Alternative comics cover a range of

American comics American comics may refer to: *History of American comics *American comic book An American comic book is a thin periodical originating in the United States, on average 32 pages, containing comics. While the form originated in 1933, American com ...

that have appeared since the 1980s, following the

underground comix Underground comix are small press or self-published comic books that are often socially relevant or satirical in nature. They differ from mainstream comics in depicting content forbidden to mainstream publications by the Comics Code Authority, ...

movement of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Alternative comics present an alternative to mainstream

superhero A superhero or superheroine is a stock character that typically possesses ''superpowers'', abilities beyond those of ordinary people, and fits the role of the hero, typically using his or her powers to help the world become a better place, ...

comics which in the past have dominated the American comic book industry. Alternative comic books span a wide range of

genre Genre () is any form or type of communication in any mode (written, spoken, digital, artistic, etc.) with socially-agreed-upon conventions developed over time. In popular usage, it normally describes a category of literature, music, or other for ...

s, artistic styles, and subjects. Alternative comics are often published in small numbers as the author(s) deem fit. They are often published with less regard for regular distribution schedules. Many alternative comics have variously been labelled post-underground comics, independent comics, indie comics,

auteur An auteur (; , 'author') is an artist with a distinctive approach, usually a film director whose filmmaking control is so unbounded but personal that the director is likened to the "author" of the film, which thus manifests the director's unique ...

comics,

small press A small press is a publisher with annual sales below a certain level or below a certain number of titles published. The terms "indie publisher" and "independent press" and others are sometimes used interchangeably. Independent press is general ...

comics, new wave comics, creator-owned comics, art comics, or literary comics. Many

self-published Self-publishing is the publication of media by its author at their own cost, without the involvement of a publisher. The term usually refers to written media, such as books and magazines, either as an ebook or as a physical copy using POD (pri ...

minicomic A minicomic is a creator-published comic book, often photocopied and stapled or with a handmade binding. In the United Kingdom and Europe the term small press comic is equivalent with minicomic, reserved for those publications measuring A6 (105& ...

s" also fall under the "alternative" umbrella.

From underground to alternative

By the mid-1970s, artists within the

scene felt that it had become less creative than it had been in the past. According to

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 ...

, "What had seemed like a revolution simply deflated into a lifestyle. Underground comics were stereotyped as dealing only with sex, dope and cheap thrills. They got stuffed back into the closet, along with bong pipes and

love beads Love beads are one of the traditional accessories of hippies. They consist of one or more long strings of beads, frequently handmade, worn around the neck by both sexes. The love bead trend probably evolved from the hippie fascination with non-W ...

, as things started to get uglier." In an attempt to address this, underground cartoonists moved to start magazines that anthologized new, artistically ambitious comics in the 1980s. ''

RAW Raw is an adjective usually describing: * Raw materials, basic materials from which products are manufactured or made * Raw food, uncooked food Raw or RAW may also refer to: Computing and electronics * .RAW, a proprietary mass spectrometry dat ...

'', a lavishly produced, large format anthology that was clearly intended to be seen as a work of art was founded by Spiegelman and his wife

Françoise Mouly Françoise Mouly (; born 24 October 1955) is a Paris-born New York-based designer, editor, and publisher. She is best known as co-founder, co-editor, and publisher of the comics and graphics magazine ''Raw'' (1980–1991), as the publisher of ...

in 1980. Another magazine, '' Weirdo'', was started by the leading figure in underground comix,

Robert Crumb Robert Dennis Crumb (; born August 30, 1943) is an American cartoonist and musician who often signs his work R. Crumb. His work displays a nostalgia for American folk culture of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and satire of contem ...

, in 1981. These magazines reflected changes from the days of the underground comix. They had different formats from the old comix, and the selection of artists differed, too. ''RAW'' featured many European artists, ''Weirdo'' included photo-funnies and strange

outsider art Outsider art is art made by self-taught or supposedly naïve artists with typically little or no contact with the conventions of the art worlds. In many cases, their work is discovered only after their deaths. Often, outsider art illustrates e ...

-type documents. '' Elfquest'' was based on a science fiction/fantasy theme with powerful female and male characters of varied races and cultures, and done in a bright and colourful

manga Manga (Japanese: 漫画 ) are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long prehistory in earlier Japanese art. The term ''manga'' is u ...

-like style. The underground staples of sex, drugs and revolution were much less in evidence. More emphasis was placed on developing the craft of comics drawing and storytelling, with many artists aiming for work that was both subtler and more complex than was typical in the underground. This was true of much of the new work done by the established comix artists as well as the newcomers: Art Spiegelman's ''

Maus ''Maus'' is a graphic novel by American cartoonist Art Spiegelman, serialized from 1980 to 1991. It depicts Spiegelman interviewing his father about his experiences as a Polish Jew and Holocaust survivor. The work employs postmodern technique ...

'', much celebrated for bringing a new seriousness to comics, was serialized in ''RAW.'' While fans debate the origins of self-publishing in the comics industry, many consider

Dave Sim Dave Sim (born 17 May 1956) is a Canadian cartoonist and publisher, best known for his comic book ''Cerebus'', his artistic experimentation, his advocacy of self-publishing and creators' rights, and his controversial political and philosophical b ...

an early leader in this area. Starting in 1977, he primarily wrote, drew and published ''

Cerebus the Aardvark ''Cerebus'' (; also ''Cerebus the Aardvark'') is a comic book series created by Canadian cartoonist Dave Sim, which ran from December 1977 until March 2004. The title character of the 300-issue series is an anthropomorphic aardvark who takes on ...

