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NBM Publishing

From Alfawiki
Nantier Beall Minoustchine Publishing Inc. (NBM Publishing)
Company typePrivate
IndustryPublishing
PredecessorFlying Buttress Publications
Founded1976
FounderTerry Nantier, Chris Beall, Marc Minoustchine
Headquarters
New York City
,
United States
Area served
North America, international
Key people
Terry Nantier (co-owner and publisher)
ProductsGraphic novels, comic strips, original graphic novels, literary graphic fiction, adult-themed comics

Nantier Beall Minoustchine Publishing Inc. (NBM Publishing), established in 1976 by Terry Nantier initially as Flying Buttress Publications, stands among the pioneering graphic novel publishers in North America. Based in New York City, NBM focuses on English-language adaptations of European comics, collections of classic comic strips, as well as original graphic novels spanning both fiction and nonfiction genres.

NBM manages multiple imprints, including ComicsLit, which specializes in literary graphic fiction, along with Eurotica and Amerotica, dedicated to adult-themed comics. Their business approach capitalizes on a broad and varied catalog to serve specific segments within the graphic novel marketplace.

Generating nearly $3 million in annual retail revenue and distributing over 200,000 graphic novels every year, NBM ranks as the second-largest independent comics publisher in the United States, following Fantagraphics. Its editorial direction is strongly influenced by the European comics tradition, offering a distinctive edge in terms of quality and diversity.

The company’s distribution network comprises partnerships with Independent Publishers Group in the U.S., Turnaround Publisher Services in the U.K., and Diamond Book Distributors internationally, facilitating NBM’s extensive global outreach.

Flying Buttress Publications

Terry Nantier (born 1957) cultivated an appreciation for European comics during his adolescence while living in Paris. Upon returning to the United States, he enrolled at Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Communications. In 1976, still a student, Nantier co-established Flying Buttress Publications alongside Chris Beall and Marc Minoustchine, launching operations from his dormitory with an initial investment of $2,100. The company adopted the slogan "the support of a new medium," alluding to its namesake architectural feature.

Flying Buttress was among the first to introduce European graphic novels to American readers, publishing early works such as Loro’s Racket Rumba (1977) and Enki Bilal’s The Call of the Stars (1978). In 1979, they issued Gene Day’s Future Day, a science fiction anthology promoted as "graphic albums." By 1982, Flying Buttress had branched into reissuing classic newspaper comic strips under their Flying Buttress Classics Library imprint, including Milton Caniff’s Terry and the Pirates and Hal Foster and Burne Hogarth’s Tarzan strips.

NBM Publishing

In 1983, Nantier relocated to New York City to pursue an MBA with a focus on marketing at New York University, completing his degree in 1985. That same year marked the formal incorporation of Flying Buttress as Nantier, Beall, Minoustchine (NBM Publishing), with Nantier assuming the role of co-owner and publisher.

NBM secured its position in the market through series like Vicente Segrelles’ The Mercenary and Hugo Pratt’s Corto Maltese, alongside reissues of classic newspaper strips such as Roy Crane’s Wash Tubbs and Captain Easy, released across an 18-volume collection from 1987 to 1992. This collection featured detailed biographical notes and was noted for its distinctive design by Bhob Stewart.

During the 1990s, NBM expanded its offerings by launching the Eurotica imprint for erotic comics in 1991 and introducing Amerotica in 1995 with titles including Elaine Lee’s Skin Tight Orbit. The ComicsLit imprint was established in 1994 to publish literary graphic works like Rick Geary’s acclaimed "Murder" series.

Throughout that decade, NBM continued translating Franco-Belgian comics while also publishing American creators such as Ted Rall. In 1997, NBM ventured further into comic book publishing by issuing Hugo Pratt’s Corto Maltese as a seven-issue magazine series.

In 2005, Nantier founded Papercutz, a sister publisher concentrating on family-oriented graphic novels; Papercutz was later acquired by Mad Cave Studios in 2022.

Expanding its portfolio further in 2020, NBM began releasing a new American English translation of the popular Asterix series.

Distribution

NBM began its distribution efforts through direct market collaborators including Sea Gate Distributors, Bud Plant Inc., and Last Gasp. It broke new ground in 1980 by entering general bookstore distribution via Caroline House. In 1986, NBM became the first U.S. comics publisher to collaborate with a book distributor by signing with Publishers Group West. By 1988, NBM had taken control of its own distribution operations and additionally handled graphic novel distribution for Dark Horse Comics. The company further expanded its industry involvement by joining the Association of Comic Store Suppliers in 1994.

Selected titles

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