Alternative Comics is a U.S.

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 independent graphic novel and comic book publisher which operated from 1993–2007. Located in Gainesville, Florida

Gainesville, Florida

Gainesville is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Alachua County, Florida, United States as well as the principal city of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . The preliminary 2010 Census population count for Gainesville is 124,354. Gainesville is home to the sixth...

, it is owned and operated by its founder, attorney Jeff Mason. The company was originally known as Alternative Press but changed it to Alternative Comics within a few years of its foundation.

Overview

Alternative Comics is noted for having cartoonists such as Graham Annable

Graham Annable

Graham Annable is a cartoonist and animator living in Portland, Oregon. He is the creator of Grickle, published by Alternative Comics, and one of the founders of the Hickee humor anthology...

, Gabrielle Bell

Gabrielle Bell

Gabrielle Bell is an American alternative cartoonist known for her surrealist, melancholy semi-autobiographical stories.-Biography:...

, Nick Bertozzi

Nick Bertozzi

Nick Bertozzi is an American comic book writer and artist, as well as a commercial illustrator and teacher of cartooning. His series Rubber Necker from Alternative Comics won the 2003 Harvey Awards for best new talent and best new series. His project, The Salon Nick Bertozzi (born May 26, 1970)...

, Brandon Graham, Asaf Hanuka

Asaf Hanuka

Asaf Hanuka is an Israeli illustrator and comic book artist, notable for his collaborations with his identical twin brother Tomer and his work with Etgar Keret in both Hebrew and English....

, Tomer Hanuka

Tomer Hanuka

Tomer Hanuka is an award-winning Israeli illustrator and cartoonist.At age twenty-two, after completing three years of mandatory Israeli Army service, Hanuka moved to New York City. Following his graduation from the School of Visual Arts, he quickly became a regular contributor to many national...

, Tom Hart, Dean Haspiel

Dean Haspiel

Dean Edmund Haspiel is an American comic book artist. He is known for his collaborations with writer Harvey Pekar on his American Splendor series as well as the graphic novel The Quitter. He has been nominated for numerous Eisner Awards, and won a 2010 Emmy Award for TV design work.-Early...

, Sam Henderson

Sam Henderson

Sam Henderson is an American cartoonist, writer and expert on American comedy history.Henderson attended Boiceville, New York's Onteora High School, graduating in 1987, and the School of Visual Arts in New York City, where he graduated in 1991.Henderson has been self-publishing xeroxed minicomics...

, Damon Hurd, K. Thor Jensen, James Kochalka

James Kochalka

James Kochalka is an American comic book artist and writer, and rock musician. His comics are noted for their blending of the real and the surreal...

, David Lasky

David Lasky

David Lasky is an alternative cartoonist based in Seattle, Washington.After spending the bulk of his life in Virginia, and graduating from the College of William & Mary, Lasky moved to Seattle in 1992...

, Jon Lewis, Matt Madden

Matt Madden

Matt Madden is a U.S. comic book writer and artist. He is best known for original alternative comics, for his coloring work in traditional comics, and for the experimental work 99 Ways to Tell a Story: Exercises in Style, which is based on the idea of Raymond Queneau's Exercises in Style...

, Josh Neufeld

Josh Neufeld

Josh Neufeld is an alternative cartoonist known for his nonfiction comics on subjects like Hurricane Katrina, international travel, and finance, as well as his collaborations with writers like Harvey Pekar and Brooke Gladstone...

, Dash Shaw

Dash Shaw

Dash Shaw is a U.S. comic book writer/artist and animator. He is the author of the graphic novels Love Eats Brains published by Odd God Press, GardenHead published by Meathaus, The Mother's Mouth published by Alternative Comics, Bottomless Belly Button published by Fantagraphics, and BodyWorld...

, Jen Sorensen

Jen Sorensen

Jen Sorensen is an American cartoonist who authors Slowpoke, a weekly comic strip that often focuses on current events from a liberal perspective. The comic generally makes use of three recurring characters: Mr...

, and Sara Varon in its stable of creators.

In addition to having many of its cartoonists and publications nominated (and winning) multiple comics-industry awards, Alternative Comics has also established a reputation as a distributor for Xeric Foundation

Xeric Foundation

The Xeric Foundation is a private, nonprofit corporation based in Northampton, Massachusetts, which for twenty years awarded self-publishing grants to comic book creators, as well as qualified charitable and nonprofit organizations...

 award-winners, such as Leela Corman, Derek Kirk Kim, Neufeld, Bishakh Som, Sorensen, Karl Stevens

Karl Stevens

Karl Stevens is a graphic novelist and painter. His first book, Guilty, was published in 2004 with a grant from the Xeric Foundation. He is also the author of Whatever and The Lodger...