,'' on his own under the "Aardvark-Vanaheim Inc." imprint and announcing he would publish 300 issues of the series consecutively, something unheard of at the time for a self-published book. Sim is known for his activism in favor of

creators' rights In the United States, creator ownership in comics is an arrangement in which the comic book creator retains full ownership of the material, regardless of whether the work is self-published or published by a corporate publisher. In some fields of ...

and his outspoken nature in regards to the industry. He often used the back of his comic to deliver "messages from the President", which were sometimes editorials concerning the comics industry and

self-publishing Self-publishing is the publication of media by its author at their own cost, without the involvement of a publisher. The term usually refers to written media, such as books and magazines, either as an ebook or as a physical copy using POD (pr ...

Wendy Wendy is a given name now generally given to girls in English-speaking countries. In Britain, Wendy appeared as a masculine name in a parish record in 1615. It was also used as a surname in Britain from at least the 17th century. Its popularity ...

and

Richard Pini Wendy Pini ''née'' Fletcher, (born June 4, 1951) and Richard Pini (born July 19, 1950) are the husband-and-wife team responsible for creating the well-known ''Elfquest'' series of Comic book, comics, graphic novels and prose works. They are al ...

founded

WaRP Graphics WaRP Graphics, later Warp Graphics, is an alternative comics publisher best known for creating and being the original publisher of the '' Elfquest'' comic book series. It was created and incorporated in 1977 by Wendy and Richard Pini. The company ...

, one of the early American independent comics publishers, in 1977 and released the first issues of their long-running series, ''Elfquest'', in February 1978. They followed with titles such as ''

MythAdventures ''MythAdventures'' or ''Myth Adventures'' is a fantasy series created by Robert Asprin, Robert Lynn Asprin. After twelve novels by Asprin, published 1978 to 2002, he and Jody Lynn Nye continued the series with seven more books. After his death i ...

'' and related titles by

Robert Asprin Robert Lynn Asprin (June 28, 1946 – May 22, 2008) was an American science fiction and fantasy author and active fan, known best for his humorous series '' MythAdventures'' and '' Phule's Company''. Background Robert Asprin was born in St. J ...

; and ''

Thunder Bunny Thunderbunny is a comic book about a boy who transforms into a superhero resembling a large pink humanoid rabbit. It was created by Martin Greim. Publication history Thunderbunny's first appearance published by a major company was '' Charlton Bull ...

'', created by

Martin Greim Martin may refer to: Places * Martin City (disambiguation) * Martin County (disambiguation) * Martin Township (disambiguation) Antarctica * Martin Peninsula, Marie Byrd Land * Port Martin, Adelie Land * Point Martin, South Orkney Islands Aust ...

WaRP Warp, warped or warping may refer to: Arts and entertainment Books and comics * WaRP Graphics, an alternative comics publisher * ''Warp'' (First Comics), comic book series published by First Comics based on the play ''Warp!'' * Warp (comics), a ...

was also the original publisher of ''

A Distant Soil ''A Distant Soil'' is an epic space opera comic book series published by American company Image Comics, combining science fiction and fantasy with Arthurian themes. It is written and illustrated by Colleen Doran. "A forerunner of queer-friendly c ...

'' by

Colleen Doran Colleen Doran is an American writer-artist and cartoonist. She illustrated hundreds of comics, graphic novels, books and magazines, including the autobiographical graphic novel of Marvel Comics editor and writer Stan Lee entitled ''Amazing Fant ...

. As an alternative to most of the masculine-themed comics of its time – and even to this day – ''Elfquest'' became enormously popular among female comic book fans around the world, while also drawing a solid male fan base. WaRP Graphics paved the way for many independent and alternative comic book creators who came after them. At its peak in the mid-1980s, ''Elfquest'' was selling 100,000 copies per issue in the initial print run, attracting one of the largest followings of any direct-sale comic. Most issues up to No. 9 saw multiple printings. It was the visible success of ''Elfquest'' that inspired many other writers and artists to try their own hand at self-publishing.

Kevin Eastman Kevin Brooks Eastman (born May 30, 1962) is an American comics artist, comic book artist and writer best known for co-creating the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles with Peter Laird. Eastman was also formerly the editor and publisher of the magazine ...

and

Peter Laird Peter Alan Laird (born January 27, 1954) is an American script (comics), comic book writer and comics artist, artist best known for co-creating the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles with writer and artist Kevin Eastman. Early life and career Laird wa ...

's ''

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles ''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'' is an American media franchise created by the comic book artists Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. It follows Leonardo (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), Leonardo, Michelangelo (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), Miche ...

'', a series by

Mirage Studios Mirage Studios was an American comic book company founded in 1983 by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird in Dover, New Hampshire. The company was best known for the ''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'' (''TMNT'') comic book series and the subsequent franc ...

