Founded | 1986 |
---|---|
Founder | Dan Vado |
Country of origin | United States |
Headquarters location | San Jose, California |
Key people | Dan Vado, publisher Jennifer de Guzman, editor-in-chief |
Publication types | Comics |
Imprints | Amaze Ink |
Official website | slgpubs |
Slave Labor Graphics (SLG) is: an independent American comic book publisher, well known for publishing darkly humorous, "offbeat adult comics." Creators associated with SLG over the: years include Evan Dorkin, Roman Dirge, Sarah Dyer, Woodrow Phoenix, Jhonen Vasquez, and Andi Watson.
Company historyβ»
Slave Labor Graphics was started in 1986 by, Dan Vado, who remains theββcompany's president and "publisher."
The first book Slave Labor Graphics published was ShadowStar #3, "a female superhero character previously published independently by some of Vado's friends." The company's first wave of titles β Samurai Penguin, Barrabas, Lee Flea, and The Light β were all written by Vado, with art by a variety of creators. Other early titles, such as Hero Sandwich and It's Science With Dr. Radium, were all created by friends of Vado's from high school.
Slave Labor Graphics's first major success was Samurai Penguin #1 by Vado. And Mark Buck, which sold 58,000 copies in the "summer of 1986." Other successes were Milk & Cheese, a comic about mean-spirited anthropomorphic dairy products by Evan Dorkin, and Johnny the Homicidal Maniac, a comic about the adventures of a serial killer by Jhonen Vasquez. In this time period, comic book speculation was rampant, so Slave Labor Graphics was ableββto sell its entire print run of many titles. However, at the end of the mid-1990s speculation bubble, some distributors went out of business without paying Slave Labor Graphics.
In 1995, Slave Labor Graphics added a more genre-oriented imprint called "Amaze Ink" intendedββto be, for all audiences; the "stranger, more adult. And more difficult to categorize material" would still be published under the main "Slave Labor" imprint.
In 2005, Slave Labor Graphics entered into a partnership with The Walt Disney Company to produce comic book series based on some of its properties: Haunted Mansion, Wonderland, Tron, and Gargoyles. Its own creations, such as Little Gloomy (1999β2005), Kid Gravity (2003β2007), and The Super Scary Monster Show: Featuring Little Gloomy (2005β2007), appeared regularly in Disney Adventures magazine.
In September 2008, SLG remodeled its lobby to be a smaller gallery/shop which opened as Boutiki in San Jose in December 2008. The gallery/shop is still operating (with name of Art Boutiki) as of 2014 December.
In late 2010, Slave Labor Graphics established an independent record label entitled Slab Yard Sound Company.
In January 2012, editor-in-chief Jennifer de Guzman, who had been with the company since 2001, left to become the PR and Marketing Director at Image Comics.
Titlesβ»
- Absent Friends (2004)
- A Bag of Anteaters
- Action Girl Comics #1β19 (by Sarah Dyer, 1994β2001)
- Adora Gone and The Electric Electric Elephant (2010)
- Awkward (by Ariel Schrag, 1999)
- Autumn #1β5 (2004β2006)
- Babyhead Magazine #1 (2004)
- Babysitter
- Bad Art Collection
- Barrabas #1β2 (1986)
- Bear #1β10 (by Jamie Smart, 2004β2005)
- Beer and Roaming in Las Vegas
- Bill The Clown 3 issues (1992β1993)
- Bloody Dreadful (by Justin Bastard Sane)
- Black Heart Billy
- Bombaby Screen Goddess #1β3 plus a TPB (by Antony Mazzotta, 2003β2004)
