formulate solutions of partial differential equations * Probability distribution, the probability of a particular value or value range of a vari ...

for ''Speakeasy'' and its proposed new comics line through

Titan Distributors Titan Distributors was a British comic book distributor which existed from 1978 to 1993, when it was acquired by a larger U.S. distributor. Operated by Nick Landau, Mike Lake, and Mike Luckman, Titan Distributors supplied comics, science fiction, ...

.Curson, Natasha
"Adventures in comics with Acme Press,"
Natasha Curson blog (July 29, 2010). At that point the co-operative also added Titans employee Nigel Curson to its board. (Curson left the company in 1989.) Under the new distribution arrangement, ''Speakeasy'' won the Eagle Award for Favourite Specialist Comics Publication four out of five years, in 1986, 1987, 1988, and 1990. The first comics title Acme published was

's '' Maxwell the Magic Cat'',KF/RF. "Newswatch: Notes From Various Publishers," ''The Comics Journal'' #112 (Oct. 1986), p. 18. a four-issue collection of humorous

comic strips A comic strip is a Comics, sequence of drawings, often cartoons, arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often Serial (literature), serialized, with text in Speech balloon, balloons and Glossary of comics ter ...

originally published in the weekly '' Northants Post'' (and previously reprinted in ''Speakeasy''). The fourth volume of ''Maxwell the Magic Cat'' contained a gallery of Maxwell illustrations by the likes of Kevin O'Neill, David Lloyd,

Gilbert Shelton Gilbert Shelton (born May 31, 1940) is an American cartoonist and a key member of the underground comix movement. He is the creator of the iconic underground characters ''The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers'', '' Fat Freddy's Cat'', and ''Wonder W ...

, John Ridgway,

Graham Higgins Graham Higgins (born 1953) is a British writer and artist, designer and lecturer. Biography Higgins' association with comics began with independent publishers Birmingham's Ar-Zak Press and Knockabout Comics. He has drawn cartoons and covers for ...

Phil Elliott Phil Elliott (born 1960) is a British comic book creator who was published in ''Escape Magazine''. He was part of the British small press comics scene in the 1980s. Career After contributing spot illustrations to comic fanzines such as '' Bemusi ...

Rian Hughes Rian Hughes is a British graphic designer, illustrator, type designer, comics artist and novelist. Overviews Hughes has written and drawn comics for '' 2000 AD'', Vertigo CMYK and Batman: Black and White, and designed for DC Comics and Marvel ...

, and

. In March 1987 Acme debuted ''Kiss of Death'',"Newswatch World: British Black-and-Whites After Market Collapse," ''The Comics Journal'' #116 (July 1987), p. 131. a

horror comics Horror comics are comic books, graphic novels, black-and-white comics magazines, and manga focusing on horror fiction. In the US market, horror comic books reached a peak in the late 1940s through the mid-1950s, when concern over content and the ...

anthology featuring the artwork of

John Watkiss John Watkiss (28 July 1961 – 20 January 2017) was a British artist, known for his painting and his work in comics and film production. His career led him from artist for graphic novels to storyboard artist and character designer. He is arguabl ...

. ''Kiss of Death'' was planned as a three-issue limited series but only published two issues. (It was completed in ''Last Kiss'', co-published with

in 1988.) That year the company also published its first translation: ''

Kogaratsu ''Kogaratsu'' is a comics series created by the Belgian comics creators Bosse (pseudonym of Serge Bosmans) and Michetz (pseudonym of Marc Degroide). Overview ''Kogaratsu'' is about a mercenary named Nakamura Kogaratsu. Caught in a fratricidal wa ...

'', a popular Franco-Belgian

samurai were the hereditary military nobility and officer caste of medieval and early-modern Japan from the late 12th century until their abolition in 1876. They were the well-paid retainers of the '' daimyo'' (the great feudal landholders). They h ...

title by Bosse (Serge Bosmans) and Michetz (Marc Degroide). Another title published by Acme was 1989's ''Lea: The Confessions of Julius Antoine'', by

Serge Le Tendre Serge Le Tendre (born 1 December 1946) is a French comics writer known from his collaborations with Régis Loisel, Pierre Makyo, Christian Rossi and TaDuc. He wrote a number of series together with Rodolphe (comics), Rodolphe. Biography Serge Le ...

and Christian Rossi, an English translation of a French comics album; the book was distributed in the U.S. by

Fantagraphics Books Fantagraphics (previously Fantagraphics Books) is an American publisher of alternative comics, classic comic strip anthologies, manga, magazines, graphic novels, and the erotic Eros Comix imprint. History Founding Fantagraphics was found ...

