Tundra Publishing
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Comic book publishing |
| Founded | 1990 |
| Founder | Kevin Eastman |
| Defunct | 1993 |
| Fate | Acquired by Kitchen Sink Press |
| Headquarters | Northampton , United States |
Area served | United States, United Kingdom (Tundra UK) |
Key people | Kevin Eastman, Dave Elliott (Tundra UK) |
| Products | Comic books, graphic novels |
Tundra Publishing was a comic book publisher based in Northampton, Massachusetts, established in 1990 by Kevin Eastman. The company focused on backing bold, creator-owned ventures, emphasizing superior production quality such as glossy paper, vibrant full-color printing, and square binding. It emerged as an early supporter of the creator-owned segment, preceding entities like Image Comics and Dark Horse Comics' Legends line.
Among Tundra's distinguished publications were works by creators including Alan Moore, Bill Sienkiewicz, and Mike Allred. Their catalog featured titles like Big Numbers, From Hell, Lost Girls, The Crow, Madman, and Cages.
Although Tundra earned critical praise and garnered several award nominations, it faced persistent financial difficulties, resulting in its closure in 1993 after losses estimated at $14 million. Subsequently, Kitchen Sink Press acquired its assets, reissuing popular works such as Understanding Comics and continuing some series like Taboo.
History
During his tenure co-managing Mirage Studios, Eastman aimed to resolve creative control issues encountered by artists. With encouragement from partner Peter Laird, he founded Tundra Publishing in 1990 to offer funding and promotional assistance for projects driven by creators themselves.
Rick Veitch characterized Tundra as an "exoskeleton" supporting self-publishers by providing upfront page rates, marketing resources, and production financing without imposing restrictive contracts.
Eastman observed that numerous seasoned creators from major publishers such as Marvel and DC turned to Tundra to pursue passion projects free from mainstream constraints. He supplied financial support enabling them to dedicate themselves fully to these endeavors.
Tundra’s business approach targeted a specialized market situated between comic book shops and bookstores, concentrating on mature, creator-owned material. However, the company overestimated the market's capacity and encountered difficulties in cultivating new intellectual properties from the ground up. Its rapid expansion required significant investment but failed to generate profits.
Despite receiving accolades through Harvey and Eisner Award nominations, Tundra’s ambitious growth exceeded its financial viability. By 1992/93, Eastman believed the firm was stabilizing sufficiently to better support individual projects. Nonetheless, in spring 1993, Tundra was sold to Kitchen Sink Press, marking the conclusion of its independent operations and resulting in substantial financial losses for Eastman.
Titles published
Significant titles released under Tundra include:
- Cages by Dave McKean, issues #1–7 (Dec. 1990 – June 1993); issues #8–10 (Aug. 1993 – May 1996) were later published by Kitchen Sink Press
- Cobalt 60 by Mark Bodé and Larry Todd (1992), continuing the series originated by Vaughn Bodé
- ComicsTrips: A Journal of Travels through Africa and Southeast Asia by Peter Kuper (1992)
- Doghead by Al Columbia (1992), marking Columbia's debut solo comic
- Graffiti Kitchen by Eddie Campbell (1993)
- The Jam: Urban Adventure by Bernie Mireault (Jan.–May 1992)
- Madman Adventures by Mike Allred (1992–1993)
- The Maximortal by Rick Veitch (1992–1993), published under his King Hell imprint
- Rain by Rolf Stark and Marlene Stevens (1993–1994)
- Taboo, a horror anthology edited by Steve Bissette, which serialized segments of Alan Moore's From Hell and Lost Girls, alongside Neil Gaiman's unfinished Sweeney Todd; Tundra also issued the initial collections of From Hell
- Tantalizing Stories by Mark Martin and Jim Woodring (Oct. 1992 – July 1993), a children’s comic featuring early stories of Frank
- Trailer Trash by Roy Tompkins (1992–1993)
- Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud (1993)
Tundra had plans to publish Alan Moore's troubled series Big Numbers before it was ultimately discontinued.
Tundra UK
In 1991, Tundra broadened its reach by launching Tundra UK in London, with editor and Atomeka Press founder Dave Elliott at the helm. Operating between 1992 and 1993, the UK division worked closely with American creators and pursued new creative ventures. Notable publications from this period included:
- The Bogie Man, crafted by John Wagner, Alan Grant, and Robin Smith (1992–1993)
- Greenhouse Warriors, created by Glenn Dakin and Phil Elliott (1992)
- Lazarus Churchyard, by Warren Ellis and D'Israeli (1992)
- Skidmarks, authored by Ed Hillyer (1992)
- Skin, developed by Peter Milligan and Brendan McCarthy (1992)
- Strange Embrace, written by David Hine (1993) – subsequently compiled and colored by Image Comics
- White Trash, by Gordon Rennie and Martin Emond (1992)
Following the closure of Tundra UK, various titles initially intended for the imprint found homes elsewhere, such as:
- Hotwire, a collaboration between Steve Pugh and Warren Ellis, later published from 2010 onwards by Dave Elliott under Radical Comics
- Kingdom of the Wicked, by Ian Edginton and D'Israeli, released through Caliber Comics in the mid-1990s and later issued in color by Dark Horse
- Mister Monster: Worlds War Two, a work by Michael T. Gilbert, published via Penthouse Comix and Atomeka Press
- Pale Horses, created by Dan Abnett, Steve White, and Gary Erskine, which was issued as Hypersonic through Dark Horse Comics in 1997