, was very influential on a new generation of creators and became a huge success story of self publishing. Jeff Smith, a friend of Dave Sim, was also very influential in self-published comics, creating the highly popular and long-lived ''

Bone A bone is a Stiffness, rigid Organ (biology), organ that constitutes part of the skeleton in most vertebrate animals. Bones protect the various other organs of the body, produce red blood cell, red and white blood cells, store minerals, provid ...

''. As with Sim with ''Cerebus'' and unlike mainstream comic books stories with their spontaneously generated and rambling narratives, Smith produced ''Bone'' as a story with a planned end. The publishing house

Fantagraphics 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 ...

published the work of a new generation of artists, notably '' Love and Rockets'' by the brothers

Jaime Jaime is a common Spanish and Portuguese male given name for Jacob (name), James (name), Jamie, or Jacques. In Occitania Jacobus became ''Jacome'' and later ''Jacme''. In east Spain, ''Jacme'' became ''Jaime'', in Aragon it became ''Chaime'', and i ...

Gilbert Gilbert may refer to: People and fictional characters * Gilbert (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters *Gilbert (surname), including a list of people Places Australia * Gilbert River (Queensland) * Gilbert River (South ...

and Mario Hernandez.

Dan DeBono Daniel DeBono (born November 13, 1964 in Detroit, Michigan) is an American writer and novelist. Early life Daniel DeBono grew up in Chesterfield, Michigan. He graduated from L'anse Creuse High School North and attended Wayne State University, In ...

published ''Indy – The Independent Comic Guide'', a magazine covering only independent comics starting in 1994. It ran for 18 issues and featured covers by

Daniel Clowes Daniel Gillespie Clowes (; born April 14, 1961) is an American cartoonist, graphic novelist, illustrator, and screenwriter. Most of Clowes's work first appeared in '' Eightball'', a solo anthology comic book series. An ''Eightball'' issue typical ...

, Tim Vigil,

Drew Hayes Lawrence Andrew "Drew" Hayes (July 20, 1969 – March 21, 2007) was a writer and graphic artist who is best known as the creator of the long-running independent comic book series ''Poison Elves'' . Hayes began self-publishing ''I, Lusiphur'' ...

William Tucci William Tucci is an illustrator, writer, and filmmaker best known for his creator-owned title and character, '' Shi''. Career Tucci founded Crusade Comics in Bayport, New York Its flagship title, '' Shi'', debuted in March 1994. Publisher To ...

, Jeff Smith and Wendy and Richard Pini. Alternative comics have increasingly established themselves within the larger culture, as evidenced by the success of the feature film '' Ghost World'' based on one of the best selling alternative titles, '' Eightball'', by Daniel Clowes and the cross-genre success of the book ''

Jimmy Corrigan, the Smartest Kid on Earth ''Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth'' is a graphic novel by American cartoonist Chris Ware. Pantheon Books released the book in 2000 following its serialization in the newspaper ''Newcity'' and Ware's ''Acme Novelty Library'' series. ...

'', by

Chris Ware Franklin Christenson "Chris" Ware (born December 28, 1967) is an American cartoonist known for his ''Acme Novelty Library'' series (begun 1994) and the graphic novels ''Jimmy Corrigan, the Smartest Kid on Earth'' (2000), ''Building Stories'' (2012 ...

, a story that was serialized in Ware's comic,

Acme Novelty Library ''Acme Novelty Library'' is a comic book series created by Chicago cartoonist Chris Ware. Its first issue appeared in 1993. Published from 1994 by Fantagraphics Books and later self-published, it is considered a significant work in alternative c ...

Image Comics Image Comics is an American comic book publisher and is the third largest comic book and graphic novel publisher in the industry in both unit and market share. It was founded in 1992 by several high-profile illustrators as a venue for creator-ow ...

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 ...

publish many alternative comics. Notable examples include

Stan Sakai is a Japanese-born American cartoonist and comic book creator. He is best known as the creator of the comic series ''Usagi Yojimbo''. Career He began his career by lettering comic books (notably ''Groo the Wanderer'' by Sergio Aragonés and Mar ...

's ''

Usagi Yojimbo is a comic book series created by Stan Sakai. It is set primarily at the beginning of the Edo period of Japanese history and features anthropomorphic animals replacing humans. The main character is a rabbit ''rōnin'', Miyamoto Usagi, whom Sak ...

'',

Sergio Aragonés Sergio Aragonés Domenech ( , ; born September 6, 1937) is a Spanish/Mexican cartoonist and writer best known for his contributions to '' Mad'' magazine and creating the comic book ''Groo the Wanderer''. Among his peers and fans, Aragonés is w ...

's ''

Groo the Wanderer ''Groo the Wanderer'' is a fantasy/comedy comic book series written and drawn by Sergio Aragonés, rewritten, co-plotted and edited by Mark Evanier, lettered by Stan Sakai and colored by Tom Luth. Over the years it has been published by Pacific C ...

'', and

James O'Barr James O'Barr (born January 1, 1960) is an American comics artist, writer and graphic artist, best known as the creator of the comic book series ''The Crow''. Early life O'Barr, an orphan, was raised in the foster care system. Career In 1978, O' ...

's ''

The Crow The Crow is a supernatural superhero comic book series created by James O'Barr revolving around the titular character of the same name. The series, which was originally created by O'Barr as a means of dealing with the death of his fiancée at t ...