. ''Lea'' won the 1990

UK Comic Art Award The UK Comic Art Award was a British awards for achievement in comic books. Winners were selected by an open vote among British comic book professionals (creators, editors, and retailers); the awards were given out on an annual basis from 1990 to 1 ...

for Best Translated Graphic Novel. The Acme founders split editorial duties on the various titles, French translations were by Hansom, and many books were lettered by Bambos.

Retail location

Acme opened a retail location, also called Acme Comics, in 1987 at 391

Coldharbour Lane Coldharbour Lane is a road in south London, England, that leads south-westwards from Camberwell to Brixton. The road is over long with a mixture of residential, business and retail buildings - the stretch of Coldharbour Lane near Brixton Ma ...

Brixton Brixton is a district in south London, part of the London Borough of Lambeth, England. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London. Brixton experienced a rapid rise in population during the 19th ce ...

,Brooks, Brad! "International Spotlight: Frank Bellamy: ''Dan Dare'' Artist Exhibited at South London Gallery," ''The Comics Journal'' #131 (Sept. 1989), pp. 13–14.

. At one point, future comics writer

Alan Mitchell Alan Mitchell may refer to: * Alan Mitchell (botanist) * Alan Mitchell (comics) * Alan Mitchell (politician) Alan E. Mitchell is a Canadian former politician. He represented the electoral district of Dartmouth-Cole Harbour in the Nova Scotia Hou ...

worked as Acme's shop manager. Acme sponsored The Basement Gallery below the shop, which held exhibitions by such artists as

Dave McKean David McKean (born 29 December 1963) is an English illustrator, photographer, comic book artist, graphic designer, filmmaker and musician. His work incorporates drawing, painting, photography, collage, found objects, digital art, and sculpt ...

, and

Frank Bellamy Frank Bellamy (21 May 1917 Khoury, George. ''True Brit: Celebrating The Comic Book Artists Of England'' (TwoMorrows Publishing, 2004). – 5 July 1976) was a British comics artist, best known for his work on the ''Eagle'' comic, for which h ...

. Acme effectively closed the Basement Gallery during the Frank Bellamy exhibition on September 3rd 1989 due to flooding the previous night. The comic shop struggled on till early 1995 when it was closed due to a combination of poor management and low sales."NEWSWATCH: British Adult Newsstand Comics Face Tough Times: ''Crisis'' Folds; Fleetway Merges," ''The Comics Journal'' #146 (Nov. 1991), p. 22.

Acme/Eclipse

In the late 1980s, Acme Video was formed. In partnership with C.A. Productions, Acme Video produced and sold four comics-related

videotapes Videotape is magnetic tape used for storing video and usually sound in addition. Information stored can be in the form of either an analog or digital signal. Videotape is used in both video tape recorders (VTRs) and, more commonly, videocassette ...

, called ''Comic Profiles'', on such topics as '' 2000 AD'',

Will Eisner William Erwin Eisner (March 6, 1917 – January 3, 2005) was an American cartoonist, writer, and entrepreneur. He was one of the earliest cartoonists to work in the American comic book industry, and his series ''The Spirit'' (1940–1952) was no ...

, ''

Watchmen ''Watchmen'' is an American comic book Limited series (comics), maxiseries by the British creative team of writer Alan Moore, artist Dave Gibbons and colorist John Higgins (comics), John Higgins. It was published monthly by DC Comics in 1986 a ...

'', and

. In 1988 the British market for black-and-white comics collapsed. As a result, Acme partnered with the American independent publisher

("Eclipse International") to distribute Acme's comics in the American market. Highlights from that era included ''

Power Comics Power Comics was an imprint (trade name), imprint of the British comics publisher Odhams Press (itself a division of IPC Magazines) that was particularly notable for its use of material reprinted from American Marvel Comics. Appearing chiefly du ...

