comic books 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 oft ...

1988 File:1988 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The oil platform Piper Alpha explodes and collapses in the North Sea, killing 165 workers; The USS Vincennes (CG-49) mistakenly shoots down Iran Air Flight 655; Australia celebrates its Bicenten ...

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''.A1'', was an

anthology In book publishing, an anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler; it may be a collection of plays, poems, short stories, songs or excerpts by different authors. In genre fiction, the term ''anthology'' typically cate ...

featuring the likes of

Ted McKeever Ted McKeever (born 1960 in New York City)McKeever entry
Grand Comics Database. Retrieved Dec. 30, 2021. is an ...

,

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 He ...

,

Glenn Fabry Glenn Fabry (; born 24 March 1961) is a British comics artist known for his detailed, realistic work in both ink and painted colour. Career Glenn Fabry's career began in 1985, drawing '' Slaine'' for '' 2000 AD'', with writer Pat Mills. He als ...

, and

Simon Bisley Simon Bisley is a British comic book artist best known for his 1990s work on ''ABC Warriors'', '' Lobo'' and ''Sláine''. Early life Simon Bisley began drawing when he was six years old. He is self-taught, with only a short one-year stay at an ...

. Seeing who was involved in the project it was natural that ''A1'' contained some stories that were continuations of ''

Warrior A warrior is a person specializing in combat or warfare, especially within the context of a tribal or clan-based warrior culture society that recognizes a separate warrior aristocracies, class, or caste. History Warriors seem to have be ...

'' strips such as ''

The Bojeffries Saga ''The Bojeffries Saga'' is a series of comics stories written by Alan Moore and drawn by Steve Parkhouse which have been published by a number of different companies since their debut in 1983 in the UK comics anthology ''Warrior''. It features a ...

'' and '' Warpsmith'', written by Alan Moore with art by

Steve Parkhouse Steve Parkhouse is a writer, artist and letterer who has worked for many British comics, especially '' 2000 AD'' and ''Doctor Who Magazine''. Biography Parkhouse has worked in comics since 1967, when he drew the occasional "Power House Pin-Up" ...

and Garry Leach respectively. During its run ''A1'' won several awards, including the 1990

Harvey Award The Harvey Awards are given for achievement in comic books. Named for writer-artist Harvey Kurtzman, the Harvey Awards were founded by Gary Groth in 1988, president of the publisher Fantagraphics, to be the successor to the Kirby Awards that we ...

for best anthology. During the 1990s, Atomeka continued publishing ''A1'', as well as related specials such as ''A1: Bikini Confidential''. They company also published some of Simon Bisley's creator-owned work during this period, in titles such as ''Monster Massacre'' and ''Heavy Metal''. In 1992, Elliott solo-edited a four-issue sequel to ''A1'' in colour for

Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is an American comic book 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 Comics'' in ...

's

Epic Comics Epic Comics (also known as the Epic Comics Group)Shooter, Jim. "Bullpen Bulletins: The Truth About the Epic Comics Group!" Marvel comics cover-dated November 1982. was an imprint of Marvel Comics from 1982 to 1996. A spin-off of the publisher's ...

imprint. As

Tundra UK Tundra Publishing was a Northampton, Massachusetts-based comic book publisher founded by Kevin Eastman in 1990. The company was founded to provide a venue for adventurous, creator-owned work by talented cartoonists and illustrators. Its publicat ...

's publisher, in 1992 Dave Elliott began using the Atomeka imprint to establish its own identity within the larger company; he was also responsible for titles with all the British comic creators. Elliott brought two titles he started at John Brown Publishing, ''

Lazarus Churchyard Lazarus Churchyard is a fictional character in a British comics series, created in 1991 by Warren Ellis and illustrated by Matt Brooker under the pseudonym D'Israeli. The stories are cyberpunk in theme, although Ellis himself does not consider ...

'' and ''White Trash'', with him to complete with Tundra UK/Atomeka. With Tundra UK's demise in 1993, Elliott started Blackball Comics."Newswatch:Dave Elliott Forms Blackball Comics". ''The Comics Journal'' (165): 14. January 1994. In

1997 File:1997 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The movie set of ''Titanic'', the highest-grossing movie in history at the time; '' Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'', is published; Comet Hale-Bopp passes by Earth and becomes one of ...

, Atomeka ceased publishing, as Elliott and Leach pursued other projects.

2002 relaunch

In 2002 Atomeka was resurrected to publish

Simon Bisley Simon Bisley is a British comic book artist best known for his 1990s work on ''ABC Warriors'', '' Lobo'' and ''Sláine''. Early life Simon Bisley began drawing when he was six years old. He is self-taught, with only a short one-year stay at an ...

's ''Maximum Force''. In

2004 2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and its Abolition (by UNESCO). Events January * January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight ...