''.

Oni Press Oni Press is an American independent comic book and graphic novel publisher based in Portland, Oregon. In 2019, it became an imprint label following the company's merger with Lion Forge Comics. The merged company, Oni–Lion Forge Publishing Grou ...

used the term "real mainstream", coined by

Stephen Holland Stephen Roy Holland, OAM (born 31 May 1958) is an Australian former freestyle swimmer of the 1970s who won a bronze medal in the 1500 m freestyle at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal. In a brief and spectacular career, he broke 12 world r ...

of the UK comic shop Page 45, to describe its output. Traditional American comic books regard

titles as "mainstream" and all other genres as "non-mainstream", a reversal of the perception in other countries. Oni Press therefore adopted the "real mainstream" term to suggest that it publishes comic books and graphic novels whose subject matter is more in line with the popular genres of other media: thrillers, romances, realistic drama and so on. Oni Press avoids publishing superhero, fantasy and science fiction titles, unless interesting creators approach these concepts from an unusual angle.

Top Shelf Productions Top Shelf Productions is an American publishing company founded in 1997, originally owned and operated by Chris Staros and Brett Warnock and a small staff. Now an imprint of IDW Publishing, Top Shelf is based in Marietta, Georgia. Top Shelf pub ...

has published many notable alternative comics such as Craig Thompson's ''

Blankets A blanket is a swath of soft cloth large enough either to cover or to enfold most of the user's body and thick enough to keep the body warm by trapping radiant body heat that otherwise would be lost through convection. Etymology The term ...

'' and

Alex Robinson Alex Robinson (born August 8, 1969) is an American comic book writer and artist. Early life Alex Robinson grew up in Yorktown Heights, New York, and graduated from Yorktown High School in 1987. After a year spent at SUNY Brockport, he went to t ...

's ''

Box Office Poison ''Box Office Poison'' is a series of comic books (originally published by Antarctic Press) by Alex Robinson. It was published in collected form by Top Shelf Productions in 2001. The story concerns the life and trials of a group of young people in ...

''. In 2010 they branched out into unusual Japanese manga, with the release of ''AX:alternative manga'' (edited by Sean Michael Wilson). This 400-page collection received a high level of critical praise.

List of publishers

:''Though categories might overlap, this list makes a division between more strictly "alternative" comics and independent publishers operating primarily in the action-adventure, crime, horror and movie/TV-tie in genres.''

Alternative comics

Alternative Comics Alternative comics cover a range of American comics that have appeared since the 1980s, following the underground comix movement of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Alternative comics present an alternative to mainstream superhero comics which ...

(1993–present) *

L'Association L'Association is a French publishing house located in Paris which publishes comic books. It was founded in May 1990 by Jean-Christophe Menu, Lewis Trondheim, David B., Mattt Konture, Patrice Killoffer, Stanislas, and Mokeït. L'Association i ...

(France) (1990–present) *

Black Eye Productions Black Eye Books (formerly called Black Eye Productions) is a small but influential Canadian comic book publishing company founded by Michel Vrana. Under the auspices of Vrana, Black Eye was known as a publisher of artfully designed alternative com ...

(1992–1998) *

Buenaventura Press Buenaventura Press was a publisher and distributor for comics, prints, anthologies and graphic novels based in Oakland, California, run by Alvin Buenaventura. Publishing history Buenaventura Press originally specialized in handcrafted fine press ...

/Pigeon Press (2004–2010; 2010–2016) * Callworks Inc. (2009–present) *

Cat-Head Comics Cat-Head Comics was an American alternative/underground comics publisher that operated from 1980 to 1998. Founded by cartoonist Steve Lafler as a vehicle for his own work, Cat-Head was later joined by writer/poet/editor Stephen Beaupre. Cat-Head's ...

(1980–1998) *

Conundrum Press (Canada) Conundrum Press is a book publishing company located in Wolfville, Canada, founded in 1996 by Andy Brown. Affiliated authors Conundrum is renowned in Canadian publishing for its innovative, wide-ranging, often genre-defying books of fiction, c ...

(1995–present) *

Drawn & Quarterly Drawn & Quarterly is a publishing company based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, specializing in comics. It publishes primarily comic books, graphic novels and comic strip collections. The books it publishes are noted for their artistic content, ...

(Canada) (1991–present) *

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 ...

(1976–present) *

First Second Books First Second Books is an American publisher of graphic novels. An imprint of Roaring Brook Press, part of Holtzbrinck Publishers, First Second publishes fiction, biographies, personal memoirs, history, visual essays, and comics journalism. It als ...

(2006–present); division of

Holtzbrinck Holtzbrinck Publishing Group () is a privately held German company based in Stuttgart which owns publishing companies worldwide. Through Macmillan Publishers, it is one of the Big Five English-language publishing companies. In 2015, it me ...

Highwater Books Highwater Books was a small but influential independent comic book publisher based in Somerville, Massachusetts, noted for its arty editorial direction and production values under publisher Tom Devlin. Highwater began in 1997 and folded in Novembe ...

(1997–2004) *

Kitchen Sink Press Kitchen Sink Press was a comic book publishing company founded by Denis Kitchen in 1970. Kitchen Sink Press was a pioneering publisher of underground comics, and was also responsible for numerous republications of classic comic strips in hardcov ...

