Image Comics Joins Growing Roster of Comic and Graphic Novel Publishers at Independent Publishers Group

July 12, 2021

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 12, 2021
Contact: Annette Hobbs Magier | VP, Marketing & Publicity
312-337-0747  | [email protected]

CHICAGO, IL— Independent Publishers Group (IPG) is pleased to add Image Comics, the third largest comics publisher in the United States, to their growing list of digitally distributed comics and graphic novel publishing partners beginning on July 1. This will expand Image’s digital books’ availability to major vendors globally, including the backing of IPG’s digital marketing programs. Image Comics will continue to partner with Diamond Book Distributors for print distribution into the comic shop, book trade, mass market, and library space.

Image Comics is the publisher of such bestselling, award-winning series as Saga by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples, Monstress by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda, Spawn by Todd McFarlane, The Walking Dead by Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard, The Old Guard by Greg Rucka and Leandro Fernandex, Jupiter’s Legacy by Mark Millar and Frank Quitely, Deadly Class by Rick Remender and Wes Craig, Reckless by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips, Bitter Root by Chuck Brown, David F. Walker, and Sanford Greene, Gideon Falls by Jeff Lemire and Andrea Sorrentino, Invincible by Robert Kirkman, Cory Walker, and Ryan Ottley, and many more. The publisher has 29 Eisner Award nominations this year alone for its titles.

“For nearly 30 years, Image Comics has been publishing creator-owned comics and graphic novels in practically every genre. That variety and assortment also extends into publishing formats, and we are dedicated to furthering the reach of the creators to the digital consumers as much as we are to those who buy Image Comics from their local comic ships,” said Jeff Boison, Director of Sales and Publishing Planning at Image Comics. “It was clear to us that working with IPG would expand our reach and increase the visibility of the creators and their works and we are very excited to see where this new partnership goes from here.”

Image joins fellow comics and graphic novel publishers BOOM! Studios, Dynamite Entertainment, Archie Comics, and Vault comics in IPG’s growing digital distribution program. Vault Comics began digital distribution with IPG in May 2021 and publishes original, creator-owned science fiction, fantasy, and horror comics and graphic novels. Archie Comic Publications is one of the most successful, longest running brands in the history of the comic industry and their comics are published in a dozen different languages all over the world. Archie Comics began digital distribution with IPG in April 2021.

Along with the above partners in digital distribution, IPG is proud to also distribute both print and digital formats for other publishers of graphic novel and comics like TokyoPop, NBM Graphic Novels, Chicago Review Press – Fulcrum, and Omnibus, making IPG a premier partner for graphic novel and comics publishers. Some of the distributed titles include notable titles like The Resident Evil manga and graphic novels line (TOKYOPOP, 2021), The Rolling Stones in Comics! (NBM, 2019), The Tales of the Talented Tenth series by Joel Christian Gill (Chicago Review Press – Fulcrum), and the bestselling Girls Love series (TOKYOPOP – LOVE x LOVE imprint).

“IPG is thrilled to have the opportunity to represent such creative pioneers in the comic and graphic novel space as Image Comics,” said Alex Kampmann, VP and General Manager of IPG Midpoint, Small Press, and Art. “Through this exciting new partnership, IPG expects to significantly increase Image’s reach in the global ebook marketplace, and that more Image graphic novels will find their way into the hands of more readers.”

IPG has been selling ebooks since 2001, and in 2016 they acquired INsScribe Digital, expanding both IPG’s and INScribe's client bases with a state-of-the-art digital distribution platform while providing access to over 250 ebook retailer partners. They’ve since become a leader in the digital distribution marketplace.

About Image Comics:

Founded in 1992 by a collective of bestselling artists, Image Comics currently consists of five major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline Comics, Skybound Entertainment, and Image Central. Image Comics offers everything from science fiction, fantasy, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in comics and graphic novels today. Their titles can be found in every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable.

About Independent Publishers Group (IPG):

In June of 2021, Independent Publishers Group (IPG) will celebrate its 50th anniversary. As the original North American distributor, IPG was founded specifically to represent titles from independent publishers to the book trade. Today IPG remains committed to reimagining distribution and has grown to provide its publishers with services ranging from pre-publication consultation, global sales, marketing & publicity, supply chain, print and digital distribution, data and reporting, to print brokerage. With consistent growth year over year, IPG’s success has come from giving publishers broader reach into more markets, including general trade, academic, children's, Spanish and special markets.