Elliott and Leach resurrected the company, in cooperation with

Ross Richie Ross Richie (born May 22, 1970) is an American comic book publisher and the founder of Boom! Studios, film producer, television producer and comic book creator. Richie was a Keynote Speaker for the 2012 Harvey Awards and a judge for the "Spirit ...

, publishing ''A1 Big Issue Zero'', '' Bricktop'', ''Mister Monster: Worlds War Three'', and ''Stalkers'', featuring a mix of reprint material. Richie generated his own new projects under the Atomeka banner, such as ''

Hero Squared ''Hero Squared'' is an American comic book series published by Boom! Studios. Originally a limited series, it is written by Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis and illustrated by Joe Abraham. The series follows the superhero Captain Valor as he adjusts ...

'' and ''G.I. Spy'' as well as new work from the likes of

Mike Mignola Mike Mignola (; born September 16, 1960) is an American comics artist and writer best known for creating ''Hellboy'' for Dark Horse Comics, part of a shared universe of titles including ''B.P.R.D.'', '' Abe Sapien'', '' Lobster Johnson'', '' Wit ...

with '' Jenny Finn''. The team-up didn't last long, as Richie left to form his own company,

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 ...

, taking ''Squared'', ''Spy'', and ''Finn'' with him. In late 2004 the ''A1 Sketchbook'' was released in part by the artist responsible for re-creating

Marvelman Miracleman (Michael ("Micky" / "Mike") Moran), originally known as Marvelman, is a Character (arts), fictional superhero appearing in comic books first published by L. Miller & Son, Ltd. Created in 1954 by writer-artist Mick Anglo for publisher ...

with

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 He ...

,

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''.Marvelman Miracleman (Michael ("Micky" / "Mike") Moran), originally known as Marvelman, is a Character (arts), fictional superhero appearing in comic books first published by L. Miller & Son, Ltd. Created in 1954 by writer-artist Mick Anglo for publisher ...

-related pin-ups (although the pin-ups were not directly said to be

Marvelman Miracleman (Michael ("Micky" / "Mike") Moran), originally known as Marvelman, is a Character (arts), fictional superhero appearing in comic books first published by L. Miller & Son, Ltd. Created in 1954 by writer-artist Mick Anglo for publisher ...

for possible legal reasons). A variant of the sketchbook was also produced, and it featured a

Marvelman Miracleman (Michael ("Micky" / "Mike") Moran), originally known as Marvelman, is a Character (arts), fictional superhero appearing in comic books first published by L. Miller & Son, Ltd. Created in 1954 by writer-artist Mick Anglo for publisher ...

front cover and Kid

Marvelman Miracleman (Michael ("Micky" / "Mike") Moran), originally known as Marvelman, is a Character (arts), fictional superhero appearing in comic books first published by L. Miller & Son, Ltd. Created in 1954 by writer-artist Mick Anglo for publisher ...

back cover by Leach. In

2005 File:2005 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf of Mexico; the Funeral of Pope John Paul II is held in Vatican City; " Me at the zoo", the first video ever to be uploaded to YouTube; Eris was discover ...

the company published a three-part reissue of

Ted McKeever Ted McKeever (born 1960 in New York City)McKeever entry
Grand Comics Database. Retrieved Dec. 30, 2021. is an ...

's ''

Eddy Current Eddy currents (also called Foucault's currents) are loops of electrical current induced within conductors by a changing magnetic field in the conductor according to Faraday's law of induction or by the relative motion of a conductor in a magnet ...

'', and also one (of three planned) "Bojeffries Terror Tomes", reprinting

The Bojeffries Saga ''The Bojeffries Saga'' is a series of comics stories written by Alan Moore and drawn by Steve Parkhouse which have been published by a number of different companies since their debut in 1983 in the UK comics anthology ''Warrior''. It features a ...

by

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 He ...

and

Steve Parkhouse Steve Parkhouse is a writer, artist and letterer who has worked for many British comics, especially '' 2000 AD'' and ''Doctor Who Magazine''. Biography Parkhouse has worked in comics since 1967, when he drew the occasional "Power House Pin-Up" ...

, and featuring additional work by

Neil Gaiman Neil Richard MacKinnon GaimanBorn as Neil Richard Gaiman, with "MacKinnon" added on the occasion of his marriage to Amanda Palmer. ; ( Neil Richard Gaiman; born 10 November 1960) is an English author of short fiction, novels, comic books, gra ...

and

Michael Zulli Michael Zulli is an American artist known for his work as an animal and wildlife illustrator and as a comic book illustrator. Career Michael Zulli's career in the comics industry began in October 1986 with ''The Puma Blues'', on which he collabo ...

