Pied Piper Comics
Defunct American comic book publishing company
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Pied Piper Comics was a short-lived American comic book publishing company that operated from 1986 to 1988. The company was founded by Mark L. Hamlin and Roger McKenzie,[1] with writer/editor David Campiti playing a major role.[1]
Business office: Wyoming, Michigan
| Founded | 1986[1] |
|---|---|
| Founder | Mark L. Hamlin and Roger McKenzie[1] |
| Defunct | 1988 |
| Headquarters location | Editorial office: Wheeling, West Virginia Business office: Wyoming, Michigan |
| Key people | David Campiti |
| Publication types | Comics |
| Fiction genres | Superheroes |
Origins
According to David Campiti, Pied Piper's origins were tied to two other publishers with which he was associated at the time: Amazing (full name: Amazing Publishing Company)[2] and Wonder Comics, both of which were financed by comics distributor Scott Mitchell Rosenberg and a small group of investors.[1] The plan was that Campiti would package comics for all three publishers through his studio Campiti and Associates,[3] with Pied Piper handling projects in the form of posters and graphic novels. Amazing published black-and-white comics, while Wonder Color published comics in color.[1]
Hamlin previously worked as a sales and marketing representative for Comico: The Comic Company;[4] Pied Piper Comics was a play on Hamlin's name and the legend of the Pied Piper of Hamelin.[citation needed] McKenzie was a comics writer most well-known for his prior work for Marvel Comics.
Overview
Hamlin, McKenzie, and Campiti shared the title of Publisher of Pied Piper Comics, with Campiti also holding the title of Editor-in-Chief. Hamlin was Financial Manager and McKenzie was Managing Editor.[5] The company's business offices were in Wyoming, Michigan, while its editorial offices were in Camptiti's hometown of Wheeling, West Virginia.[5]
Campiti personally edited most of the publisher's comics as well as writing a number of titles.[6]
Pied Piper temporarily acquired David Lawrence and Ron Lim's Ex-Mutants after the title began with two publishers associated with Campiti and financial backer Rosenberg: Eternity Comics and Amazing.[7] Campiti left Rosenberg's various ventures in 1987, taking Lawrence & Lim's Ex-Mutants with him to Pied Piper. The company also published Lawrence & Lim's The New Humans.[5]
Demise
Pied Piper collapsed in 1988, with a number of titles, such as Hero Alliance and Power Factor, being continued by Campiti's own publishing venture, Innovation Publishing, while Ex-Mutants and The New Humans both returned to Eternity (which at that point was an imprint of another Rosenberg operation, Malibu Comics).[8]
Titles
- Beast Warriors of Shaolin #1–3 (1987)
- Ex-Mutants:
- Lawrence & Lim's Ex-Mutants vol. 1, #6–8 (1987) — acquired from Amazing; later acquired by Eternity Comics
- Lawrence & Lim's Ex-Mutants Microseries: Erin #1 (1987)
- Lawrence & Lim's The New Humans #1–3 (1987) — later acquired by Eternity Comics
- Hero Alliance: End of the Golden Age (1986), Pied Piper Graphic Album #1 — collected material from Sirius Comics, later acquired by Wonder Comics, and then Innovation Publishing
- Mr. Doom (1987)
- Phigments #2 (1987) — series acquired from Amazing Comics
- Power Factor #2 (1987) — series acquired from Wonder Comics, then continued by Innovation Publishing