Millennium Publications

Last updated
Millennium Publications
Millennium icon.png
Founded1990
Founder Mark Ellis, Melissa Martin, Paul Davis
Defunct2000
Country of originU.S.
Headquarters location Tampa, Florida, then Narragansett, Rhode Island
DistributionU.S.
Publication types Comics
Imprints Borderland
American Bios
Modern Comics

Millennium Publications was an American independent comic book publishing company active in the 1990s.

Contents

Initially known as a publisher of licensed properties, Millennium adapted works by Arthur Conan Doyle, Lester Dent, Robert E. Howard, Harlan Ellison, H.P. Lovecraft, and Anne Rice; and even adapted television series like The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and The Wild Wild West into comic book form. The company expanded its repertoire of horror comics into original titles in the mid-1990s, and further branched out in its later years to embrace the alternative comics genre, starting a short-lived creator-owned imprint called Modern Comics.

Millennium gave early exposure to comics artists such as Darryl Banks, [1] Brian Michael Bendis, Dean Haspiel, Adam Hughes, Michel Lacombe, David W. Mack, Josh Neufeld, Rik Levins, and Mike Wieringo; and utilized industry veterans like John Bolton, Mark Buckingham, Don Heck, Kelley Jones, Jim Mooney, Rudy Nebres, Steve Stiles, and Roy Thomas. Covers were occasionally provided by such notable creators as Brian Stelfreeze, Timothy Truman, and Doug Wildey.

The company was distinctive in that it mostly published one-shots and limited series, with only a couple of their titles running for more than four issues. In many ways representative of the boom period of independent comic book publishing, Millennium thrived in the early years of the 1990s and fell on lean times as the decade came to a close.

Publishing history

Origins

Millennium Publications was founded in 1990 in Tampa, Florida, by Mark Ellis, Melissa Martin, and Paul Davis, [2] with veteran comics creator Ellis serving as chief writer, and his wife Melissa [3] as vice-president and art director. Co-founder Davis also edited a number of titles, especially in the period 1993 to 1995. [2]

The company's first offerings, in 1990, were the series Anne Rice's The Mummy, inspired by her novel, The Mummy, or Ramses the Damned , with contributions from the likes of Ellis, John Hebert, Mark Menendez, and Jim Mooney, among others. The Mummy ran 12 issues in all, making it the company's longest-running title. Also published in 1990 was The Wild Wild West: The Night of the Iron Tyrants, a four-issue "sequel" to the TV series written by Ellis with art by Darryl Banks, and John Hebert with color art by Melissa Ellis and Deirdre DeLay.

In 1991, Millennium debuted a series of comics titles featuring Lester Dent's Doc Savage, featuring work by Ellis, Banks, Mike Wieringo, Tony Harris, Adam Hughes, Brian Stelfreeze, Steve Stiles, and Doug Wildey, among others. Ellis wrote the four-issue limited series Doc Savage: The Monarch of Armageddon, penciled by Darryl Banks, which was assessed by The Comics Buyer's Guide Catalog of Comic Books as coming the "closest to the original, capturing all the action, humanity, and humor of the original novels".[ citation needed ]

Also in 1991, Ellis conceived and scripted the critically acclaimed Nosferatu: Plague of Terror , a four-part series that provided a complete story of the title character's origin quite apart from the Dracula legend, featuring art by Rik Levins and Richard Pace. Finally, Ellis again turned to adapting and expanding another writer's concepts (H.P. Lovecraft), with the three-issue limited series Cthulhu: The Whisperer in Darkness , which featured the first appearance of the Miskatonic Project with art by Darryl Banks and Don Heck.

In 1992-93, Millennium introduced another Anne Rice-related project, Anne Rice's The Witching Hour, which ran for five issues, the first four of which were co-published with Comico: The Comic Company. [4] The title was intended to run 13 issues but only made it to issue #5 before being canceled. [5]

The company's three-issue Asylum horror anthology (published under its Borderland emblem) [6] included reprints of Archie Comics' 1970s Red Circle Sorcery series, and featured the talents of Vicente Alcazar, John Bolton, T. Casey Brennan, Mark Buckingham, Howard Chaykin, Duncan Eagleson, Neil Gaiman, Pia Guerra, Don Hillsman II, Matt Howarth, Carlos Pino, and Al McWilliams, among others.