(1970–1999) *

Koyama Press Koyama Press is a comics publishing company founded in 2007 by Annie Koyama and based in Canada. Since its establishment in 2007, Koyama Press has sought to promote and provide support to an array of emerging and established artists. These artist ...

(2007–present) *

Last Gasp Last Gasp or The Last Gasp may refer to * Last Gasp (publisher) * ''Last Gasp'' (''Inside No. 9''), a TV episode * ''The Last Gasp Impaled is a death metal band from Oakland, California. The band's name is a backronym, standing for "Immoral M ...

(1970–present); originally an underground publisher; hasn't published original comics since c. 2005 *

Gator Graphix Gator is a slang word for alligator. Gator may also refer to: People nicknamed Gator *Mike Greenwell (born 1963), American Major League Baseball player nicknamed "The Gator" *Ron Guidry (born 1950), former Major League Baseball pitcher * Gator ...

(1986-1988) *''

Mineshaft Magazine ''Mineshaft'' is an independent international art magazine launched in 1999 by Everett Rand and Gioia Palmieri in Guilford, Vermont. Initially focusing on poetry and literature, the magazine began to publish comics after Robert Crumb became a co ...

'' (1999–present) *

MU Press MU Press (officially Miscellanea Unlimited Press) was an independent comic book publisher based in Seattle, Washington, which operated 1990 – c. 2006. MU Press was one of the industry's most prolific " furry" comic publishers, while its mid-199 ...

(1990–c. 2006) *

NBM Publishing Nantier Beall Minoustchine Publishing Inc. (or NBM Publishing) is an American graphic novel publisher. Founded by Terry Nantier in 1976 as Flying Buttress Publications, NBM is one of the oldest graphic novel publishers in North America. The compa ...

(1984–present) * Neoglyphic Media (2012–present) *

Pantheon Books Pantheon Books is an American book publishing imprint with editorial independence. It is part of the Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group.Random House, Inc. Datamonitor Company Profiles Authority: Retrieved 6/20/2007, from EBSCO Host Business Source ...

graphic novel division (1978–present); subsidiary of

Random House Random House is an American book publisher and the largest general-interest paperback publisher in the world. The company has several independently managed subsidiaries around the world. It is part of Penguin Random House, which is owned by Germ ...

Sacred Mountain Sacred mountains are central to certain religions, and are usually the subjects of many legends. For many, the most symbolic aspect of a mountain is the peak because it is believed that it is closest to heaven or other religious realms. Many rel ...

(1998–present) *

Silver Sprocket Silver Sprocket is a San Francisco-based indie comics publisher and independent record label, founded in 2007 by Avi Ehrlich of Springman Records. In addition to publishing records and comics, Silver Sprocket also supports a range of independent ...

(2012–present) *

Slave Labor Graphics Slave Labor Graphics (SLG) is an independent American comic book publisher, well known for publishing darkly humorous, offbeat comics. Creators associated with SLG over the years include Evan Dorkin, Roman Dirge, Sarah Dyer, Woodrow Phoenix, Jhon ...

/Amaze Ink (1986–present) * Space Face Books (2011–present) *

Sparkplug Comics Sparkplug Comic Books is a defunct publisher and distributor of alternative comics founded by cartoonist Dylan Williams (comics), Dylan Williams.Spurgeon, Tom"Dylan Williams, 1970-2011,"''The Comics Reporter'' (September 18, 2011). Based in Portla ...

(2002–2016) *

Starhead Comix Starhead Comix was an Alternative comics, alternative/Underground comix, underground comics publisher that operated from 1984–c. 1999.Sandall, Simon"Michael Dowers p3,"''Reader's Voice'' (Mar. 1, 2013). Founded by Michael Dowers, Starhead was b ...

(1984–c. 1999) *

(1997–present) *

Township Comics A township is a kind of human settlement or administrative subdivision, with its meaning varying in different countries. Although the term is occasionally associated with an urban area, that tends to be an exception to the rule. In Australia, Ca ...

(2016–present) *

Vortex Comics Vortex Comics is a Canadian independent comic book publisher that began operation in 1982. Under the supervision of president, publisher, and editor Bill Marks, Vortex was known for such titles as Dean Motter's '' Mister X'', Howard Chaykin's ''Bl ...

(Canada) (1982–1994) *''

World War 3 Illustrated ''World War 3 Illustrated'' is an American comics anthology magazine with a left-wing political focus, founded in 1979 (though the first issue was published in 1980) by New York City comic book artists Peter Kuper and Seth Tobocman,Neil Gaiman, ed ...

'' (1980–present)

Independent

A Wave Blue World A, or a, is the first letter and the first vowel of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''a'' (pronounced ), plural ''aes'' ...

(????–present) *

Aardvark-Vanaheim Aardvark-Vanaheim is a Canadian independent comic book publisher founded in 1977 by Dave Sim and Deni Loubert and is best known for publishing Sim's ''Cerebus''. For a brief time, the company also published other titles, sometimes under the name ...

(1977–present) *

Abrams ComicArts Abrams, formerly Harry N. Abrams, Inc. (HNA), is an American publisher of art and illustrated books, children's books, and stationery. The enterprise is a subsidiary of the French publisher La Martinière Groupe. Run by President and CEO Michael ...