'', a four-issue superhero title by writers Don Avenall and

Norman Worker Norman Worker (1927 – 5 February 2005) was a British comic book writer, best known for his work on comic books featuring Lee Falk's ''The Phantom''. Norman was born in Kent, England, in 1927. When he was 17 years old, he fought in World War II ...

, with art by

Dave Gibbons David Chester Gibbons (born 14 April 1949) is an English comics artist, writer and sometimes letterer. He is best known for his collaborations with writer Alan Moore, which include the miniseries ''Watchmen'' and the Superman story "For the Man ...

and

. The title was originally published in

Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...

in 1975, and the title's character's names was changed from "Powerman" to "Powerbolt" to avoid confusion with the character

Luke Cage Lucas "Luke" Cage, born Carl Lucas and also known as Power Man, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He first appeared in ''Luke Cage, Hero for Hire'' #1 (June 1972) and was created by Archie Go ...

(also called "Power Man"), published by

Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is an American comic book publishing, publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Co ...

. Another notable title from the Acme/Eclipse era was ''Aces'', a five-issue black-and-white anthology of serialized Jazz Age genre stories which were originally published in Europe. Among its features were "Hollywood Eye," by Francois Rivière,

Jean-Louis Bouquet Jean-Louis Bouquet (1900–1978) was a French screenwriter.Grieveson & Kramer p.352 He also edited and directed some films. Selected filmography * '' The City Destroyed'' (1924) * '' Mandrin'' (1924) * ''Temptation'' (1929) * ''The Drunkard'' (1 ...

, and Philippe Berthet; "Air Mail" by Attilio Micheluzi; and "Morgan" by

Antonio Segura Antonio Segura (June 13, 1947 – January 31, 2012) was a Spanish comics writer. Biography Antonio Segura's earliest work appeared in the early 1980s after meeting the experienced artists José Ortiz, Luis Bermejo and Leopoldo Sanchez who we ...

and José Ortiz. In 1989 Acme struck up a relationship with

John Brown Publishing John Brown Media is one of the world's largest content marketing agencies. While originally formed as a magazine company, the company creates multichannel content for various brands, witincluding social media, film and audio, mobile. Based in La ...

, co-publishing with JBP the two-issue anthology ''Point Blank'', which promoted itself as "The Best of European Strip Art". Creators included Ruben Pellejero &

Jorge Zentner Jorge Zentner (born 1953) is an Argentine comic writer and the creator of the Dieter Lumpen character. ...

, and

Giancarlo Berardi Giancarlo Berardi (born 15 November 1949) is an Italian comic book writer. Born in Genoa, he is most famous as creator of comics '' Ken Parker'' (1977) and ''Julia Julia is usually a feminine given name. It is a Latinate feminine form of th ...

Ivo Milazzo Ivo Milazzo (born 20 June 1947) is an Italian comic book artist. Born in Tortona, Milazzo worked mainly for Sergio Bonelli Editore. He debuted in 1971, drawing some ''Tarzan'' stories for the French market. Together with his friend, writer Gianc ...

. This title was also distributed in the U.S. via Eclipse. Acme also sold ''Speakeasy'' to JPB in 1989. In 1989 Acme acquired the comics license for

. Hiring American artist

Mike Grell Mike Grell (born September 13, 1947) is an American comic book writer and artist, known for his work on books such as '' Green Lantern/Green Arrow'', '' The Warlord'', and '' Jon Sable Freelance''. Early life Grell studied at the University of W ...

(with Ashford doing the script adaptation), the company commissioned the official comics adaptation of the newest Bond film, ''

Licence to Kill ''Licence to Kill'' is a 1989 spy film, the sixteenth in the ''James Bond'' series produced by Eon Productions, and the second and final film to star Timothy Dalton as the MI6 agent James Bond. It sees Bond suspended from MI6 as he pursues t ...