In addition, again with Ellis as scripter, Millennium adapted the cult classic horror film It! The Terror from Beyond Space into comics form. Ellis and Banks teamed up again to produce two issues of Justice Machine , a superhero title that had previously been published by Comico Comics and Innovation Publishing, among others.

During this period, Millennium also published its first nonfiction title, Don Hillsman II and Ryan Monihan's By Any Means Necessary: The Life and Times of Malcolm X , an unauthorized biography in comic book form. Before leaving Millennium at the end of 1993, Ellis once again flexed his adaptation skills with The Man from U.N.C.L.E.: The Birds of Prey Affair two-parter.

Ownership transition and relocation

At the end of 1993, co-owners Ellis and Martin, who also functioned as the editorial and production staff, sold their shares in Millennium to Davis, but retained ownership of a number of comics properties, such as Nosferatu , The Miskatonic Project , and the new Justice Machine . [7] When Ellis and Martin left Millennium, Davis moved the company headquarters from Tampa to Rhode Island, first to Narragansett, and finally to Kingston.

Transition from licensed properties to original material

The mid-1990s saw the company publishing more original material, still mostly in the horror vein, though it also published adaptations of material created by Robert E. Howard (The Black Reaper) and Arthur Conan Doyle ( The Lost World ). The Black Reaper was notable in that it featured Howard's poetry alongside illustrations by comic book artists; it was halfway between a book and a comic book. During this period, Millennium also picked up Wendy Snow-Lang's Night's Children series from the defunct Fantaco/Tundra.

In 1994, Millennium acquired Arvin Loudermilk and Mike Iverson's Vigil from Innovation Publishing, first collecting material originally published by Innovation, and then launching its own line of Vigil limited series. These ran through 1996.

In 1996, Millennium also debuted Dean Haspiel and Josh Neufeld's eclectic two-man anthology Keyhole , which ran for three issues in 1996-1997 (until it moved over to Millennium's Modern Comics imprint for issue #4; Keyhole then was picked up by Top Shelf Productions for the remainder of its six-issue run).

Modern Comics creator-owned imprint

1997 was notable in that Millennium debuted its creator-owned line, Modern Comics, which featured creators from the minicomic, self-publishing, and zine scenes. This new direction for the company didn't help their fortunes, however, as in 1998 Millennium/Modern only published a handful of comics. The company didn't release any comics in 1999, and Modern's only title in 2000 was Yvonne Mojica's The Bathroom Girls Guide to Christmas Chaos.

Closure

In 2000, Millennium/Modern closed its doors for good.

Millennial Concepts

In late 2007, Ellis and Martin formed Millennial Concepts, reviving the stylized "M" that had served as Millennium's first company logo. In July 2008, Millennial Concepts joined forces with Caliber Comics founder Gary Reed's Transfuzion Publications in a joint graphic novel-publishing venture. [7]

Titles

Doug Wildey's cover for Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze #2. Millmob2.jpg
Doug Wildey's cover for Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze #2.

Licensed properties

Original titles

Modern Comics imprint

Trade paperbacks

Notable creators published by Millennium

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vertigo Comics</span> Imprint of comic-book publisher DC Comics

Vertigo Comics was an imprint of American comic book publisher DC Comics started by editor Karen Berger in 1993. Vertigo's purpose was to publish comics with adult content, such as nudity, drug use, profanity, and graphic violence, that did not fit the restrictions of DC's main line, thus allowing more creative freedom. Its titles consisted of company-owned comics set in the DC Universe, such as The Sandman and Hellblazer, and creator-owned works, such as Preacher, Y: The Last Man and Fables.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Wieringo</span> Comic book artist (1963–2007)

Michael Lance Wieringo, who sometimes signed his work under the name Ringo, was an American comics artist best known for his work on DC Comics' The Flash, Marvel Comics' Spider-Man and Fantastic Four, as well as his own creator-owned series, Tellos. In 2017, the Ringo Awards were created in honor of Wieringo. They are presented at the Baltimore Comic-Con to recognize achievement in the comics industry.