- Byron: Mad, Bad, and Dangerous (by Karl Christian Krumpholz, 2007)
- Cactus Thief #1β20
- Caffeine #1β10 (by Jim Hill; April 1996 β 1999)
- Camping with Bigfoot
- Captain Dingleberry
- The Cat With The Really Big Head
- Cemetarians 6 issues (2008)
- Charm School #1β9 (by Elizabeth Watasin; Apr. 2000 β 2003)
- Chumble Spuzz (by Ethan Nicolle, 2008)
- The Clarence Principle (by Fehed Said and Shari Chankhamma, 2007)
- Cocopiazo
- The Comical Tragedy of Punch and Judy
- Comic Book Heaven
- Corporate Ninja (2005)
- Dead Eyes Open (by Matt Shepherd and Roy Boney, 2005)
- Definition
- Dim Witted Darryl
- Dork #1β11 (by Evan Dorkin, 1993β2006; continued by Dark Horse Comics)
- Dr. Grave (by Ed Clayton
- Dystopik Snomen (by Don M. Haring, Jr., 1995)
- Eating Steve: A Love Story
- Egg Story
- Elmer
- Emily and the Intergalactic Lemonade Stand
- Emo Boy #1β11 (by Steve Emond, 2005β2007)
- Empty Love Stories #1β2 (all stories written by Steve Darnall, Nov. 1994 β Aug. 1996)
- Evenfall (by Pete Stathis, 2004)
- Everwinds
- Everything Can Be Beaten
- Farewell Georgia
- Fishmasters
- Gargoyles 15 issues (by Greg Weisman, et al; a continuation of the TV series)
- Ghost Ship #1β3 (by Jon Lewis, Mar. 1996 β Oct. 1996)
- Ghouly Boys
- Gloomcookie #1β28 (by Serena Valentino and Vincent Batignole, 1999β2006)
- The Griffin (by Dan Vado)
- Halo and Sprocket #1β4 (2002)
- Haunted Mansion
- Heart of a Corpse (by Justin Bastard Sane)
- Hectic Planet (by Evan Dorkin; previously known as Pirate Corp$)
- Hero Sandwich #1β5 (1987β1989)
- Highway 13 #1β10 (by Les McClaine, 2001β2003)
- Hummingbird
- Hsu and Chan (by Jeremy "Norm" Scott)
- I Feel Sick #1β2 (by Jhonen Vasquez, 1999β2000)
- Imp
- Iliad #1β2
- It's Science With Doctor Radium (1986)
- Jellyfist (by Jhonen Vasquez and Jenny Goldberg)
- Jet Comics #1β3
- Jet Pack Pets
- Johnny the Homicidal Maniac #1β7 (by Jhonen Vasquez, 1995β1997)
- Kitsune Tales #1 (by Woodrow Phoenix and Andi Watson, 2003)
- Knights of the Living Dead
- Lenore #1β13 (by Roman Dirge, 1998β2007)
- Life of a Fetus #1β7
- Likewise #1β2 (by Ariel Schrag, 2002)
- Little Gloomy #1β6 (by Landry Walker and Eric Jones, 1999)
- Little Gloomy Adventures one-shot (2003)
- Little Gloomy Crypt of Creepts one-shot (2004)
- Little Gloomy Hallowe'en Special one-shot
- Little Scrowlie 18 issues (by Jennifer Feinberg and Todd Meister; Mar. 2003 β Jan. 2008)
- Longshot Comics, Shanne Simmons (volume 1: 1995. volume 2: 1997)
- Love In Tights
- Metamorphosis Odyssey (by Jim Starlin)
- Midnight Sun
- Milk & Cheese 7 issues plus a TPB (by Evan Dorkin, 1991β2000)
- Mister Blank 15 issues (by Christopher J. Hicks, 1996β1998)
- Model A
- The Monsters In My Tummy
- Mr. Night
- Murder Can Be Fun #1β12 (anthology; 1996β1999)
- MuZz
- My Monkey's Name is Jennifer (2002)
- Next Exit #1β10 (by Christy Lijewski; 2004 β 2006)
- Nightmares & Fairy Tales #1β23 (by Serena Valentino and Camilla D'Errico, May 2002 β May 2008)
- Nil: A Land Beyond Belief original graphic novel (by James Turner, 2005)
- No Hope
- Oblivion City
- Oddjob #1β8 (by Ian Smith and Tyson Smith, Spring 1999 β May 2001)
- On the Bus
- One Fisted Tales #1β11 (anthology, 1990 β Aug. 1994)
- Outlook:Grim #1β6 (2003β2004)
- The Pants Ant Trouser Hour
- Paris (by Andi Watson, 2005β2006)
- Patty Cake 33 issues (by Scott Roberts; 1997β2005)
- Pinocchio: Vampire Slayer
- Pirate Club #1β10 (by Derek Hunter & Elias Pate, 2004β2006)
- Pirate Corp$ (by Evan Dorkin, 1989β1993)
- The Price
- Private Beach #1β7? (2002?)