(????–present); Imprint of

Abrams Books Abrams, formerly Harry N. Abrams, Inc. (HNA), is an American publisher of art and illustrated books, children's books, and stationery. The enterprise is a subsidiary of the French publisher La Martinière Groupe. Run by President and CEO Michael ...

Action Lab Comics Action Lab Entertainment (also known as Action Lab Comics or ALE), is an American publisher of comic books, known primarily for the publication of the all-ages fantasy title ''Princeless'', as well as a wide range of titles from all genres. The co ...

(2010–present) *

AfterShock Comics AfterShock Comics is an American comic book publisher founded in April 2015. AfterShock is described as a "hybrid comic book company combining the creative edge of an independent comic book publisher with the strengths and experience of a traditio ...

(2015–present) *

Albatross Funnybooks Eric Powell (March 3, 1975) is an American comic book writer/artist, best known as the creator of ''The Goon''. Career Powell has written and provided artwork for Dark Horse Comics, Dark Horse, DC Comics and Marvel Comics, but is most regarded fo ...

(????–present) *

Alterna Comics Alterna Savings and Credit Union Limited, commonly called Alterna Savings (french: Caisse Alterna), is a credit union based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. In addition to its credit union branches in Ontario, it also operates across Canada through it ...

(2006– present) *

Amulet Books Abrams, formerly Harry N. Abrams, Inc. (HNA), is an American publisher of art and illustrated books, children's books, and stationery. The enterprise is a subsidiary of the French publisher La Martinière Groupe. Run by President and CEO Michael ...

(????–present); Imprint of

Antarctic Press Antarctic Press is a San Antonio-based comic book publishing company which publishes "Amerimanga" style comic books. The company also produces "how-to" and "you can" comics, instructing on areas of comic book creation and craft. Beginning in 1 ...

(1984–present) *

Apollo Comics Apollo, grc, Ἀπόλλωνος, Apóllōnos, label=genitive , ; , grc-dor, Ἀπέλλων, Apéllōn, ; grc, Ἀπείλων, Apeílōn, label=Arcadocypriot Greek, ; grc-aeo, Ἄπλουν, Áploun, la, Apollō, la, Apollinis, label= ...

(2016–present) *

Apple Comics Apple Comics, also known as Apple Press, was an American comic book publisher which operated from 1986 to 1994. Founded by Michael Catron, they began by taking over the publishing elements of comic production from WaRP Graphics, before expanding ...

(1986–1994) *

Attaboy Funny Books Attaboy or Atta Boy can refer to: * ''Atta Boy'', a 1926 American silent film * "Attaboy", a song on ''Perfect Velvet'' by Red Velvet * "Attaboy", a song on ''The Goat Rodeo Sessions'' by Yo-Yo Ma, Stuart Duncan, Edgar Meyer and Chris Thile See a ...

(2014–present) *

Aspen Comics Aspen Comics (Aspen MLT Inc.) is a California entertainment company founded in 2003 by artist Michael Turner. It has locations in Santa Monica and Marina Del Rey. The company is best known for producing comic books and figurines. History The com ...

(2003–present) * Asylum Press (1999–present) *

Avatar Press Avatar Press is an independent American comic book publisher founded in 1996 by William A. Christensen, and based in Rantoul, Illinois. Avatar Press is most notable for publishing Bad girl art, bad girl comics, such as ''Faust (Avatar Press), Fau ...

(1996–present) * Arcana Comics (2004–present) * Ark Vindicta Development & Publishing, LLC (2012–present ) * Bedside Press (2014–present) * Beyond Comics (????–present) *

Black Mask Studios Black Mask Studios is a comic book and graphic novel publishing company formed by Matt Pizzolo, Steve Niles and Brett Gurewitz, designed as a new infrastructure to support comic book creators and a new pipeline for transgressive art. Black Mask ...

(2012–present) *

Blackthorne Publishing Blackthorne Publishing, Inc. was a comic book publisher that flourished from 1986–1989. They were notable for the ''Blackthorne 3-D Series'', their reprint titles of classic comic strips like Dick Tracy, and their licensed products. Blackthorne ...

(1985–1990) *

Blue Juice Comics Blue Juice Comics is an American publisher of comic books, picture books, and prose. The company was founded as the publishing division of Blue Juice Films, Inc in 2012. Most of its publications were initially conceived as film or animation ideas ...

(2012–present) *

Boom! Studios Boom! Studios (styled BOOM! Studios) is an American comic book and graphic novel publisher, headquartered in Los Angeles, California, United States. History Origins In the early 2000s, Ross Richie and Andrew Cosby had been working in Holly ...

(2005–present) *

Caliber Comics Caliber Comics or Caliber Press is an American comic book publisher founded in 1989 by Gary Reed. Featuring primarily creator-owned comics, Caliber published over 1,300 comics in the decade following its inception and is ranked as one of America ...

(1989–2000) *

Class Comics Class Comics is an independent comic books publisher, founded in 1995 by Patrick Fillion as Class Enterprises, which specializes in gay erotic comics. Class Comics Inc. is now run by Fillion and his partner Fraser in Vancouver, British Columbia. ...

