Jon B. Cooke – författare

2024 EISNER AWARD NOMINEE Author Stephan Friedt shares the story of the meteoric rise of the Schanes brothers’ California-based imprint Pacific Comics, which published such legends as Jack Kirby, Sergio Aragonés, Steve Ditko, Neal Adams, Mike Grell, Bernie Wrightson, and Dave Stevens. From its groundbreaking 1981 arrival in the fledgling direct sales market, to a catastrophic, precipitous fall after only four years, The Pacific Comics Companion reveals the inside saga, as told to Friedt by Bill and Steve Schanes, David Scroggy, and many of the creators themselves. It also focuses on the titles and the amazing array of characters they introduced to an unsuspecting world, including The Rocketeer, Captain Victory, Ms. Mystic, Groo the Wanderer, Starslayer, and many more. Written with the editorial assist of Eisner Award-winning historian Jon B. Cooke, this retrospective is the most comprehensive study of an essential publisher in the development of the creator’s rights movement. Main cover illustration by Dave Stevens.

The First Comics Companion is the only book dedicated to the history of Chicago’s groundbreaking independent comics publisher, which took on the Big Two by storm between 1983–1991. From a modest promotional comic hawking theater subscriptions, First soon blossomed into an ambitious, aggressive imprint with achievements that included adapting the fabled sci-fi play Warp; reviving beloved ’70s Charlton hero E-Man; luring Mike Grell over from Pacific Comics to continue Starslayer and launch Jon Sable, Freelance; and releasing one of the ’80s greatest comic book series, American Flagg! by Howard Chaykin. Soon followed Elric, Grimjack, Nexus, Shatter, Dreadstar, Lone Wolf and Cub, super-hero Alter Ego, and a resurrection of Classics Illustrated. Featuring the recollections of founders Mike Gold, Joe Staton, and dozens more, this book continues Richard J. Arndt and Jon B. Cooke’s exhaustive “carpet-bombing” approach to documenting comics history in fascinating detail—first, last, and always, THE definitive account! Featuring new Chaykin cover art!