Stabur merger and further expansion
In late 1993, Caliber merged with Paul Burke's[5] Stabur Corporation/Stabur Press.[6] Reed became president of Stabur as well as staying on with Caliber. (Stabur had been founded in 1983, and was known for publishing monographs of Mad magazine cartoonists like Jack Davis and Mort Drucker.)[5] At the time of the merger, Stabur and Burke were involved in starting up a new toy company with Spawn creator Todd McFarlane. Reed was named vice president of McFarlane Toys while still running Stabur and Caliber. Reed would stay with McFarlane Toys until May 1996.
Writer Jim Pruett was hired to take over some of the editorial duties of Caliber, which began to produce special comics for Wal-Mart, including the series Big Bang Comics (which later would have a long run at Image Comics), Stormquest, and a number of literary adaptations, including a version of Frankenstein. Caliber also produced some records and a specialty magazine, ARC, for distribution outside comics.
Caliber expanded in the mid-1990s with titles such as David W. Mack's Kabuki, Brian Bendis' A.K.A. Goldfish and Jinx, Mark Ricketts' Nowheresville, Mike Carey and Michael Gaydos on Inferno, and in 1995, Caliber launched the sub-imprint of New Worlds. New Worlds' titles were loosely connected, and included Raven Chronicles, Helsing, Seeker, Saint Germaine, Red Diaries, Black Mist, and others. Although not an actual shared universe, the settings and characters could cross over with each other and often did.
In the mid-1990s, Caliber's Stabur imprint published two advocacy comics written by Joyce Brabner — Activists! (originally commissioned by the Fellowship of Reconciliation)[7] and Animal Rights Comics (published as a benefit for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals; 2 issues).
As Caliber expanded, more editorial staff was hired to handle the growing line of comics. Moebius Comics launched and fan favorites Mr. Monster and Maze Agency returned. Caliber handled the distribution of Howard Feltner's Amazing Comics Group, which featured the work of Mike Deodato. Brian Lumley's Necroscope and Whitley Strieber's Communion series were signed on for comic releases. Jon Sable from Mike Grell was announced[8] but never came out. Caliber also started a new imprint in 1997, Tapestry Comics, that featured an "all ages" approach.
