Gotham City Dossiers: Oni Press

Welcome to Gotham City Dossiers where I try and showcase a lesser known comics publisher. This isn't to say that these publishers need my help bringing attention to themselves, but I'd like to think that readers can get stuff here that they may not be able to get elsewhere. So enjoy, and be sure to check in every Thursday for Gotham City Dossiers. Here we are again, ready to get right into learning about a publisher whose name doesn't rhyme with Carvel or EC (you like what I did there?). Oni Press was founded in 1997 by Joe Nozemack and Bob Schreck with the goal of "publishing the kinds of comics and graphic novels they themselves would want to read." So I guess that means if you don't like what they like, you're not going to like Oni Press books right? Not necessarily. At the heart of their belief (now only Nozemack since Schreck left in 1999) is that sequential art can tell any story. As long as that story was good, then you're all set. So what do they have that we should know about? Maintenance is the story of Doug and Manny, two guys responsible for keeping things clean at TerroMax, Inc., which is basically the modern day Acme (just without the coyote). Jim Massey and Robbi Rodriguez chronicle their adventures in terror, both with supervillains and dealing with the cute chick at reception. And did you know that Greg Rucka writes for Oni Press? Queen and Country is all about the espionage and excitement that British intelligence operative Tara Chace and her fellow "Minders" encounter while protecting queen and her country. Finally, Oni Press deserves a tip of the hat (I've been doing that a lot lately) because Stephen Colbert has a book for them as well. Not content with just running for President in the Marvel Universe, Colbert lends his unique talents to Oni Press in the form of Tek Jansen. Enemies of freedom unite to attack Tek Jansen, who stands for everything free in the world. John Layman, Tom Peyer and Jim Massey provide the words, while Scott Chantler and Robbi Rodriguez provide the pictures. So make your way over to Oni Press, get up to speed on what they've got, and head out and add some stuff to your collection. And if you've already got some Oni Press representation on your shelf, then more power to you. Oni Press

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