Mark Ellis is an American novelist/graphic novelist, journalist, and comics creator who under the pen name James Axler has written scores of books for the Outlanders and Deathlands paperback novel series as well as numerous other books under his own name.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Don Simpson (cartoonist)</span> American cartoonist

Donald Edward Simpson is an American comic book cartoonist and freelance illustrator, most noted as the creator of the series Megaton Man, Border Worlds, and Bizarre Heroes, as well as the official comic book adaption of King Kong. He also freelanced for nearly every major comic book publisher. His most widely seen work are the illustrations he created for Al Franken's 2003 bestseller, Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them: A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right.

United Feature Syndicate, Inc. (UFS) is a large American editorial column and comic strip newspaper syndication service based in the United States and established in 1919. Originally part of E. W. Scripps Company, it was part of United Media from 1978 to 2011, and is now a division of Andrews McMeel Syndication. United Features has syndicated many notable comic strips, including Peanuts, Garfield, Li'l Abner, Dilbert, Nancy, and Marmaduke.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maggie Thompson</span> American editor and columnist

Maggie Thompson, is an American longtime editor of the now-defunct comic book industry news magazine Comics Buyer's Guide, science fiction fan, and collector of comics.

Darryl Banks is an American comic book artist. He worked on one of the first painted comic books, Cyberpunk, and teamed with the writer Mark Ellis to revamp the long-running The Justice Machine series for two publishers, Innovation and Millennium.

H.P. Lovecraft’s Cthulhu: The Whisperer in Darkness was a three-part comic book mini-series published in the USA by Millennium Publications. It followed a group of investigators, the Miskatonic Project, as they confronted the Mi-go, the cunning Fungi from Yuggoth.

The Justice Machine is a fictional team of superheroes originally created by Mike Gustovich and appearing in comic books from many small publishers in the 1980s and 1990s. In addition to Gustovich, writers Tony Isabella and Mark Ellis have also had lengthy creative associations with Justice Machine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Al Gordon</span> Writer

Alan Gordon is an American comic book creator primarily known as an inker and writer. He is best known for his 1990s work on DC Comics' Legion of Super Heroes and the Justice League of America, Marvel Comics' Fantastic Four, and Image Comics' creator-owned WildStar. He is not to be confused with another Al Gordon who illustrated comics in the 1950s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eternity Comics</span> Comic book publisher

Eternity Comics was an American comic book publisher active from 1986 to 1994, first as an independent publisher, then as an imprint of Malibu Comics. Eternity published creator-owned comics of an offbeat, independent flavor, as well as some licensed properties. One of its most notable titles was Ex-Mutants. Eternity was also notable for reprinting foreign titles, and introducing Cat Claw, The Jackaroo, and the Southern Squadron to the U.S. market.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Act-i-vate</span>

ACT-I-VATE was an American webcomics collective based on an original idea by Dean Haspiel and founded by Haspiel and seven other cartoonists. It started out on the blogging platform Livejournal, and then moved to its own dedicated website.

<i>Keyhole</i> (comics) Comic book series

Keyhole is a black-and-white alternative comic book published from 1996 to 1998. A two-man anthology by cartoonists Dean Haspiel and Josh Neufeld, Keyhole was published by two different publishers, starting with Millennium Publications and ending up at Top Shelf Productions. In 2021, Haspiel and Neufeld released a 25th-anniversary issue of Keyhole, with new material from both creators.

J. R. Williams is an American cartoonist, animator, and fine artist best known for his late 1980s/early 1990s work in alternative comics. Known for his manic, exaggerated cartooning style, Williams brought an underground comix edge to his work during this period. Williams' characters Skinboy and the Bad Boys made recurring appearances in many of his stories.

Michael Gustovich is an American artist, known for his comic book art and inking in the 1980s and early 1990s for such publishers as Marvel Comics, DC Comics, First Comics, Comico, and Eclipse Comics. He is the creator of the superhero team Justice Machine, which throughout the 1980s and early 1990s was featured in comics from several publishers.

The Goethe Award, later known as the Comic Fan Art Award, was an American series of comic book fan awards, first presented in 1971 for comics published in 1970. The award originated with the fanzine Newfangles and then shared close ties with The Buyer's Guide to Comics Fandom.

Dennis Janke is an American comic book artist who was active in the industry from the mid-1980s to the mid-2000s, primarily as an inker. He is most well known for his work on the DC Comics character Superman, particularly his nine-year run as inker on Superman: The Man of Steel.