''. After Acme and Eclipse co-published the 44-page, hardcover color

graphic novel A graphic novel is a long-form, fictional work of sequential art. The term ''graphic novel'' is often applied broadly, including fiction, non-fiction, and anthologized work, though this practice is highly contested by comic scholars and industry ...

adaptation they went on to published Grell's three-issue series ''James Bond: Permission to Die'' — the first James Bond comic book storyline not adapted from a previous work — from 1989 to 1991. Acme licensed the British ''

'' television show characters for the three-issue limited series ''

Steed and Mrs. Peel ''The Avengers'' is a British espionage television series, created in 1961, that ran for 161 episodes until 1969. It initially focused on David Keel (Ian Hendry), aided by John Steed ( Patrick Macnee). Hendry left after the first series; Steed ...

'' in 1990–1992. The series featured the three-part story, "The Golden Game," in issues #1–3, by

Grant Morrison Grant Morrison, MBE (born 31 January 1960) is a Scottish comic book writer, screenwriter, and producer. Their work is known for its nonlinear narrative A narrative, story, or tale is any account of a series of related events or experiences, w ...

; and a two-part story, "A Deadly Rainbow," in issues #2–3, by Anne Caulfield; both had art by Ian Gibson. In 1990 Acme teamed with Eclipse to release

Eddie Campbell Eddie Campbell (born 10 August 1955) is a British comics artist and cartoonist who now lives in Chicago. Probably best known as the illustrator and publisher of ''From Hell'' (written by Alan Moore), Campbell is also the creator of the semi-au ...

's ''The Complete Alec'', which collected three previous "Alec" publications — ''Alec'' (1984), ''Love and Beerglasses'' (1985), and ''Doggie in the Window'' (1986) — together with some unpublished material. The collection won the 1991

for Best Graphic Novel Collection."British Awards Announced," ''The Comics Journal'' #142 (June 1991), p. 17. Acme/Eclipse published ''Velocity'' #4 in 1991. Written by Gary Pleece and illustrated by

, it was the "first U.S. issue" of what had previously been the brother's self-publishing venture from 1987 to 1989. A satirical collection of stories, there were no recurring characters, but many recognizable caricatures from politics and pop culture. Acme reorganized in 1991, changing its name from Acme Press to Acme Comics.

Dark Horse/Acme

Acme's relationship with Eclipse ended in 1992 (Eclipse would go defunct a year later), and Acme struck up a new arrangement with another up-and-coming American black-and-white publisher,

. With Dark Horse, Acme acted more as a packager rather than a co-publisher. (The Acme logo was styled to look like a Dark Horse imprint.) The comics the two companies produced were strictly James Bond titles (edited by Hansom) and the nine-issue series ''Lux & Alby Sign on and Save the Universe'', by

Martin Millar Martin Millar is a Scottish writer from Glasgow, now resident in London. He also writes the '' Thraxas'' series of fantasy novels under the pseudonym Martin Scott. The novels he writes as Martin Millar dwell on urban decay and British sub-cult ...

and Simon Fraser. (Another James Bond story, "Operation Miasma" by

Doug Moench Douglas Moench (; born February 23, 1948) is an American comic book writer notable for his ''Batman'' work and as the creator of Moon Knight, Deathlok, Black Mask, ''Electric Warrior'' and ''Six from Sirius''. He is also known for his critically ...

and

Russ Heath Russell Heath Jr. (September 29, 1926 – August 23, 2018), was an American artist best known for his comic book work, particularly his DC Comics war stories and his 1960s art for ''Playboy'' magazine's "Little Annie Fanny" feature. He also prod ...

, appeared in the ''Dark Horse Comics'' anthology, issue #25, published Sept. 1994.) Co-founder Dick Hansom, though not technically working for Acme at the time, edited

Bryan Talbot Bryan Talbot (born 24 February 1952) is a British comics artist and writer, best known as the creator of ''The Adventures of Luther Arkwright'' and its sequel '' Heart of Empire'', as well as the ''Grandville'' series of books. He collaborated ...

's ''

The Tale of One Bad Rat ''The Tale of One Bad Rat'' is a 4-issue comic book Limited series (comics), limited series by Bryan Talbot. It was first published by Dark Horse Comics in 1994 and later brought out in a collected edition. The story is about a victim of child abu ...