(1995–present) * Comico (1982–1997) *

Continüm Comics Continüm Comics was an American comic book publisher which operated between the years 1988 and 1994. Owned and operated by Joseph Naftali, the company's most successful title was ''The Dark''. Notable creators who worked for Continüm include Ge ...

(1988–1994) *

Creative Impulse Entertainment Creative Impulse Entertainment (also known as ''Creative Impulse'' and ''CIE'') is a transmedia production company founded by Jan Lucanus in 2003. With the company mantra "Intrigue, Entertain, Inspire Social Change", CIE bills itself as a home for ...

(????–present) * CrossGen (Cross Generation Entertainment) (1998–2004) *

Darby Pop Publishing Darby Pop Publishing is an American comic book publishing company founded in 2013 by film writer and producer Jeff Kline. Sixteen original series and 100+ issues/TPs have been published to date. Creators have included Eric Garcia (''City: The Mind ...

(2013–present) *

(1986–present) *

Desperado Publishing Desperado Publishing is an American independent comic book publisher, established in 2004. Located in Norcross, Georgia, Desperado's president is Joe Pruett, its creative director is Stephan Nilson, and its director of business development is forme ...

(2005–present);

IDW Publishing IDW Publishing is an American publisher of comic books, graphic novels, art books, and comic strip collections. It was founded in 1999 as the publishing division of Idea and Design Works, LLC (IDW), itself formed in 1999, and is regularly recog ...

imprint since 2009 *

Devil's Due Publishing Devil's Due Publishing (often abbreviated as DDP) is an independent comic book publisher in the United States. Based in Chicago, Illinois, DDP is best known for its wide selection of genres, including licensed and original creator-owned proper ...

(1999–present) * Diego Comics Publishing (2012–present) *

(1990–present) *

Dynamite Entertainment Dynamite Entertainment is an American comic book publisher founded by Nick Barrucci in 2004 at Mount Laurel, New Jersey. It is best known as the owners of '' The Boys'' franchise across several IP medias. Dynamite primarily publishes adaptation ...

(2005–present) *

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 ...

(1978–1994) * Emerald Star Comics (2013–present) *

Event Comics Event Comics was an American independent comic book publisher founded by veteran artists Jimmy Palmiotti and Joe Quesada. The company published during the years 1994 to 1999, at which point it was contracted to form the Marvel Knights imprint for ...

(1994–1999); absorbed 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 ...

FantaCo Enterprises FantaCo Enterprises was an American comic book store and publishing company founded and created by Thomas Skulan and based in Albany, New York. As a publisher, FantaCo was known for its idiosyncratic line-up of mostly black-and-white titles, inc ...

(1978–1998) * Fierce Comics (2005–present) *

First Comics First Comics was an American comic book publisher that was active from 1983 to 1991, known for titles like ''American Flagg!'', ''Grimjack'', ''Nexus'', ''Badger'', ''Dreadstar'', and ''Jon Sable''. Along with competitors like Pacific Comics and ...

(1983–1991) * The Fourth Age (2021-present) *

Harrier Comics Harrier Comics (officially known as Harrier Publishing) was a British comic book publisher active in the mid-to-late 1980s. Harrier was notable for putting out black-and-white comics in a mold more similar to American comics than to typical Brit ...

(U.K.) (1984–1989) *

Harris Comics Harris Publications Inc. was an American special interest media company, operating over 75 brands with print, digital, mobile and live event platforms prior to its sale to Athlon Media in 2016. It produced magazines that educate, entertain, inf ...

(1985–2008) *

Hyperwerks Hyperwerks Entertainment was an American company that published comic books. It was founded by Karl Altstaetter and Jamie Douraghy in 1997. The two most notable Hyperwerks projects are the ''Deity'' and ''Rostam'' series. History Since its incep ...

(1997–present) *

(2000–present) *

(1992–present) * In Planet Studio (2010–present) *

Iron Circus Comics Iron Circus Comics is an American graphic novel publisher founded in 2007 by C. Spike Trotman. Based in Chicago, it is known for publishing the ''Smut Peddler'' line of "lady-centric porn" anthologies and graphic novels, and for its pioneering us ...

(2007-present) * keenspot (2000–present) *

Lion Forge Comics Lion Forge Comics was an American comic book publisher founded in 2011 by David Steward II and Carl Reed, with headquarters formerly located in St. Louis, Missouri. The company has a strong focus on culturally diverse creators and stories. In 20 ...

(2011–present) *

Malibu Comics Malibu Comics Entertainment, Inc. (also known as Malibu Graphics) was an American comic book publisher active in the late 1980s and early 1990s, best known for its Ultraverse line of superhero titles. Notable titles published by Malibu included '' ...

(1986–1994); absorbed by

Markosia Markosia is a British comic book publishing company. History Markosia was founded by Harry Markos in 2004. He employed Richard Emms (previously of APC) as the Editor-in-chief as well as lead designer. in 2005. Markosia had already published H ...

(2005–present) *

Millennium Publications Millennium Publications was an American independent comic book publishing company founded by Mark Ellis, Melissa Martin and Paul Davis. Initially known as a publisher of licensed properties, Millennium adapted works by Arthur Conan Doyle, Leste ...

