Paradox Press
Encyclopedia
Paradox Press was a division of DC Comics
formed in 1993 after editor Mark Nevelow departed from Piranha Press
. Under the initial editorship of Andrew Helfer and Bronwyn Carlton
the imprint was renamed. It is best known for graphic novel
s like A History of Violence and Road to Perdition
. Jim Higgins edited the line after Helfer's departure, and Heidi MacDonald briefly took the helm in 2000 at the time of the line's final three Big Books
, none of which ever saw publication.
Due to the limited interest in non-fantasy stories among the graphic novel demographic, the line produced only a handful of books over its decade-long history. While almost all received critical acclaim, none reached high sales amongst the general graphic-novel and comic book reading populace. Two of the imprint's books (A History of Violence and Road to Perdition
) were adapted into successful films and Scott McCloud
's Understanding Comics
(originally published through Kitchen Sink Press
) is considered one of the authoritative bibles of the medium. The true-life anthology series of Big Books also found a niche following.
Due to low sales amongst the line, it was phased out, and most of the books under this imprint are out of print for the foreseeable future. Those books which have remained in print are now released under DC's more lucrative Vertigo label.
In addition, several magazines entitled Weird collected reprint material from the above volumes.
, B-movie goddess Tura Satana
, presidential candidate Victoria Woodhull
, 19th century sex star Lola Montes
, legendary seductress Cleopatra, scandalous writer Anaïs Nin
and kinky pin-up icon Betty Page. According to DC comics the book is in a perpetual "pre-production."
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
formed in 1993 after editor Mark Nevelow departed from Piranha Press
Piranha Press
Piranha Press, an imprint of DC Comics from 1989 to 1994, was a response by DC to the growing interest in alternative comics. The imprint was edited by Mark Nevelow, who instead of developing comics with the established names in the alternative comics field, chose to introduce several unknown...
. Under the initial editorship of Andrew Helfer and Bronwyn Carlton
Bronwyn Carlton
Bronwyn Carlton is an American comic book author, editor and radio DJ. She has written many DC Comics titles including Catwoman, The Books of Faerie as well as the Paradox Press imprint title, The Big Book of Death....
the imprint was renamed. It is best known for graphic novel
Graphic novel
A graphic novel is a narrative work in which the story is conveyed to the reader using sequential art in either an experimental design or in a traditional comics format...
s like A History of Violence and Road to Perdition
Road to Perdition (comics)
Road to Perdition is a series of fictional works written by Max Allan Collins.The comic book of the original series, with art by Richard Piers Rayner, was published by DC Comics' imprint, Paradox Press...
. Jim Higgins edited the line after Helfer's departure, and Heidi MacDonald briefly took the helm in 2000 at the time of the line's final three Big Books
The Big Book of
The Big Book Of is an Eisner Award-winning series of graphic novel anthologies published by the DC Comics imprint Paradox Press.-Publication history:The Big Books were published between 1994 and 2000...
, none of which ever saw publication.
History
Paradox Press was designed to publish graphic novels that were not of the superhero genre (as comprises most of DC's publishing efforts) and were lacking the fantasy and sci-fi elements of DC's "mature reader" line, Vertigo comics.Due to the limited interest in non-fantasy stories among the graphic novel demographic, the line produced only a handful of books over its decade-long history. While almost all received critical acclaim, none reached high sales amongst the general graphic-novel and comic book reading populace. Two of the imprint's books (A History of Violence and Road to Perdition
Road to Perdition (comics)
Road to Perdition is a series of fictional works written by Max Allan Collins.The comic book of the original series, with art by Richard Piers Rayner, was published by DC Comics' imprint, Paradox Press...
) were adapted into successful films and Scott McCloud
Scott McCloud
Scott McCloud is an American cartoonist and theorist on comics as a distinct literary and artistic medium...
's Understanding Comics
Understanding Comics
Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art is a 215-page non-fiction comic book, written and drawn by Scott McCloud and originally published in 1993. It explores the definition of comics, the historical development of the medium, its fundamental vocabulary, and various ways in which these elements...
(originally published through Kitchen Sink Press
Kitchen Sink Press
Kitchen Sink Press was a comic book publishing company founded by Denis Kitchen in 1970. Kitchen owned and operated Kitchen Sink Press until 1999. Kitchen Sink Press was a pioneering publisher of underground comics, and was also responsible for numerous republications of classic comic strips in...
) is considered one of the authoritative bibles of the medium. The true-life anthology series of Big Books also found a niche following.
Due to low sales amongst the line, it was phased out, and most of the books under this imprint are out of print for the foreseeable future. Those books which have remained in print are now released under DC's more lucrative Vertigo label.