'', published by Dark Horse in 1994–1995. Acme's partnership with Dark Horse lasted until 1995.

Closure and further careers of the founders

Acme went defunct in 1995. Co-founders Ashford, Ridout, and Bambos all found work in the mainstream comics industry for a time. Bambos left Acme in 1988, moving on to Dave Elliott and

Garry Leach Garry Leach (19 September 1954 – 26 March 2022) was a British comics artist and publisher. Biography Garry Leach's early work for ''2000 AD'' included mainly one-off stories featuring '' Dan Dare'' and '' M.A.C.H. 1''.Atomeka Press Atomeka Press is a British publisher of comic books set up in 1988 by Dave Elliott and Garry Leach. Atomeka ceased publishing in 1997, was briefly revived from 2002 to 2005 and revived again in 2013. History Atomeka was established as a compan ...

, where he worked until 1990. During this period he also produced the ''Blimey! It's Slimer!'' strip for

Marvel UK Marvel UK was an imprint of Marvel Comics formed in 1972 to reprint US-produced stories for the British weekly comic market. Marvel UK later produced original material by British creators such as Alan Moore, John Wagner, Dave Gibbons, Steve Dill ...

's ''

The Real Ghostbusters ''The Real Ghostbusters'' is an American animated television series, a spin-off/sequel of the 1984 comedy film ''Ghostbusters''. The series ran from September 13, 1986, to October 5, 1991, and was produced by Columbia Pictures Television and DI ...

'' comic. In the early 1990s, he found some work as a cover inker for

.Bambos entry
''Who's Who of American Comic Books, 1928–1999''. Retrieved Jan. 8, 2020. Ashford appears to have left Acme around 1989. He had latched on with Marvel in 1988, first as an editorial assistant with the company until 1991. He worked freelance as an assistant editor at Marvel from 1991 to 1994, while performing the same duties at DC Comics.Ashford entry
''Who's Who of American Comic Books, 1928–1999''. Retrieved Jan. 8, 2020. Ashford wrote the Marvel title ''

Excalibur Excalibur () is the legendary sword of King Arthur, sometimes also attributed with magical powers or associated with the rightful sovereignty of Britain. It was associated with the Arthurian legend very early on. Excalibur and the Sword in th ...

'' in late 1993/early 1994 (succeeding

Scott Lobdell Scott Lobdell (; born 1960) is an American comic book writer and screenwriter known for his work on numerous ''X-Men'' series for Marvel Comics in the 1990s, various work for DC Comics in the 2010s, namely ''Red Hood and the Outlaws, Teen Titans ...

in that role), and then edited Marvel's '' Conan the Adventurer'' series during its 14-episode run in 1994–1995. Ridout appears to have left Acme after the Eclipse era. He wrote a two-part

Scarlet Witch Scarlet Witch (Wanda Maximoff) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby. Her first appearance was in ''The X-Men'' #4 (March 1964) ...

story in ''

Marvel Comics Presents ''Marvel Comics Presents'' was an American comic book anthology series published by Marvel Comics originally from 1988 to 1995. It returned for a second volume in 2007–2008, and a third volume that started in 2019. Volume 1 The first volume ...

'' in 1993, and worked as an editor for

(on the '' Doctor Who: Classic Comics'' series) in 1994. He wrote the '' Fury/Black Widow: Death Duty'' graphic novel (which was edited by Ashford), published by Marvel in 1995.Ridout entry
''Who's Who of American Comic Books, 1928–1999''. Retrieved Jan. 8, 2020.

Notable creators associated with Acme

* John M. Burns *

* Simon Fraser *

* Ian Gibson *

Paul Gulacy Paul Gulacy (; born August 15, 1953) is an American comics artist best known for his work for DC Comics and Marvel Comics, and for drawing one of the first graphic novels, Eclipse Enterprises' 1978 '' Sabre: Slow Fade of an Endangered Species'', ...

Simon Jowett Simon Jowett is a British author and scriptwriter. Biography His early work was in comics, as the writer of the James Bond stories ''Silent Armageddon'' (1993, drawn by John M. Burns) and ''Shattered Helix'' (1994, drawn by David Jackson, ove ...

