The comics industry is full of incredibly diverse talent. While it is dominated by two massive publishers, with DC Comics and Marvel Comics taking a lot of the focus, there's plenty of other great independent companies worth watching out for.
Throughout the comics scene, there's been stories about passion, adventure, horror, and even science fiction. So many genres, so many art styles, and countless creative talents have managed to lend their hand to an ever growing industry. With the digital boom in comics, there's perhaps no better time to start looking around at some of the other comic publishing houses out there.
10 Antarctic Press
Antarctic Press uses a style coined as Amerimanga, which essentially combines the art of both American style comic books and that of the Manga industry.
The publisher is quite unique in their art and the majority of their titles follow suit. They feature some comics that fans would really love to read, such as William: The Last Shadow Crown, but the overall brand image is what sets this apart from the competition.
9 Hound Comics
Hound allows the ownership of some of their creator's brands and works in a number of mediums including film. They have a genuinely diverse range of comics on offer for audiences.
Whether it's the fantasy lands in Dr Goyle or the robotic mutant futuristic crossover of Krossfire, the company really does dip into multiple genres and takes a very varied approach to the content they produce.
8 Oni Press
Oni Press is a great place for new voices in the industry. Whether you're looking for LGBTQ+ titles, or perhaps something with a range of diverse characters, then Oni is extremely representative.
Oni has such a graphic and colorful art style that it's difficult not to fall in love with their many titles, all of which contain some fantastic storytelling. It's clear the company has their sights set on a bright future.
7 Humanoids
Humanoids was a European company that dominated the continent until moving its focus to the United States. They're translating some of those European comics while producing brand new content.
With their own shared universe and variety of other imprints, there's a lot to love about what Humanoids is doing. There are a few titles that really stand out, including Omni, and their H1 universe is worth exploring.
6 Legacy Rising
Legacy Rising really could be on the rise with a variety of number 1 issues that seem to showcase the range of voices that the publishers wants to feature and promote.
Their art style is a little grittier than some might expect and their tone feels similar to that of Millarworld. The company doesn't seem to have done much since 2016, but there's always hope that they will return and take the industry by storm.
5 Iron Circus Comics
There's no superheroes here and the comics are certainly aimed at a slightly older audience, yet Iron Circus Comics brings back some of the fun to the industry.
Their stories are bright, colorful, and full of character– there are some genuinely memorable books amongst these titles. Iron Circus Comics is home to some great talent and very involved in the community & conventions.
4 Nobrow
Nobrow publishes a lot of great graphic novels that new readers would really enjoy. It's a great starting point to become inspired by some brilliant, well written stories.
Nobrow features an incredibly unique art style and has certainly dipped into some strange topics over the years. There's content for all ages, with Nobrow even publishing children's books.
3 Hermes Press
Hermes Press feels quite traditional in many of its publications. They have a number of recognizable titles including The Phantom and Garfield, while featuring some compelling stories.
They describe themselves as putting the focus back on the artists and that is certainly true, with some beautiful imagery creating some of their most impressive comics.
2 Blank Slate Books
Blank Slate is a publishing house in the UK that likes to focus on new talent. They are responsible for award winning work and distribute their voice across Europe and the US.
Their art style is cartoony and unique, with many of the books including some trademark British humor. It's a great place to look for new talent in the industry and see where the creators are heading in terms of their storytelling.
1 NBM
NBM has billed itself as America's first ever graphic novel publisher and it certainly showcases a full range of content that suggests it knows how to maneuver in the industry.
With over 200 graphic novels, the company has a penchant for creating comics based on real people such as the Beatles, Bob Marley, and Da Vinci. NBM is a unique company with a lot of quirks, but it could perhaps pave the way to how the industry will change over the next couple of years since it has demonstrated continued longevity.