Innovation Publishing

Innovation Publishing (also known as Innovation Books and the Innovative Corporation) was an American comic book company based in Wheeling, West Virginia. It was co-founded by David Campiti in 1988 after writing a business proposal and raising US$400,000 to finance its launch. Innovation became #4 in market share, below Marvel Comics, DC Comics, and Dark Horse Comics.

Innovation Publishing
IndustryComics
Founded1988
FounderDavid Campiti
Defunct1994
HeadquartersWheeling, West Virginia

Overview

The company published many adaptations and tie-in series of existing media properties, such as Anne Rice's novels Interview with the Vampire, The Vampire Lestat, and Queen of the Damned. It also published adaptations of novels such as Terry Pratchett's The Colour of Magic and The Light Fantastic, Piers Anthony's On a Pale Horse, Don Pendleton's The Executioner, Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle's Lucifer's Hammer, and Gene Wolfe's The Shadow of the Torturer; the TV series Dark Shadows, Quantum Leap, Beauty and the Beast and Lost In Space; films such as Forbidden Planet, Psycho, Child's Play, and A Nightmare on Elm Street; and even the 1949 Republic movie serial King of the Rocket Men.

Innovation's original series included writer Kevin Juaire's Hero Alliance; Legends of the Stargrazers; and writer Mike Barr's The Maze Agency (continuing a series originally published by Comico).

Innovation was one of the first companies to delve heavily into recruiting talents from Brazil, starting the American careers of Mike Deodato (Beauty and the Beast) and Joe Bennett (The Light Fantastic), among others. 1992 Russ Manning "Best Newcomer" Award–winner Mike Okamoto broke into comic books illustrating The Maze Agency #15 (Aug. 1990) and Hero Alliance #11–12 (Nov.–Dec. 1990).

Campiti left Innovation in 1993[1] to launch Glasshouse Graphics, a studio/agency for illustrators, writers, painters, and digital designers. Shortly thereafter, in early 1994, Innovation closed, leaving substantial debts to creators, printers, and investors.[2]

Titles published
Hero Alliance #12 (Dec. 1990): Good girl art by penciler Mike Okamoto, inked by Mike Witherby.

Adaptations

Original series
  • 3×3 Eyes (translation of the manga)[4][5][6]
  • Ack the Barbarian (1991), #1
  • All Hallow's Eve (1991), #1
  • Angel of Death (1990), #1–4
  • Angry Shadows (1989), #1
  • Avenue X (1992), #1
  • Black and White Magic! (1991), #1
  • Biff Thundersaur (1991), #1
  • Celestial Mechanics: The Adventures of Widget Wilhelmina Jones (1990–1991), #1–3
  • Cobalt Blue (1989), TPB
  • Cyberpunk
    • Cyberpunk Graphic Novel #1 (1989)
    • v1 (1989–1990), #1–2 (reprints the 1989 graphic novel)
    • Book Two v1 (1990), #1–2 (collected in 1990 as Cyberpunk Book Two Graphic Novel #1)
    • The Seraphim Files (1990), #1–2 (collected in 1990 as Cyberpunk: The Seraphim Files Book One)
  • The Dead Heat (1990), #1 (All American Comics imprint)
  • Gnatrat: The Movie (1986)
  • The Group Larue (1989), #1–3 (collected as The Group Larue Graphic Novel #1)
  • Headman (1990), #1
  • Hero Alliance
    • End of the Golden Age (1989), #1–3 (reprints the Pied Piper graphic album)
    • v2 (1989–1991), #1–17 (continues from Wonder Comics)
    • Hero Alliance Annual (1990), #1
    • Hero Alliance & Justice Machine: Identity Crisis (1990), #1
    • Hero Alliance Quarterly (1991–1992), #1–4
    • Hero Alliance Special (1992), #1
  • Justice Machine (from Comico)
    • The New Justice Machine (1989–1990)
    • Justice Machine Summer Spectacular (1990)
    • v3 (1990–1991), #1–7
  • Lunatic Fringe (1989), #1–2
  • Legends of the Stargrazers (1989–1990), #1–6 (collected as Legends of the Stargrazers Graphic Novels #1 & 2)
  • The Maze Agency
    • v1 (1989–1990), #8–23 (from Comico)
    • Annual (1990), #1
    • Special (1990), #1
  • Mangle Tangle Tales (1990), #1
  • Masques (1992), #1–2
  • Media Starr (1989), #1–3 (collected as Media Starr Graphic Novel #1)
  • Neon City (1991), #1
  • Neon City: After the Fall (1992), #1
  • Newstralia (1989–1990), #1–5
  • Alex Niño's Nightmare (1989), #1
  • Bruce Jones' Outer Edge (1993), #1
  • Power Factor
  • Professor Om (1990), #1
  • Bruce Jones' Razor's Edge (1993), #1
  • Walt Kelly's Santa Claus Adventures (1990)
  • Scaramouch (1990–1991), #1–2
  • Sentry Special (1991), #1 (a Hero Alliance character)
  • Seraphim (1990), #1
  • Straw Men (1989–1990), #1–8 (All-American Comics imprint)
  • SoulQuest (1989), TPB
  • Timedrifter (1990–1991), #1–3
  • Torchy (1991–1992), #1–5 (reprints from Quality Comics)
  • Vigil: Fall from Grance (1992), #1–2 (collected as Vigil: Fall from Grace)
  • Vigil: The Golden Parts (1992), #1
  • Vigial: Kukulkan (1993), #1
  • Wonderworlds (1992), #1

References
  1. "Newswatch: Campiti Leaves Innovation", The Comics Journal #161 (August 1993), p. 27.
  2. "Newswatch: Innovation Goes Under Leaving Substantial Debts to Creators, Printers, and Investors", The Comics Journal #166 (February 1994), pp. 34–37.
  3. "Onipress.com". Archived from the original on 2011-08-27. Retrieved 2012-01-24.
  4. Park, David (March 1, 2011). "Products: Manga". 3x3 Eyes Digest. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
  5. "3x3 Eyes". Atomic Avenue. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
  6. "3x3 Eyes: Curse of the Gesu". Atomic Avenue. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
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