The UK Comic Art Award was a series of British awards for achievement in comic books. Winners were selected by an open vote among British comic book professionals ; the awards were given out on an annual basis from 1990 to 1997 for comics published in the United Kingdom the previous year. Award presentations were generally held at the Glasgow Comic Art Convention, usually in the spring.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Acme Press</span> British comic book publisher from the 1980s and 1990s

Acme Press Ltd., later known as Acme Comics, was a British comic book publisher active from 1986 to 1995. The company's initial publication was Speakeasy, a monthly fanzine of comics news and criticism. Acme published a number of licensed comics featuring the British espionage properties James Bond and The Avengers. The company also published early work by popular British creators like Alan Moore, Brian Bolland, and Warren Pleece, and it published English translations of some European comics. In the latter half of its existence, Acme formed relationships with American independent publishers Eclipse Comics and Dark Horse Comics, enabling Acme's comics to be distributed in the United States.

James Van Hise is an American popular culture historian and comic book author. He had a long connection with the popular fanzine Rocket's Blast Comicollector (RBCC), and was its editor/publisher from 1974 to 1983. He also had a lengthy association with Hal Schuster, owner of New Media Publishing and Pioneer Books. Van Hise is the author of more than ten books, many of them published by Pioneer Books.

References

Notes

  1. ↑ Banks entry, Who's Who of American Comic Books, 1928–1999. Retrieved Jan. 16, 2023.
  2. 1 2 Davis entry, Who's Who of American Comic Books, 1928–1999. Retrieved Jan. 16, 2023.
  3. ↑ Rafter, Dan. "Conquering Comics ... and Marriage, Too", Firefox News, October 9, 2007. WebCitation archive.
  4. ↑ "Anne Rice's The Witching Hour: Millennium; Comico, 1992 Series", Grand Comics Database. Retrieved Jan. 16, 2023.
  5. ↑ "Anne Rice's The Witching Hour: Millennium Publications, 1996 Series", Grand Comics Database. Retrieved Jan. 16, 2023.
  6. ↑ Asylum entry, Grand Comics Database. Retrieved Jan. 16, 2023.
  7. 1 2 Transfuzion press release: "Transfuzion Publishing and Millennial Concepts Join Forces" (July 9, 2008). Archived July 6, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  8. 1 2 Cassata entry, Who's Who of American Comic Books, 1928–1999. Retrieved Jan. 16, 2023.
  9. 1 2 Benefiel entry, Who's Who of American Comic Books, 1928–1999. Retrieved Jan. 16, 2023.
  10. 1 2 3 Amash entry, Who's Who of American Comic Books, 1928–1999. Retrieved Jan. 16, 2023.
  11. ↑ Choles entry, Who's Who of American Comic Books, 1928–1999. Retrieved Jan. 16, 2023.
  12. ↑ Brazo entry, Who's Who of American Comic Books, 1928–1999. Retrieved Jan. 16, 2023.
  13. ↑ Channing entry, Who's Who of American Comic Books, 1928–1999. Retrieved Jan. 16, 2023.
  14. ↑ Cariello entry, Who's Who of American Comic Books, 1928–1999. Retrieved Jan. 16, 2023.
  15. ↑ Chang entry, Who's Who of American Comic Books, 1928–1999. Retrieved Jan. 16, 2023.
  16. ↑ Caton entry, Who's Who of American Comic Books, 1928–1999. Retrieved Jan. 16, 2023.
  17. ↑ Ahlquist entry, Who's Who of American Comic Books, 1928–1999. Retrieved Jan. 16, 2023.
  18. ↑ McLellan, Rachel. "News Watch: Creator Wins Suit Against Millennium," The Comics Journal #206 (Aug. 1998), pp. 15-16.
  19. ↑ Bendis entry, Who's Who of American Comic Books, 1928–1999. Retrieved Jan. 16, 2023.
  20. ↑ Bolton entry, Who's Who of American Comic Books, 1928–1999. Retrieved Jan. 16, 2023.
  21. ↑ Buckingham entry, Who's Who of American Comic Books, 1928–1999. Retrieved Jan. 16, 2023.

Sources

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.