TwoMorrows Publishing

TwoMorrows Publishing is an independent American publisher focused on documenting comic books, their creators, their production methods, and the wider culture surrounding them. The company is based in Raleigh, North Carolina, and developed from TwoMorrows Advertising, a graphic-design and advertising agency established by John Morrow and Pamela Morrow in 1989. The name refers to the two members of the Morrow partnership. The publishing business grew out of John Morrow’s interest in Jack Kirby. After Kirby died in February 1994, Morrow conceived The Jack Kirby Collector as a tribute and research-oriented fanzine. Before publishing it, he sought the approval of Kirby’s widow, Rosalind Kirby, and received support and contacts that helped him develop the project. The first issue appeared in September 1994, initially as a small photocopied publication mailed without charge to approximately 125 interested readers. Demand expanded quickly, and by its eighth issue the magazine was being distributed through comic-book shops. TwoMorrows Publishing was formally established in 1996. The Jack Kirby Collector became the foundation of the company’s catalog. Its coverage has included Kirby artwork, interviews, commentary, historical research, rare material, and reproductions of pencil pages. The publication has also promoted the preservation and study of Kirby’s work, including projects to scan and clean thousands of pages of uninked artwork for long-term reference. Its issues identify the publication as authorized by the Kirby estate. TwoMorrows subsequently built a group of periodicals devoted to comics history and adjacent fan communities. Its magazine portfolio has included Alter Ego, Back Issue!, BrickJournal, Comic Book Creator, Cryptology, and RetroFan, in addition to The Jack Kirby Collector. These titles cover subjects such as Golden and Silver Age comics, creators and editors, the history of comic-book publishing, LEGO culture, genre entertainment, and the development of popular visual media. Several publications are edited, written, and designed by freelancers, allowing the company to maintain a broad international contributor network with a small permanent staff. The company entered book publishing in 2004 with The All-Star Companion by Roy Thomas, a historical work connected with the Justice Society of America and related comics material. Books became a substantial part of the business, with releases covering individual artists and writers, comic-book publishers, production techniques, creator interviews, checklists, and historical surveys. The American Comic Book Chronicles is among its larger reference projects, presenting chronological studies of major periods in American comic-book history. Other catalog areas include creator monographs, the Modern Masters series, books about independent publishers, and studies of the relationship between comics, film, science fiction, and popular culture. TwoMorrows added DVDs in 2006, beginning with instructional and supplementary material connected with comics art and its books. Its publishing model combines physical editions with digital editions intended to preserve access after print copies sell out. The company has described its broader purpose as creating a lasting historical record of an American art form while participants and creators can still be interviewed and documented. TwoMorrows has operated as a small specialist publisher rather than a mass-market media corporation. John and Pam Morrow have remained central to the business, supported by a compact staff and a large network of freelance editors, writers, artists, and designers. Michael Eury, a former comics professional and editor associated with several TwoMorrows titles, retired from editing Back Issue! and RetroFan in 2025. The company’s catalog continues to serve collectors, researchers, comics professionals, and readers interested in the history of comics and related pop culture.

