Innovation Publishing (also known as Innovation Books and the Innovative Corporation) was an American comic book company based in Wheeling, West Virginia. It was co-founded by David Campiti in 1988 after writing a business proposal and raising US$400,000 to finance its launch. Innovation became number four in market share, below Marvel Comics, DC Comics, and Dark Horse Comics.

Overview

The company published many adaptations and tie-in series of existing media properties, such as Anne Rice's novels Interview with the Vampire, The Vampire Lestat, and Queen of the Damned. It also published adaptations of novels such as Terry Pratchett's The Colour of Magic and The Light Fantastic, Piers Anthony's On a Pale Horse, Don Pendleton's The Executioner, Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle's Lucifer's Hammer, and Gene Wolfe's The Shadow of the Torturer; the TV series Dark Shadows, Quantum Leap, Beauty and the Beast and Lost In Space; films such as Forbidden Planet, Psycho, Child's Play, and A Nightmare on Elm Street; and even the 1949 Republic movie serial King of the Rocket Men. Campiti brought to Innovation a number of properties he had overseen with other publishers, including Hero Alliance (originally with Sirius Comics, Pied Piper Comics, and Wonder Color), Power Factor (originally with Wonder Color and then Pied Piper), and Mark Martin's Gnatrat (originally with Sirius Comics). Innovation's original series included Justice Machine and writer Mike W. Barr's Maze Agency (both series originally with Comico), and Legends of the Stargrazers. Innovation was one of the first companies to delve heavily into recruiting talents from Brazil, starting the American careers of Mike Deodato (Beauty and the Beast) and Joe Bennett (The Light Fantastic), among others. 1992 Russ Manning "Best Newcomer" Award–winner Mike Okamoto broke into American comics in 1990 illustrating the Innovation titles The Maze Agency and Hero Alliance. Campiti left Innovation in 1993 to launch Glass House Graphics, a studio/agency for illustrators, writers, painters, and digital designers. Shortly thereafter, in early 1994, Innovation closed, leaving substantial debts to creators, printers, and investors.

Titles published

Adaptations

Original series