| Founded | 2009 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Tom Kaczynski |
| Country of origin | U.S.A. |
| Headquarters location | Minneapolis, Minnesota |
| Distribution | Consortium Book Sales & Distribution Diamond Comic Distributors Lunar Distribution |
| Publication types | Graphic novels, Comic books, Books |
| Nonfiction topics | Autobiography, Memoir, Criticism |
| Fiction genres | Alternative |
| Imprints | Uncivilized Comics ODOD Books |
| Official website | uncivilizedbooks |
Uncivilized Books is a publisher in the comics industry based in Minneapolis. The company's owner and founder is cartoonist Tom Kaczynski [1] (known familiarly as "Tom K."). The company is known for its literary publications; many of the company's titles have been nominated for awards within the comic book industry.
Tom Kaczynski, an émigré from Poland, [2] is a cartoonist, illustrator, and former architecture student. [3] Uncivilized Books traces its origins date back to 2007 when Kaczynski, began self-publishing his minicomics under the label. (The name "Uncivilized" was chosen to reflect both the outsider status of comics in mainstream culture and historical notions of civilization.) [4] To facilitate his desire to publish, Kaczynski quit his advertising job and moved back to Minneapolis from New York City.
At that time, major independent publishers like Drawn & Quarterly and Fantagraphics were moving away from comic book pamphlets, focusing instead on graphic novels. This shift left many cartoonists, including Gabrielle Bell —whose series Lucky was discontinued after two issues — seeking alternative platforms for their work. (Kaczynski and Bell previously knew each other as members of the Artists With Problems group in New York.)
In 2009, Kaczynski transitioned into a full-fledged publishing house, beginning with the release of Bell's one-shot L.A. Diary. The minicomic debuted at the 2009 Rain Taxi Book Festival, establishing Uncivilized Books as a publisher committed to high-quality independent comics. [5]
Between 2009 and 2011, Uncivilized Books expanded its minicomics catalog, collaborating with artists such as Jon Lewis and Dan Wieken while continuing Bell’s diary comics and Kaczynski’s own Cartoon Dialectics. Lewis contributed True Swamp and Klagen: A Horror, utilizing Print Gocco techniques, while Wieken produced art zines like The Booke of Logos. Kaczynski also released new works, including Vague Cities. This period solidified Uncivilized Books’ role in the independent comics scene. [6]
Uncivilized Books has two imprints — Unicivilized Comics, which produces pamphlets and minicomics; and ODOD Books, which releases the company's all-ages titles. In addition to original graphic novels, the company has also published a few books of comics criticsm and history. Finally, Uncivilized Books publishes the Structures zine series, in which artists are asked to contribute 11 designs for new structures. [7]