TwoMorrows Publishing originated in Raleigh, North Carolina, where John Morrow and Pamela Morrow established TwoMorrows Advertising in 1989. The agency provided advertising and graphic-design services to local and national clients. Its name was a wordplay on the family name and the fact that the business was run by two Morrows. John Morrow’s interest in comic-book history led to the company’s transformation. Following Jack Kirby’s death in 1994, Morrow planned a tribute publication centered on Kirby’s career and artwork. He first contacted Kirby’s widow, Rosalind Kirby, to obtain her approval and to ensure that the project would be respectful rather than exploitative. Her support and introductions to people connected with Kirby helped Morrow assemble contributors and background material. The first issue of The Jack Kirby Collector appeared in September 1994. It was produced in a modest photocopied format and distributed free to roughly 125 fans. Reader response exceeded expectations, and the magazine soon developed into a regularly distributed comics publication. By its eighth issue, it was available through comic-book shops around the United States. The publishing company was formally founded in 1996. The Jack Kirby Collector remained central to the company’s identity. Its contents expanded from fan commentary into interviews, historical essays, rare images, unpublished material, and reproductions of Kirby’s pencils. TwoMorrows also organized fundraising and preservation work involving the scanning and restoration of thousands of pages of Kirby material. The magazine’s authorization by the Kirby estate reinforced its archival and specialist positioning. The company broadened its periodical list over time. It revived Roy Thomas’s Alter Ego, which became a standalone title in 1999 after an earlier combined format involving Comic Book Artist. In 2001 it launched Draw!, a how-to magazine for cartoonists and animators. Back Issue! followed in 2003 as a successor-oriented title focused on comics history and production. Other magazines added to the portfolio included BrickJournal, Comic Book Creator, Cryptology, and RetroFan. Together, these publications cover comic-book creators, publishing eras, production practices, LEGO culture, genre entertainment, and broader pop-culture history. TwoMorrows entered book publishing in 2004 with Roy Thomas’s The All-Star Companion. The book program developed into a substantial catalog of creator biographies and monographs, historical reference works, publishing retrospectives, checklists, interviews, and instructional titles. The American Comic Book Chronicles became one of the company’s major reference projects, using individual hardcover volumes to examine defined periods in American comics history. TwoMorrows also published books concerning creators including Murphy Anderson, Dick Giordano, George Tuska, Gene Colan, Wally Wood, Kurt Schaffenberger, Marshall Rogers, and Alan Moore, as well as works about the craft of comics and the history of independent publishers. The Modern Masters line, associated with writer-editor Eric Nolen-Weathington, further developed the company’s creator-focused publishing model. TwoMorrows also collected Mark Evanier’s comics columns and produced reference checklists for figures such as Jack Kirby and Wally Wood. In 2006, the company expanded into DVDs, initially through an art-instruction video and a DVD edition related to a George Pérez Modern Masters project. Operationally, TwoMorrows has remained a small publisher. The core business has been managed by the Morrows with a small number of full-time employees, while individual magazines rely on freelance editors, designers, writers, artists, and researchers. The company has stated that it may coordinate with dozens of freelance contributors in a typical month. This structure supports a wide catalog without the infrastructure of a large publishing conglomerate. TwoMorrows has emphasized preservation as a central mission. Its print publications document creators and historical developments while primary participants and witnesses can still be interviewed. Digital editions are intended to preserve access after physical books or magazines go out of print, giving future readers and researchers an enduring record of comics as an American art form. The company experienced a major distribution challenge when Diamond Comic Distributors entered bankruptcy. According to the available reference material, Diamond owed TwoMorrows more than $65,000, causing shipping delays and posing a serious threat to the publisher’s operations. TwoMorrows responded by encouraging direct purchases through its own website and by adopting alternative distributors, including Lunar Distribution for comic shops and SCB Distributors for mainstream retail. The episode highlighted both the vulnerability of small specialist publishers to distributor failures and the importance of direct customer relationships.

• 2026

  Distribution crisis following Diamond bankruptcy

  [1]TwoMorrows Publishingen.wikipedia.org

  Diamond’s bankruptcy reportedly created a debt exposure of more than $65,000 for TwoMorrows and prompted a shift toward direct sales and alternative distributors.

• 2025

  Michael Eury retires from two editorial roles

  [1]TwoMorrows Publishingen.wikipedia.org

  Michael Eury retired as editor of Back Issue! and RetroFan.

• 2006

  Expansion into DVDs

  [1]TwoMorrows Publishingen.wikipedia.org

  TwoMorrows began producing DVDs, including instructional art material and a project connected with its Modern Masters line.

• 2004

  Book publishing begins

  [1]TwoMorrows Publishingen.wikipedia.org

  Roy Thomas’s The All-Star Companion became the company’s first identified major book-publishing project.

• 2003

  Back Issue! launched

  [1]TwoMorrows Publishingen.wikipedia.org

  The company added a magazine dedicated to comics history, production, and retrospective coverage.

• 2001

  Draw! launched

  [1]TwoMorrows Publishingen.wikipedia.org

  TwoMorrows introduced a magazine about drawing, animation, and cartooning techniques.

• 1999

  Alter Ego becomes a standalone title

  [1]TwoMorrows Publishingen.wikipedia.org

  The revived comics-history magazine became an independent TwoMorrows publication.

• 1996

  TwoMorrows Publishing formally established

  [1]TwoMorrows Publishingen.wikipedia.org

  The Morrows formally created the publishing company after the success of The Jack Kirby Collector.

• 1994

  The Jack Kirby Collector begins publication

  [1]TwoMorrows Publishingen.wikipedia.org

  The first issue was produced as a small photocopied tribute and mailed to approximately 125 fans before the title expanded into comic-shop distribution.

