  fantagraphics books is an american publisher of alternative comics, classic comic strip anthologies, magazines, graphic novels, and the adult-oriented eros comix imprint. many notable cartoonists publish their work through fantagraphics, including jessica abel, peter bagge, ivan brunetti, charles burns, daniel clowes, roberta gregory, joe sacco, chris ware, and gilbert hernandez and jaime hernandez aka the hernandez brothers. ==history== === founding === thumb|the fantagraphics booth at the stumptown comics fest 2006. fantagraphics was founded in 1976 by gary groth and mike catron in college park, maryland. the first act of the new company was the takeover of an adzine named the nostalgia journal, which was quickly renamed the comics journal.". . . transforming it from an adzine into a magazine of news and criticism that just happened to carry advertisements." the comics journal message board :: view topic â the comics journal #32 (january 1977). as comics journalist (and former fantagraphics employee) michael dean writes, "the publisher has alternated between flourishing and nearly perishing over the years." kim thompson joined the company in 1977, using his inheritance to keep the company afloat.dean, michael. "comics community comes to fantagraphics' rescue,", the comics journal, posted july 11, 2003. (he soon became a co-owner.)spurgeon, tom and jacob covey. comics as art: we told you so. seattle, wa : fantagraphics. (forthcoming) isbn 1-56097-738-8 the company moved from maryland to stamford, connecticut, and then los angeles.matos, michelangelo. "saved by the beagle," seattle arts (september 15, 2004). beginning in 1981, and lasting until 1992, fantagraphics published amazing heroes, a magazine which examined comics from a hobbyist's point of view. === comics publisher === beginning in 1982, fantagraphics began publishing comics, starting with los bros hernandez' love and rockets, and 
Book_publishing_companies_based_in_Seattle,_Washington Companies_established_in_1976 Fantagraphics_Books Lists_of_comics_by_publisher