* David Lloyd *

Don McGregor Donald Francis McGregor (born June 15, 1945) is an American comic book writer best known for his work for Marvel Comics; he is the author of one of the first graphic novels. Early life Don McGregor was born in Providence, Rhode Island, where he w ...

Titles published

Acme Press

* ''Kiss of Death'' (2 issues, March 1987– May 1987) — horror title by

* ''

: Lotus Blood'' (1 issue, 1987) — samurai title by Bosse (Serge Bosmans) and Michetz (Marc Degroide); translated from the French by Dick Hansom * ''Lea: The Confessions of Julius Antoine'' by

and Christian Rossi (1 issue, 1989); translated from the French edition ''Les errances de Julius Antoine'' (Albin Michel, 1985) by Dick Hansom — distributed in the U.S. by

* '' Maxwell the Magic Cat'' (4 issues, 1986–1987) by

Eclipse/Acme

* ''Aces'' (5 issues, April 1988–Dec. 1988) * ''The Complete Alec'' by

(GN, 1990) * '' James Bond 007: Licence to Kill'' by

(1 issue, 1989) * '' James Bond: Permission to Die'' by

(3 issues, 1989–1991) * ''Last Kiss'' (1 issue, 1988) — 48 p. horror anthology illustrated by

* ''

'' (4 issues, Mar. 1988–Sept. 1988) * ''Point Blank'' (2 issues, 1989) — reprinted from ''Cairo'' #32 (

Norma Editorial Norma Editorial is a Spanish comics publisher, with its headquarters in Barcelona.Home
Norma Editori ...

), and '' Heavy Metal'' magazine vol. 11, #3 (Fall 1987); co-published with

* ''Rael: Into the Shadow of the Sun'' (1988) by

Colin Wilson Colin Henry Wilson (26 June 1931 – 5 December 2013) was an English writer, philosopher and novelist. He also wrote widely on true crime, mysticism and the paranormal, eventually writing more than a hundred books. Wilson called his phil ...

— originally published in 1984 in France; English translation by Dick Hansom * ''Sam Bronx and the Robots'' by

Serge Clerc Serge Clerc (born 12 October 1957) is a French comic book artist and illustrator. Serge Clerc began his professional career in 1975 in the monthly magazine '' Métal Hurlant'', after having created his own fanzine, ''Absolutely Live''. Initially a ...

(GN, Dec. 1989) — originally published in French in 1981 as ''Sam Bronx et les Robots''; English translation by Dick Hansom * ''The Science Service'' (1 issue, May 1989) by John Freeman and

— "Collection Atomic Comics" * ''

'' (3 issues, 1990–1992) * ''Stormwatcher'' (4 issues, Apr. 1989–Dec. 1989) — written by Acme board members Alan Cowsill and Ian Abbinnett; art by board member Andrew Currie * ''Velocity'' by Gary and

(1 issue, Feb. 1991) — labeled issue #4

Dark Horse/Acme

* '' James Bond 007: Serpent's Tooth'' by

and

(3 issues, July 1992–Feb. 1993) — "Serpent's Tooth" (issue #1), "Blooded in Eden" (#2), and "Mass Extinction" (#3) * ''James Bond 007: A Silent Armageddon'' by

and John M. Burns (2 issues, Mar. 1993–May 1993) * ''James Bond 007: Shattered Helix'' by

, David Jackson, and David Lloyd (2 issues, June 1994-July 1994) — conclusion of ''Silent Armageddon'' storyline * '' James Bond 007: The Quasimodo Gambit'' by

and Gary Caldwell (3 issues, Jan. 1995-May 1995) * ''Lux & Alby Sign on and Save the Universe'' by

and Simon Fraser (9 issues, Apr. 1993–May 1994)

''Comic Profiles'' video tapes

; In partnership with C.A. Productions * Comic Profiles 1. ''10 Years of 2000 AD — a Video Celebration'' — featuring

, Kevin O'Neill, Alan Grant, Mike McMahon,

Pat Mills Patrick Eamon Mills (born 1949) is an English comics writer and editor who, along with John Wagner, revitalised British boys comics in the 1970s, and has remained a leading light in British comics ever since. He has been called "the godfather o ...

