Guide Note

Image Comics is one of the most well-known American comic book companies. Image was founded in the early 90s when a group of popular Marvel artists decided to found their own company. Unlike Marvel, all Image titles are creator-owned.

After DC, Marvel and Dark Horse, Image is the fourth largest comic book publisher in the country. Included among Image's titles are Spawn, Witchblade, Invincible and The Walking Dead.

Fast Facts

1. Founded: 1992
2. All titles are creator-owned
3. Image founders:
   1. Todd McFarlane
   2. Jim Lee
   3. Rob Liefeld
   4. Marc Silvestri
   5. Erik Larsen
   6. Jim Valentino
   7. Whilce Portacio

Image was founded on the basis of two principles. The first was that Image does not own a creator's work; the creator does. The second was that no Image partner would interfere, creatively or financially, with anyone else's work. This second rule necessitated each partner forming his own studio, under the Image imprint, but over which he had total creative control. At the time of the company's founding, those studios included:

• Extreme Studios: Rob Liefeld
• Highbrow Entertainment: Erik Larsen
• ShadowLine: Jim Valentino
• Todd McFarlane Productions: Todd McFarlane
• Top Cow Productions: Marc Silvestri
• Wildstorm Productions: Jim Lee