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Small Comic Book Publishing Companies That Hire Young Adults

The publication of comic books and longer graphic novels has historically been dominated by two companies, DC Comics and Marvel. Together they account for well over half of all comic book publishing in the U.S. Numerous small but vigorous independent and specialized publishers, however, make up much of the rest of the industry, and some are open to working with young adults. Most of these companies exhibit at the annual Comic-Con convention in San Diego every summer, where you can visit their booths to see the types of comics they publish and inquire about the types of individuals they hire. Each publisher's website also contains this information, as well as important information on submission guidelines.
  1. Independent Publishers

    • Archie Comics has a reputation for being open to working with young adults. Their titles include “Josie and the Pussycats” and “Sabrina the Teen Witch” in addition to, of course, the Archie series. They have sold over 1.5 billion comic books.

      Archie Comic Publications, Inc
      325 Fayette Ave.
      Mamaroneck, New York 10543-2318
      914-381-5155
      archiecomics.com

      Dark Horse Comics began publishing in the 1980s and has specialized in comic book renditions of hit movies and television series (such as “Star Wars” and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”), as well as superheroes (“Hellboy”) and other creator-owned titles.

      Dark Horse Comics
      10956 SE Main Street
      Milwaukie, OR 97222
      503-652-8815
      darkhorse.com

      Image Comics was formed in the 1990s to unify several independent comic book artist studios, and includes such titles as “The Crow,” “Savage Dragon” and “Witchblade.” Image also represents the work of well-known comic artists Todd McFarlane, Erik Larsen and Marc Silvestri.

      Image Comics
      2134 Allston Way, 2nd Floor
      Berkeley, CA 94704
      510-644-4980
      imagecomics.com

    Specialized Publishers

    • Oni Press is relatively new publisher that has quickly become known for offerings including properties like “Jay and Silent Bob,” “Whiteout” and “My Inner Bimbo.” The company specializes in finding titles a life in media beyond comics through their sister firm, Closed on Mondays.

      Oni Press
      1305 SE Martin Luther King Blvd., Ste. A
      Portland, OR 97214
      503-233-1377
      onipress.com

      Slave Labor Graphics seeks to publish comics that are “fun, smart, and fresh and that offer a different perspective from what you’ll find anywhere else,” including such titles as “Milk and Cheese,” “Dork” and “Emo Boy.” The company also specializes in producing a number of comic titles geared to a more mature audience, such as \"Johnny the Homicidal Maniac\" and \"Lenore.\"

      SLG Publishing
      577 S. Market Street
      San Jose, CA 95113
      408-971-8929
      slgcomic.com

      Fantagraphics Books specializes in promoting comics as a legitimate form of art and literature, and they are known for their famous artists (including Robert Crumb, Joe Sacco and Jessica Abel) as well as for their innovation. They also offer unpaid internships.

      Fantagraphics Books
      7563 Lake City Way NE
      Seattle, WA 98115
      206-524-1967
      fantagraphics.com

    Manga Publishers in the U.S.

    • Owned by Japanese corporate parents, San Francisco-based Viz Media is a leading publisher of manga for the English-speaking audience, offering magazines, graphic novels and DVDs for people of all ages.

      Viz Media LLC?
      295 Bay St.?
      San Francisco, CA 94133
      415-546-7073
      viz.com

      Tokyopop was founded in the late 1990s to bring Asian popular culture to America. They publish manga magazines and novels, including the titles “Sailor Moon” and “Ice Blade.”

      Tokyopop
      5900 Wilshire Boulevard? 20th Floor?
      Los Angeles, CA 90036-5020?
      323-692-6700
      tokyopop.com

      Antarctic Press is a comic book publisher in Texas that also publishes manga titles. Since the 1980s, they have released over 850 titles, including “Ninja High School” and “Gold Digger.”

      Antarctic Press
      7272 Wurzbach Rd. Suite 204
      San Antonio, TX 78240
      210-614-0396
      Antarctic-press.com

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