Looking to reprint periodical comics in trade book form, the Checker 
Book Publishing Group is releasing graphic novels this year by horror writer Clive Barker and by acclaimed comics writer Alan Moore.
The Dayton, Ohio—based firm was launched a year ago by Mark Thompson and Paul Dubruc and will focus on unpublished (in trade book format) or underdistributed comic book series. Thompson told PW the house has "multibook deals" with Barker and Moore to release graphic novel compilations.
Checker has already released Hellraiser: Collected Best, an anthology of comics fright stories by Barker, Neil Gaiman and others. Illustrators for the volume include Alex Ross, Colleen Doran and Mike Mignola. And in November, the house will release Moore's Supreme: The Story of the Year, a superhero adventure spoof, told through flashbacks rendered in period drawing styles, that very cleverly doubles as a history of the comics medium and industry from the turn of the century to today. Originally published as a periodical in 1997, Moore took over as writer with the 41st issue and turned it into an award-winning series but the work had limited circulation. Supreme also features art by such celebrated creators as Rick Veitch and Joe Bennett.
The house is also publishing the science fiction series Alien Legion by Carl Potts, Chuck Dixon and Larry Stroman. Alien Legion was the story of galaxy-hopping group of alien soldiers-of-fortune. In November the house will release Piecemaker, originally published by Epic Comics from 1987-1996.
Checker is publishing four books this year and expects to do six to 12 titles next year, including more books by Barker and Moore. Hellraiser: Collected Be st sold out its 8,000-copy first printing, said Thompson, and is going back to press. Thompson said he plans an initial 15,000-copy printing of Supreme. Checker is distributed to the book trade by the Midpoint Trade Books.
Thompson noted that the climate for graphic novels has changed: "Distribution is the central issue. Comics are more visible in general bookstores. The chains are increasing the size of their graphic novel sections, and graphic novel sales are increasing even in comics specialty stores."
