Ablaze Publishing has acquired NBM Publishing, the New York-City–based graphic novel publisher founded in 1976, in an asset purchase that includes NBM's catalog and all active contracts with creators and licensors.
NBM will become a distinct imprint brand within Ablaze's editorial and publishing infrastructure, and founder Terry Nantier will remain a consultant and packager, per the announcement.
Approaching its fifth decade in existence, NBM was the first North American publisher to focus exclusively on graphic novels. It is credited with helping to bring literary graphic novels into the mainstream of comics publishing at a time when the market was dominated by superhero comics. NBM published in various genres, including true crime, horror, and graphic journalism, and its authors include such comic creators as Will Eisner, Rick Geary, and Lewis Trondheim.
In 1979, the publisher became among the first in comics to sign with a bookstore distributor, a decision that eventually significantly increased NBM's trade market audience.
NBM is also known for its translated European bandes dessinées, which Ablaze intends to leverage to expand its reach into international markets, it said in the press release.
"I’m looking forward to joining the Ablaze team and for NBM to begin its next chapter crossing the threshold of fifty years pioneering and championing the graphic novel form," Nantier said in a statement. "It has been a true labor of love to build NBM into a home for translated European graphic novels and literary comics. Joining forces with Ablaze ensures that our founders’ mission lives on and our catalog reaches even more readers worldwide.”
The Portland, Ore.–based Ablaze, which signed a worldwide distribution deal with Simon & Schuster earlier this month, was founded in 2019 by Rich Young.
“We are thrilled to welcome the entire NBM Publishing team, catalog, and legacy into the Ablaze family," Young said. "NBM’s unique position as one of North America’s earliest graphic-novel houses, its strong European-comics list and reputation for editorial excellence make it the perfect complement to Ablaze’s global comics vision.”