, John Sanders,

Martin Barker Martin Barker (20 April 1946 – 8 September 2022) was a British scholar of media studies and cultural studies. He was an Emeritus Professor at Aberystwyth University, having previously taught at the University of the West of England and the Uni ...

Cam Kennedy Campbell ("Cam") Kennedy is a Scottish comics artist. He is best known for his work on '' 2000 AD'', especially the flagship titles ''Judge Dredd'' and ''Rogue Trooper''. Biography Following work in commercial art in his hometown of Glasgow, ...

Mike Baron Mike Baron (born July 1, 1949) is an American comic book writer. He is the creator of ''Badger'' and the co-creator of ''Nexus'' with Steve Rude. Biography Mike Baron entered the comics industry with an illustrated text piece in ''Weird Trips Ma ...

, and

Richard Burton Richard Burton (; born Richard Walter Jenkins Jr.; 10 November 1925 – 5 August 1984) was a Welsh actor. Noted for his baritone voice, Burton established himself as a formidable Shakespearean actor in the 1950s, and he gave a memorable pe ...

* Comic Profiles 2. ''

— A Life of Sequential Art'' — featuring Moore, Mills, Gibbons, O'Neill,

Art Spiegelman Art Spiegelman (; born Itzhak Avraham ben Zeev Spiegelman on February 15, 1948) is an American cartoonist, editor, and comics advocate best known for his graphic novel ''Maus''. His work as co-editor on the comics magazines ''Arcade (comics maga ...

John Bolton John Robert Bolton (born November 20, 1948) is an American attorney, diplomat, Republican consultant, and political commentator. He served as the 25th United States Ambassador to the United Nations from 2005 to 2006, and as the 26th United Stat ...

Trina Robbins Trina Robbins (born Trina Perlson; August 17, 1938, in Brooklyn, New York) is an American cartoonist. She was an early participant in the underground comix movement, and one of the first female artists in that movement. In the 1980s, Robbins beca ...

Walt Simonson Walter Simonson (born September 2, 1946) is an American comic book writer and artist, best known for a run on Marvel Comics' ''Thor'' from 1983 to 1987, during which he created the character Beta Ray Bill. He is also known for the creator-owned w ...

Chris Claremont Christopher S. Claremont (; born November 25, 1950) is a British-born American comic book writer and novelist, known for his 17-year stint on ''Uncanny X-Men'' from 1975 to 1991, far longer than that of any other writer,Claremont, Chris. ''Marvel ...

Bill Sienkiewicz Boleslav William Felix Robert Sienkiewicz ( ; born May 3, 1958) is an American artist known for his work in comic books—particularly for Marvel Comics' ''New Mutants'', '' Moon Knight,'' and '' Elektra: Assassin''. Sienkiewicz's work in the 198 ...

, and many more * Comic Profiles 3. ''Watch the Men — Dave Gibbons and Alan Moore'' — behind-the-scenes interviews with Moore and Gibbons, creators of ''

'' * Comic Profiles 4. ''Alan Moore — Iconoclasm at the I.C.A.'' — 40-minute "chat" with Moore

References

Notes

Sources consulted

* * * *

External links

''Last Kiss''
at Total Eclipse blog {{DEFAULTSORT:Acme Press Defunct comics and manga publishing companies Comic book publishing companies of the United Kingdom 1986 establishments in the United Kingdom 1995 disestablishments in the United Kingdom

Acme Comics Acme Press Ltd. (styled as ACME Press), later known as Acme Comics, was a British comic book publisher active from 1986 to 1995. The company's initial publication was ''Speakeasy'', a monthly fanzine of comics news and criticism. Acme published ...

Publishing companies established in 1986 Publishing companies disestablished in 1995 Acme Press

History

Origins

Retail location

Acme/Eclipse

Dark Horse/Acme

Closure and further careers of the founders

Notable creators associated with Acme

Titles published

Acme Press

Eclipse/Acme

Dark Horse/Acme

''Comic Profiles'' video tapes

Further reading

References

Notes

Sources consulted

External links