Vertigo, the long-running comic imprint focused on mature titles, will wind down this year. DC Entertainment revealed the plan to sunset the label as it streamlines publishing operations in a move to “double down” on its core brand.
Vertigo was known for cultivating fan-favorite titles — many of which have since been adapted for television and film, such as Preacher, V for Vendetta, iZombie, and Hellblazer.
Titles that would’ve been previously published under Vertigo will be absorbed into DC Black Label, the new line under which Frank Miller‘s Superman: Year One hit stores this month.
“We’re returning to a singular presentation of the DC brand that was present throughout most of our history until 1993 when we launched Vertigo to provide an outlet for edgier material,” says DC Publisher Dan DiDio. “That kind of material is now mainstream across all genres, so we thought it was the right time to bring greater clarity to the DC brand and reinforce our commitment to storytelling for all of our fans in every age group. This new system will replace the age ratings we currently use on our material.”
Moving forward, the company will publish titles under three age-specific labels — DC Kids (ages 8 to 12, focusing on middle-grade readers), DC (13 and up, the primary DC Comics universe), and DC Black Label (17 and up). These three labels will absorb all existing DC imprints, including the recently launched DC Ink and DC Zoom, which expanded greatly this year with increased presence at comic shops, book stores, and at specialty retail.
Titles will begin shipping under the new labels beginning in January.
Photo: DC Comics