Books
Below is a list of books published under the Paradox Press logo.- The Big Book ofThe Big Book ofThe Big Book Of is an Eisner Award-winning series of graphic novel anthologies published by the DC Comics imprint Paradox Press.-Publication history:The Big Books were published between 1994 and 2000...
:- the '70s
- Bad
- Conspiracies
- Death
- Freaks
- Grimm
- Hoaxes
- Little Criminals
- Losers
- Martyrs
- Scandal!
- Thugs
- the Unexplained
- Urban Legends
- Vice
- the Weird Wild West
- Weirdos
- The Bogie ManThe Bogie ManThe Bogie Man is a comic book series created by writers John Wagner and Alan Grant and artist Robin Smith. The main character is Francis Forbes Clunie, a Scottish mental patient who suffers from the unusual delusion that he is Humphrey Bogart, or rather a composite of the characters he played in...
- Brooklyn DreamsBrooklyn DreamsBrooklyn Dreams is an American comic book limited series written by J. M. DeMatteis and illustrated by Glenn Barr. It was published by the DC Comics imprint, Paradox Press in 1994 and later collected into a trade paperback, published by DC under its Vertigo imprint.It depicts the memories of an...
- GonGon (manga)Gon is a tiny fictional dinosaur and the title character of a Japanese manga series created by Masashi Tanaka. The Gon series features the completely wordless adventures of the irascible title character as he interacts with the natural world, depicted by Tanaka in lush, realistic detail...
:- Gon
- Gon on Safari
- Gon Swimming
- Gon Underground
- Gon Wild!
- Green Candles
- A Gregory Treasury
- A History of Violence
- Hunter's Heart
- La Pacifica
- The Project
- Reinventing ComicsReinventing ComicsReinventing Comics: How Imagination and Technology Are Revolutionizing an Art Form is a 2000 book written by comic book writer and artist Scott McCloud...
- Road to PerditionRoad to Perdition (comics)Road to Perdition is a series of fictional works written by Max Allan Collins.The comic book of the original series, with art by Richard Piers Rayner, was published by DC Comics' imprint, Paradox Press...
:- Road to Perdition
- Road to Perdition: On the Road
- On the Road to Perdition Book 1: Oasis
- On the Road to Perdition Book 2: Sanctuary
- On the Road to Perdition Book 3: Detour
- Stuck Rubber BabyStuck Rubber BabyStuck Rubber Baby is a graphic novel written and illustrated by Howard Cruse, first published in 1995. Set mostly in the 1960s in the Southern United States, in the midst of the Black Civil Rights movement, it deals with homosexuality and racism....
- Understanding ComicsUnderstanding ComicsUnderstanding Comics: The Invisible Art is a 215-page non-fiction comic book, written and drawn by Scott McCloud and originally published in 1993. It explores the definition of comics, the historical development of the medium, its fundamental vocabulary, and various ways in which these elements...
In addition, several magazines entitled Weird collected reprint material from the above volumes.
Unpublished work
Slated for 2001 Paradox Press had intentions to release a book known as The Big Book of Wild Women. From time to time mentions of this book can be found on the internet. The book is narrated by "Susie the Floozie". The book was to profile notable women throughout history who had made an impact on our culture while pushing the envelope of unconventional behavior. Among the women to be profiled were risqué nightclub singer-comic Rusty WarrenRusty Warren
-Early life:Warren was born Ilene Goldman in New York City and adopted six months later by a couple from Milton, Massachusetts. She studied piano at the New England Conservatory of Music and then taught there briefly after obtaining her degree...
, B-movie goddess Tura Satana
Tura Satana
Tura Satana was an American actress and former exotic dancer. She was best known for her role as "Varla" in Russ Meyer's 1965 cult film, Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!.-Early life:...
, presidential candidate Victoria Woodhull
Victoria Woodhull
Victoria Claflin Woodhull was an American leader of the woman's suffrage movement, an advocate of free love; together with her sister, the first women to operate a brokerage in Wall Street; the first women to start a weekly newspaper; an activist for women's rights and labor reforms and, in 1872,...
, 19th century sex star Lola Montes
Lola Montez
Eliza Rosanna Gilbert, Countess of Landsfeld , better known by the stage name Lola Montez, was an Irish dancer and actress who became famous as a "Spanish dancer", courtesan and mistress of King Ludwig I of Bavaria, who made her Countess of Landsfeld. She used her influence to institute liberal...
, legendary seductress Cleopatra, scandalous writer Anaïs Nin
Anaïs Nin
Anaïs Nin was a French-Cuban author, based at first in France and later in the United States, who published her journals, which span more than 60 years, beginning when she was 11 years old and ending shortly before her death, her erotic literature, and short stories...
and kinky pin-up icon Betty Page. According to DC comics the book is in a perpetual "pre-production."