Quality Communications was a British publishing company founded by Dez Skinn that operated from 1982 to 2008. The company's most notable publications were the monthly

comics a Media (communication), medium used to express ideas with images, often combined with text or other visual information. It typically the form of a sequence of Panel (comics), panels of images. Textual devices such as speech balloons, Glo ...

anthology ''

Warrior A warrior is a guardian specializing in combat or warfare, especially within the context of a tribal society, tribal or clan-based warrior culture society that recognizes a separate warrior aristocracy, social class, class, or caste. History ...

'', which featured early work by writer

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 (comic book), ''Swamp Thing'', ''Batman: The Killing Joke' ...

; and the comics

trade magazine A trade magazine, also called a trade journal or trade paper (colloquially or disparagingly a trade rag), is a magazine or newspaper whose target audience is people who work in a particular tradesman, trade or industry. The collective term ...

'' Comics International'', which Skinn published and edited for 16 years. Quality was involved with comics in both the UK and the U.S., mainly with reprint material from ''Warrior'' and repackaging '' 2000 AD'' material for the U.S. market.

History

Quality was initially formed to publish ''

'', which featured the

stories ''

V for Vendetta ''V for Vendetta'' is a British graphic novel written by Alan Moore and illustrated by David Lloyd (comics), David Lloyd (with additional art by Tony Weare). Initially published between 1982 and 1985 in black and white as an ongoing Serial (li ...

'' and '' Marvelman''. ''Warrior'' won 17 Eagle Awards during its short run (including nine Eagles in 1983 alone). Quality was also involved in the U.S. completion of ''Marvelman'' and ''V for Vendetta''. Quality's main period as a comics publisher was from 1982 to 1988. ''2000 AD'' content repackaged for the U.S. market included the titles ''2000 A.D. Presents'', ''Spellbinders'', and ''Scavengers''. During this period, Quality also published 7 issues of '' Halls of Horror'', a title Skinn had originated earlier with Thorpe & Porter (the British publishing division of Warner Communications). In 1990, Quality shifted focus to magazines, launched the comics trade journal '' Comics International'', which Skinn published and edited for the following 16 years. His "Sez Dez" column was a regular feature in issues #100–#200. With issue #200, in 2006, Skinn sold the magazine to Cosmic Publications.Johnston, Rich
"Comics International Closes Shop,"
Bleeding Cool (May 27, 2010). (''Comics International'' struggled along for another couple of years before folding in 2010.)Freeman, John

DownTheTubes (May 21, 2010). Quality published a few sporadic titles in the 2000s, including ''Toy Max'' (2003), a one-off magazine for toy collectors,"Magazine offers toys for grown-ups,"
''Press Gazette'' (May 1, 2003). and Skinn's hardcover book ''Comix: The Underground Revolution'' (2004). In 2005, Quality published ''Ace Comics'', an anthology of ten comic strips by City College Brighton & Hove students of Skinn's; it was distributed for free in

East Sussex East Sussex is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Kent to the north-east, West Sussex to the west, Surrey to the north-west, and the English Channel to the south. The largest settlement ...

. In 2008, Quality Communications published the 15th-anniversary issue (numbered #15) of ''

Jack Kirby Jack Kirby (; born Jacob Kurtzberg; August 28, 1917 – February 6, 1994) was an American comics artist, comic book artist, widely regarded as one of the medium's major innovators and one of its most prolific and influential creators. He grew ...

Quarterly''.Freeman, John
"Jack Kirby Quarterly Returns
" DownTheTubes.net (JULY 12, 2008).

Titles published

Comics

* ''2000 A.D. Presents'' (20 issues, Aug. 1986–May 1988) — reprinting classic stories from '' 2000 AD'' (license acquired from Eagle Comics; later continued by Fleetway Publications) * ''Ace Comics'' (1 issue, July 2005) * '' Fighting Figurines'' (1 issue, 1996) — by Paul Honeyford and Dave Heaven, collecting the story originally anthologized in ''

Revolver A revolver is a repeating handgun with at least one barrel and a revolving cylinder containing multiple chambers (each holding a single cartridge) for firing. Because most revolver models hold six cartridges before needing to be reloaded, ...

'' * ''Halls of Horror Dracula Comics Special'' (1 issue, Apr. 1984) * '' Marvelman Special'' (1 issue, 1984) * ''Scavengers'' (14 issues, Dec. 1987–Jan. 1989) — reprinting dinosaur-themed stories from ''2000 AD'' * ''Spellbinders'' (12 issues, Dec. 1986–Dec. 1987) — reprinting stories with a magic/horror twist: ** Sláine and Nemesis the Warlock from '' 2000 AD'' ** Cursitor Doom/Amadeus Wolf from '' Smash!'' ** "Library of Death" stories from '' Scream!'' * '' Steel Claw'' (4-issue limited series, Dec. 1986– Mar. 1987) — by Kenneth Bulmer, Garry Leach, and Jesús Blasco; colourized reprints of ''Steel Claw'' stories from the IPC Magazines title '' Valiant'' * '' Storm: The Deep World'' (1 issue, 1982) — by Saul Dunn and Don Lawrence; reprinting ''De diepe wereld'' (originally serialized in '' Eppo'' magazine, Oberon, 1977) * ''

'' (26 issues, Mar. 1982–Feb. 1985) ** ''Warrior Summer Special'' (1 issue, 1983)

Magazines

* '' Comics International'' (200 issues, 1990–2006) * '' Halls of Horror'' (7 issues, 1982–1984) — acquired from G.B.D. Ltd./ Top Sellers Ltd (imprints of Thorpe & Porter) ( Warner Communications) with issue #24; previously known as '' House of Hammer'', ''Hammer's House of Horror'', and ''Hammer's Halls of Horror'' * ''Jack Kirby Quarterly'' #15 (1 issue, 2008) — 15th-anniversary issue * ''Toy Max'' (1 issue, June 2003) — edited by pop culture expert Tim Pilcher

Books

* ''Comix: The Underground Revolution'' (2004) — by Dez Skinn

References

Notes

Sources

* *{{comicbookdb, type=imprint, id=1766, title=Quality Communications

External links

Quality Communications entry
DezSkinn.com Comic book publishing companies of the United Kingdom Companies established in 1982 1982 establishments in the United Kingdom