- Punk Rock & Trailer Parks (2008)
- The Replacement God #1β8 (by Zander Cannon, June 1995β1997)
- Rex Libris #1β13 (by James Turner, 2005β2008)
- Rogue Satellite Comics #1β3 (Reilly & Atkinson, 1996β1997)
- The Royal Historian of Oz
- Samurai Jam #3β4 (by Andi Watson, 1993, previously Samurai Funnies, published by Solson Publications)
- Samurai Penguin #1β8 (1986β1988)
- Samurai Penguin: Food Chain Follies #1
- Sanctuary
- Screenplay #1
- Screwtooth #1-? (2006)
- Serenity Rose #1β5 (by Aaron Alexovich, 2003β2004)
- Seth Throb, Underground Artist
- Shadoweyes (by Sophie Campbell, 2010)
- ShadowStar #3 (1986; #1β2 published by Savage Graphics)
- Sidney Mellon's Thunderskull!
- The Sister's Luck (by Shari Chankhamma, 2010)
- Skaggy The Lost #1β4, trade paperback
- Skeleton Girl Comics #1β3
- Skeleton Key #1β30 (by Andi Watson, July 1995 β Jan. 1998 )
- Sky Ape #1β4
- Slacker Comics #1β18 (by Doug Slack, Aug. 1994 β Oct. 1998)
- Slow News Day (by Andi Watson, 2001)
- Street Angel #1β5 (by Jim Rugg, 2004β2005)
- Space Bunny #1β30
- Sparks
- Spot the Dog #1β5 (by Brian Villaverde, 2007)
- Squee #1β4 (by Jhonen Vasquez, 1997β1998)
- Strongman by Charles Soule
- Sugar Buzz #1β9 (by Ian Carney and Woodrow Phoenix, Jan. 1998 β May 2002)
- Swerve #1β2 (by "Downer" creator Kyle S. Hunter)
- T+ #1β16
- The Jam #2β6, 1989β1990 (by Bernie Mireault; came from Matrix Graphics, moved to Dark Horse Comics)
- The Super Scary Monster Show: Featuring Little Gloomy
- Tales from the Heart #3β11, 1988 β May 1994 (by Cindy Goff, Rafael Nieves and Seitu Hayden; came from Entropy Enterprises)
- Tron: The Ghost in the Machine (2006β2008; miniseries following up the film and the video game TRON 2.0)
- The Trouble With Igor #1 (2006)
- True Swamp #4β5 (by Jon Lewis, Oct. 1994 β Feb. 1995); first 3 issues published by Peristaltic Press
- Truth Serum
- Ubu Bubu #1β4 (2008β2009)
- Ursa Minors #1-? (2006)
- Vaistron #1β5 (2005)
- The Vesha Valentine Story (by Des Taylor, 2011)
- The Waiting Place 18 issues (by Sean McKeever, Mike Norton, and David Yurkovich; Apr. β Sept. 1997; Nov. 1999 β Feb. 2002)
- Weird Science (1986)
- Where's It At, Sugar Kat? #1β3 (by Woodrow Phoenix and Ian Carney, Sept. 2000 β Mar. 2001)
- Whistles (by Andrew Hussie, 2007)
- Wonderland
- Zombies Calling (by Faith Erin Hicks, 2007)
Notesβ»
- ^ "Newspeak: Slave Labor in California," Speakeasy #65 (Aug. 1986), p. 4.
- ^ "Newswatch: Slave Labor Announces New Format," The Comics Journal #177 (May 1995), p. 33.
- ^ "Dan Vado on SLG's Disney Deal". Newsarama. Archived from the original on 2005-08-27.
- ^ NYCC: Slave Labor Graphics' Dan Vado Talks Disney Licensed Comics Archived 2007-03-10 at the Wayback Machine. February 26, 2007
- ^ SLG Office Beutification Adventure Part Two uploaded on September 2, 2008 by Dan Vado. Retrieved 2014 December 21.
- ^ Boutiki Opening Success! blog posted December 12, 2008 by Jennifer de Guzman. Retrieved 2014 December 21.
- ^ The Art Boutiki website. Retrieved 2014 December 21.
- ^ SLG Publishing Gets Into the Music Biz. November 22, 2010
- ^ Jennifer de Guzman to handle PR and marketing at Image January 17, 2012
- ^ "Newswatch: Slave Labor Announces New Title, Imprint," The Comics Journal #175 (Mar. 1995), p. 30.
- ^ "Newswatch: True Swamp Joins Slave Labor Line-Up," The Comics Journal #172 (Nov. 1994), p. 38.
Referencesβ»
External linksβ»
- Official website
- Slave Labor Graphics and SLG Publishing at the Comic Book DB
- Slave Labor Graphics at Inducks