, Lauren Weinstein

Lauren Weinstein (comic book artist)

Lauren R. Weinstein is an American comic book artist. Her surrealist alternative comics detail a complex world where a pall of mystery, sexual intrigue and violent death hangs over the animal kingdom, outer space and suburban America alike...

, and many others.

Alternative Comics is also a noted publisher of graphic novel anthologies such as 9-11: Emergency Relief, Hi-Horse, Hickee, Rosetta, and True Porn.

Ongoing or limited series

• Bipolar, by Asaf Hanuka
  Asaf Hanuka
  Asaf Hanuka is an Israeli illustrator and comic book artist, notable for his collaborations with his identical twin brother Tomer and his work with Etgar Keret in both Hebrew and English....
  
  , & Tomer Hanuka
  Tomer Hanuka
  Tomer Hanuka is an award-winning Israeli illustrator and cartoonist.At age twenty-two, after completing three years of mandatory Israeli Army service, Hanuka moved to New York City. Following his graduation from the School of Visual Arts, he quickly became a regular contributor to many national...
  
  , 2001–2004
• Detour, by Ed Brubaker
  Ed Brubaker
  Ed Brubaker is an Eisner Award-winning comic book writer and cartoonist. Brubaker first early comics work was primarily in the crime fiction genre with works such as Lowlife, The Fall, Sandman Presents: Dead Boy Detectives and Scene of the Crime...
  
  , 1997
• A Fine Mess, by Matt Madden
  Matt Madden
  Matt Madden is a U.S. comic book writer and artist. He is best known for original alternative comics, for his coloring work in traditional comics, and for the experimental work 99 Ways to Tell a Story: Exercises in Style, which is based on the idea of Raymond Queneau's Exercises in Style...
  
  , 2002–
• Hickee, by Graham Annable, Scott Campbell, Joe White, et al., 2005–
• Magic Whistle, by Sam Henderson
  Sam Henderson
  Sam Henderson is an American cartoonist, writer and expert on American comedy history.Henderson attended Boiceville, New York's Onteora High School, graduating in 1987, and the School of Visual Arts in New York City, where he graduated in 1991.Henderson has been self-publishing xeroxed minicomics...
  
  , 1998–
• My Uncle Jeff, written by Damon Hurd & illustrated by Pedro Camello, 2003
• Peanutbutter & Jeremy, by James Kochalka
  James Kochalka
  James Kochalka is an American comic book artist and writer, and rock musician. His comics are noted for their blending of the real and the surreal...
  
  , 2004, ISBN 1-891867-46-6.
• The Power of 6, by Jon Lewis, 2006-
• Rosetta, edited by Ng Suat Tong, 2003–2005
• Rubbernecker, by Nick Bertozzi, 2003–
• Slowpoke, by Jen Sorensen
  Jen Sorensen
  Jen Sorensen is an American cartoonist who authors Slowpoke, a weekly comic strip that often focuses on current events from a liberal perspective. The comic generally makes use of three recurring characters: Mr...
  
  , 1998–
• A Sort of Homecoming, by Damon Hurd and Pedro Camello
• Spectacles, by Jon Lewis, 1997–1998
• True Swamp, by Jon Lewis
• Urban Hipster, by David Lasky
  David Lasky
  David Lasky is an alternative cartoonist based in Seattle, Washington.After spending the bulk of his life in Virginia, and graduating from the College of William & Mary, Lasky moved to Seattle in 1992...
  
   & Greg Stump, 1998–2003
• The Vagabonds, by Josh Neufeld
  Josh Neufeld
  Josh Neufeld is an alternative cartoonist known for his nonfiction comics on subjects like Hurricane Katrina, international travel, and finance, as well as his collaborations with writers like Harvey Pekar and Brooke Gladstone...
  
  , 2003-
• Yikes, by Steven Weissman
  Steven Weissman
  Steven Weissman is an award-winning alternative cartoonist best known for his offbeat and bizarre explorations of childhood friendships...
  
  , 1997–1998

Selected titles

• 9-11: Emergency Relief
  9-11 (comics)
  9-11 comics emerged following the terrorist attacks in New York City, Washington DC, and Pennsylvania on Tuesday, September 11, 2001, and cartoonists turned to art to express their grief and support...
  
  , by various writers and artists, January 2002, ISBN 1-891867-12-1.
• Aim to Dazzle, by Dean Haspiel
  Dean Haspiel
  Dean Edmund Haspiel is an American comic book artist. He is known for his collaborations with writer Harvey Pekar on his American Splendor series as well as the graphic novel The Quitter. He has been nominated for numerous Eisner Awards, and won a 2010 Emmy Award for TV design work.-Early...
  
  , 2003
• The Cute Manifesto, by James Kochalka
  James Kochalka
  James Kochalka is an American comic book artist and writer, and rock musician. His comics are noted for their blending of the real and the surreal...
  
