• Home
  • About
  • Listen Now
  • Community
  • Links
  • Buy Our Books!

IDW Purchases Top Shelf

1/6/2015

 
Picture
Picture
Press Release

IDW Publishing is purchasing Top Shelf Productions, a leading publisher of independent graphic novels.  The news was announced this morning via press release. Financial terms of the purchase was not disclosed.Top Shelf was founded in 1997 by Chris Staros and Brett Warnock and quickly established itself as one of the top publishers for high-quality independent graphic novels.  Among the company's notable releases are Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill's League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Craig Thompson's Blankets, March by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin and Nate Powell, and From Hell by Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell.  Top Shelf's publishing model tended to focus on launching comic releases during conventions, which has been controversial with retailers at time.  

Per the press release, IDW will be retaining the Top Shelf brand as an independent imprint, and all Top Shelf employees will be retained.  Staros will also be joining IDW as the editor in chief of the Top Shelf Brand.  His long time partner Warnock will be retiring from comics.   IDW will also honor all of Top Shelf's publishing deals and plans, and will continue to pay creators on their current royalties agreement.  

Upcoming Top Shelf releases that will now presumably be distributed by IDW include the second volume of March, a new League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Nemo graphic novel and new graphic novels by Nate Powell, James Kochalka and Keith Knight.  Top Shelf's website also lists approximately 20 additional upcoming titles with no release date that will now be published under IDW's ownership.

Top Shelf's purchase positions IDW to better compete with publishers such as Boom! Studios, who purchased their own boutique brand in 2013 with the acquisition of Archaia Entertainment.  This could also mean wider distribution of Top Shelf books, as IDW has more resources than the smaller publisher.  

We wish all those affected by the purchase the best and hope for a smooth transition by all parties involved.


Comments are closed.

    Sponsored by:

    Picture
    Picture

    What's New?

    Here's where we post news, reviews and show notes, and you get to comment on them!

    Archives

    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011

    Categories

    All
    Books
    Comics
    Games
    Movies
    Music
    Secret Identity
    Toys
    Tv

    Get Social With Us

    Picture
    Picture

    Subscribe To Our RSS Feed

    RSS Feed

    Looking For The Old SI Website? 

    Look no further! You can visit the old site and read through the article archives by clicking here!
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.