(1990–2000) *

MonkeyBrain Books MonkeyBrain Books (MonkeyBrain, Inc.) is an independent American publishing house based in Austin, Texas, specialising in books comprising both new content and reprinting online, international, or out-of-print content, which show "an academic ...

(????–present) *

Moonstone Books Moonstone Books is an American comic book, graphic novel, and prose fiction publisher based in Chicago focused on pulp fiction comic books and prose anthologies as well as horror and western tales. The company began publishing creator-owned com ...

(1995–present) *

(1976, 1984–present) *

NOW Comics NOW Comics was a comic book publisher founded in late 1985 by Tony C. Caputo as a sole-proprietorship. During the four years after its founding, NOW grew from a one-man operation to operating in 12 countries, and published almost 1,000 comic book ...

(1985–2006) *

(1997–present) *

Papercutz :PAPERCUTZ (stylized as :papercutz or :PAPERCUTZ) is a Portuguese electronic music act formed as a side project in Porto that became a fully active band in 2008. Bruno Miguel is the only official member of Papercutz and solely responsible for ...

(2005–present) *

Pendulum Press Pendulum Press was a publishing company based in West Haven, Connecticut West Haven is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. It is located on the coast of Long Island Sound. At the 2020 census, the population of the city was ...

(1970–1994) *

Personality Comics Personality Comics was a short-lived American comic book publishing company that specialized in unauthorized biographies of entertainers and professional athletes, adult comics, and parodies, frequently combining all three genres. Operating f ...

(1991–1993) *

Radical Comics Radical Studios is an American multimedia studio. It had branches in feature films, television, physical and digital publishing, merchandise, recorded music, digital and online media applications and mobile and social games. History Radical Pub ...

(2007–present) *

Raw Studios Raw is an adjective usually describing: * Raw materials, basic materials from which products are manufactured or made * Raw food, uncooked food Raw or RAW may also refer to: Computing and electronics * .RAW, a proprietary mass spectrometry dat ...

(????–present) * Raytoons Comics (2007–present) *

Red 5 Comics Red 5 is an independent comic book publisher, known for producing a combination of creator-owned and internally developed titles, including their best known title, ''Atomic Robo''. Red 5 was one of the first comics publishers to jump into digital d ...

(2007–present) *

Revolutionary Comics Revolutionary Comics was an American comic book publisher specializing in unauthorized profiles of entertainers and professional athletes, as well as a line of erotic comics. Its flagship series was ''Rock 'N' Roll Comics''. Founded by Todd Lore ...

(1989–1994) * Rippaverse (2022-present) *

Shadowline Shadowline, Inc., is an imprint of Image Comics established by Image co-founder Jim Valentino. The name is an homage to Valentino's character, ShadowHawk. History Shadowline was officially created in December 1992 when the logo first appeared o ...

(1993–present) *

(1986–present) * So Cherry Studios (2014–present) * So What? Press (2011–present) *

TidalWave Productions TidalWave Productions (previously known as Bluewater Productions, StormFront Media/Publishing & Storm Entertainment) is an independent production studio of comic books and graphic novels. Based in Portland, Oregon, United States, Bluewater publis ...

(2007–present) *

Udon Entertainment Udon Entertainment Corp. is a Canadian art studio and publisher. The company publishes original and translated comic books, graphic novels, manga and art books related to anime and video games. It was founded in 2000 and is named after udon, a ...

(2000–present) * Un Faulduo (2005–present) *

Urban Comics Urban means "related to a city". In that sense, the term may refer to: * Urban area, geographical area distinct from rural areas * Urban culture, the culture of towns and cities Urban may also refer to: General * Urban (name), a list of people ...

(2012–present) *

Valiant Comics Valiant Comics is an American comic book publisher. The company was founded in 1989 by former Marvel Comics editor-in-chief Jim Shooter along with lawyer and businessman Steven Massarsky. In 1994, the company was sold to Acclaim Entertainment ...

(1989–1996, 2012–present) *

Viper Comics Viper Comics is an American comics publisher that first published works in 2003. History Viper Comics is based in Texas, USA; according to its website it is based in Irving, an inner ring suburb of Dallas. Its president since its foundation is ...

(????–present) *

Wanga Comics The Wanga kingdom is a Bantu kingdom within Kenya, consisting of the Wanga (Abawanga) tribe of the Luhya people (Abaluyia). At its peak the kingdom covered an expansive area from Jinja in west to Naivasha in the East African Rift. The Wanga ki ...

(2005–present) *

(1977–present) *

Zenescope Entertainment Zenescope Entertainment is a comic book and graphic novel publisher headquartered in Horsham, Pennsylvania, United States, co-founded by Joe Brusha and Ralph Tedesco in 2005. Zenescope publishes full-color action, fantasy and horror titles. Unde ...

(2005–present)

References

External links

Fierce ComicsElfquest by WaRP GraphicsDrawn & QuarterlyFantagraphicsRadiator ComicsSilver SprocketBirdCage-Bottom-BooksQuimby's Book StoreTop Shelf ProductionsImage ComicsDark Horse ComicsWorld Comics & Graphic Novels News (WCGNN)The Comics JournalIndie ReviewTime.comix: Andrew D. Arnold
{{Independent production Adult comics Alternative media Comics genres

From underground to alternative

List of publishers

Alternative comics

Independent

See also

References

External links