  , 2005, ISBN 1-891867-73-3.
• Fancy Froglin's Sexy Forest, by James Kochalka
  James Kochalka
  James Kochalka is an American comic book artist and writer, and rock musician. His comics are noted for their blending of the real and the surreal...
  
  , 2003, ISBN 1-891867-47-4.
• Fantastic Butterflies, by James Kochalka
  James Kochalka
  James Kochalka is an American comic book artist and writer, and rock musician. His comics are noted for their blending of the real and the surreal...
  
  , 2002, ISBN 1-891867-18-0.
• Further Grickle, by Graham Annable
  Graham Annable
  Graham Annable is a cartoonist and animator living in Portland, Oregon. He is the creator of Grickle, published by Alternative Comics, and one of the founders of the Hickee humor anthology...
  
  , 2003, ISBN 1-891867-55-5.
• Grickle, by Graham Annable
  Graham Annable
  Graham Annable is a cartoonist and animator living in Portland, Oregon. He is the creator of Grickle, published by Alternative Comics, and one of the founders of the Hickee humor anthology...
  
  , 2001, ISBN 1-891867-01-6.
• The Mother's Mouth, by Dash Shaw
  Dash Shaw
  Dash Shaw is a U.S. comic book writer/artist and animator. He is the author of the graphic novels Love Eats Brains published by Odd God Press, GardenHead published by Meathaus, The Mother's Mouth published by Alternative Comics, Bottomless Belly Button published by Fantagraphics, and BodyWorld...
  
  , 2006, ISBN 1-891867-98-9.
• Never Ending Summer, by Allison Cole, 2004, ISBN 1-891867-66-0.
• Opposable Thumbs, by Dean Haspiel
  Dean Haspiel
  Dean Edmund Haspiel is an American comic book artist. He is known for his collaborations with writer Harvey Pekar on his American Splendor series as well as the graphic novel The Quitter. He has been nominated for numerous Eisner Awards, and won a 2010 Emmy Award for TV design work.-Early...
  
  , 2001
• Peanutbutter & Jeremy, by James Kochalka
  James Kochalka
  James Kochalka is an American comic book artist and writer, and rock musician. His comics are noted for their blending of the real and the surreal...
  
  , 2004, ISBN 1-891867-46-6.
• Pizzeria Kamikaze, written by Etgar Keret
  Etgar Keret
  Etgar Keret is an Israeli writer known for his short stories, graphic novels, and scriptwriting for film and television.-Personal Life:Keret was born in Ramat Gan, Israel in 1967. He is a third child to parents who survived the Holocaust. He lives in Tel Aviv with his wife, Shira Geffen, and...
  
   & illustrated by Asaf Hanuka
  Asaf Hanuka
  Asaf Hanuka is an Israeli illustrator and comic book artist, notable for his collaborations with his identical twin brother Tomer and his work with Etgar Keret in both Hebrew and English....
  
  , 2006, ISBN 1-891867-90-3.
• The Placebo Man, by Tomer Hanuka
  Tomer Hanuka
  Tomer Hanuka is an award-winning Israeli illustrator and cartoonist.At age twenty-two, after completing three years of mandatory Israeli Army service, Hanuka moved to New York City. Following his graduation from the School of Visual Arts, he quickly became a regular contributor to many national...
  
  , 2006, ISBN 1-891867-91-1.
• Quit Your Job, by James Kochalka
  James Kochalka
  James Kochalka is an American comic book artist and writer, and rock musician. His comics are noted for their blending of the real and the surreal...
  
  , 1998, ISBN 1-891867-00-8.
• RabbitHead, by Rebecca Dart, 2004, ISBN 1-891867-72-5.
• Red Eye, Black Eye, by K. Thor Jensen, 2007
• Salmon Doubts, by Adam Sacks, 2004, ISBN 1-891867-71-7.
• Stickleback, by Graham Annable, 2005, ISBN 1-891867-80-6.
• A Strange Day, written by Damon Hurd & illustrated by Tatiana Gill, 2005
• Strum and Drang: Great Moments in Rock 'n' Roll, by Joel Orff, 2003, ISBN 1-891867-27-X.
• Subway Series, 2002, ISBN 1-891867-14-8.
• Sweaterweather, by Sara Varon, 2003, ISBN 1-891867-49-0.
• True Swamp, by Jon Lewis.
• Waterwise, by Joel Orff, 2004, ISBN 1-891867-82-2.
• When I'm Old, by Gabrielle Bell
  Gabrielle Bell
  Gabrielle Bell is an American alternative cartoonist known for her surrealist, melancholy semi-autobiographical stories.-Biography:...
  
  , 2003, ISBN 1-891867-43-1.
• The White Elephant, written by Damon Hurd & illustrated by Chris Steininger, 2005, ISBN 1-891867-64-4.

External links

• Alternative Comics website