,

Ramsey Campbell Ramsey Campbell (born 4 January 1946) is an English horror fiction writer, editor and critic who has been writing for well over fifty years. He is the author of over 30 novels and hundreds of short stories, many of them winners of literary awa ...

and David Lloyd,

Michael T. Gilbert Michael Terry Gilbert (born May 7, 1951) is an American comic book artist and writer who has worked for both mainstream and underground comic book companies. Education Gilbert attended the State University of New York at New Paltz, graduating ...

and

Dave Dorman Dave Dorman (born 1958 in Michigan) is a science fiction, horror and fantasy illustrator best known for his '' Star Wars'' artwork. Early life Dorman's parents are Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Jack N. Dorman and Phyllis Dorman. Both parents a ...

,

Warren Ellis Warren Girard Ellis (born 16 February 1968) is a British comic book writer, novelist, and screenwriter. He is best known as the co-creator of several original comics series, including ''Transmetropolitan'' (1997–2002), ''Global Frequency'' ( ...

and

Steve Pugh Steve Pugh ( ;) is a British comic book artist who has worked for American and British comic producers including DC, Marvel, Dark Horse and '' 2000 AD''. He broke into the industry in the early 1990s working on ''Hellblazer'' at DC's Vertigo s ...

, and also including

Ted McKeever Ted McKeever (born 1960 in New York City)McKeever entry
Grand Comics Database. Retrieved Dec. 30, 2021. is an ...

's ''

Eddy Current Eddy currents (also called Foucault's currents) are loops of electrical current induced within conductors by a changing magnetic field in the conductor according to Faraday's law of induction or by the relative motion of a conductor in a magnet ...

'' and a solo tale of Eddy Current's Nun.

2013 relaunch

In 2013 Atomeka relaunched their flagship title '' A1'' in two formats through

Titan Books Titan Publishing Group is the publishing division of Titan Entertainment Group, which was established in 1981. The books division has two main areas of publishing: film and television tie-ins and cinema reference books; and graphic novels and c ...

. The first was a six-issue limited series serializing three strips — ''Carpe Diem'', ''Odyssey'', and ''Weirding Willows'' — over six months that were collected in 2014. Then came a separate 160-page tome, ''A1 Volume 1: World's Greatest Comics''. Also relaunched at the same time was ''Monster Massacre'', an anthology for those who love B.E.M. (Bug Eyed Monsters) comics. ''Monster Massacre'' is a twice-yearly anthology while ''A1'' is an annual.

Titles published

Atomeka 1.0

* '' A1'' (1989) * ''A1 True Life Bikini Confidential'' (1990) * ''Bisley's Scrapbook'' (1993) * ''The Bogie Man: Chinatoon'' (1993) * ''Carnosaur Carnage'' (1993) * ''Lazarus Churchyard'' (1992) * ''Ammo Armageddon'' (1993) * ''Monster Massacre'' (1993) * ''Night Vision'' (1992) * ''Sugarvirus'' (1993) * ''SweetMeats'' (1993) * ''White Trash'' (1992)

Atomeka 2.0

* ''A1 Bojeffries Terror Tome'' (2005) * ''A1 Sketchbook'' (2004) * '' Bricktop A1 Special'' (2004) * ''Dan Norton's Space 1958'' (2004) * ''The Dave Johnson Sketchbook'' (2004) * ''

Eddy Current Eddy currents (also called Foucault's currents) are loops of electrical current induced within conductors by a changing magnetic field in the conductor according to Faraday's law of induction or by the relative motion of a conductor in a magnet ...

'' (2005) * ''

Hero Squared ''Hero Squared'' is an American comic book series published by Boom! Studios. Originally a limited series, it is written by Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis and illustrated by Joe Abraham. The series follows the superhero Captain Valor as he adjusts ...

X-tra Sized Special'' (2005) * '' Jenny Finn: Doom'' (2005) * ''Maximum Force'' (2002) * '' Mr. Monster: Who Watches the Garbagemen?'' (2005) * '' Mr. Monster: Worlds War Two'' (2004) * ''Stalkers'' (2005)

Atomeka 3.0

* '' A1'' (2013) * ''A1 Volume 1: World's Greatest Comics'' (2014) *''Monster Massacre'' (2014)

References

Notes

Sources

* *

External links

Review of ''A1'' issue zero
at

Comics Bulletin Comics Bulletin was a daily website covering the American comic-book industry. History Silver Bullet Comicbooks The site was founded in January 2000 as Silver Bullet Comicbooks by its New Zealand-based publisher/editor Jason Brice. During thi ...

Atomeka preview
at

Issuu Issuu, Inc. (pronounced "issue") is a Danish-founded American electronic publishing platform based in Palo Alto, California, United States. Founded in 2004 as a Danish startup, the company moved its headquarters to the United States in 2013. ...

Elliott's "An Authentic Citizen"
at

DeviantART DeviantArt (historically stylized as deviantART) is an American online art community that features artwork, videography and photography, launched on August 7, 2000 by Angelo Sotira, Scott Jarkoff, and Matthew Stephens among others. DeviantArt, ...

{{Authority control Comic book publishing companies of the United Kingdom Companies established in 1988 1988 establishments in the United Kingdom