• 1989

  TwoMorrows Advertising founded

  [1]TwoMorrows Publishingen.wikipedia.org

  John and Pamela Morrow established an advertising and graphic-design agency in Raleigh, North Carolina, which later provided the foundation for TwoMorrows Publishing.

A specialist archival and enthusiast publisher that preserves comic-book history through deeply researched magazines, books, digital editions, and related media.

• Magazine · 1994

  The Jack Kirby Collector

  TwoMorrows’ foundational magazine devoted to Jack Kirby’s artwork, career, collaborators, and influence. It developed from a small photocopied fanzine into an archival publication featuring interviews, historical essays, rare material, pencil-page reproductions, and commentary. The title also supported preservation projects involving the scanning and cleanup of Kirby artwork and has carried an authorization notice associated with the Kirby estate.

• Magazine · 1999

  Alter Ego

  A comics-history magazine originally associated with Roy Thomas and revived by TwoMorrows. Its coverage centers on creators, characters, publishers, and historical periods, with interviews and research aimed at readers and collectors interested in the development of American comic books.

• Magazine · 2003

  Back Issue!

  A retrospective magazine examining specific eras, themes, characters, and creative teams in comic-book history. The publication combines historical commentary, interviews, production context, and visual reference material for readers studying the evolution of mainstream and independent comics.

• Magazine

  BrickJournal

  A magazine for LEGO enthusiasts, covering construction, fan creations, techniques, and the culture surrounding LEGO-based design. It represents TwoMorrows’ extension from comics history into adjacent specialist and pop-culture communities.

• Magazine

  Comic Book Creator

  A magazine focused on the people who make comics and on the creative and professional processes behind the medium. Its subject matter includes interviews, creator profiles, working methods, and discussions of comic-book production.

• Magazine

  Cryptology

  A TwoMorrows periodical devoted to genre and popular-culture history, including material connected with mystery, science fiction, fantasy, and related entertainment subjects.

• Magazine

  RetroFan

  A nostalgia and popular-culture magazine covering retro entertainment, personalities, characters, and media history. It extends TwoMorrows’ documentary approach beyond strictly comic-book subjects.

• Book series

  The American Comic Book Chronicles

  A substantial hardcover reference series in which individual volumes examine defined periods in American comic-book history. The project emphasizes chronology, research, creators, publishers, titles, and the cultural context surrounding major eras from the Golden Age onward.

• Book series

  Modern Masters

  A creator-focused book series featuring interviews, career retrospectives, artwork, and production commentary from notable comics artists and professionals. The line reflects TwoMorrows’ emphasis on recording working methods and personal histories.

• 2026Direct-to-reader sales response

  United States · International markets

  After Diamond Comic Distributors entered bankruptcy, TwoMorrows asked customers to purchase directly through its website while the company worked to replace disrupted distribution channels.

  Outcome. Direct sales helped maintain operations while new distribution relationships were developed.

  Source
• Jack Kirby artwork preservation fundraising

  United States · International markets

  TwoMorrows organized fundraising efforts connected with the preservation of Jack Kirby’s uninked pencil artwork. The work involved scanning more than 5,000 pages and cleaning the resulting files for future readers and researchers.

  Outcome. The initiative strengthened the archival role of The Jack Kirby Collector and helped prepare historical material for continued access.

  Source

• 2026

  Diversify distribution after Diamond bankruptcyStrategy

  Background

  Diamond Comic Distributors’ bankruptcy reportedly left TwoMorrows with more than $65,000 in unpaid receivables and caused significant shipping delays.

  Action taken

  TwoMorrows encouraged direct website purchases and shifted comic-shop and mainstream-retail distribution to alternative partners, including Lunar Distribution and SCB Distributors.

  Aftermath

  The company remained in operation while rebuilding its distribution network and reducing dependence on a single distributor.

  Reported amount owed by Diamond Comic Distributors. More than $65,000 owed (2026)

  Source

• 2006

  Add DVDs to the publishing programProduct launch

  Background

  TwoMorrows’ comics and art audience created an opportunity to distribute instructional and supplementary content in video form.

  Action taken

  The company produced an art-instruction DVD and a DVD edition related to its George Pérez Modern Masters book.

  Aftermath

  DVDs became an additional format alongside magazines, books, and digital editions.

  Source

• 2004

  Expand from magazines into booksStrategy

  Background

  After establishing a portfolio of specialist magazines, TwoMorrows sought to publish longer-form reference works about comics history and creators.

  Action taken

  The company entered book publishing with Roy Thomas’s The All-Star Companion.

  Aftermath

  Books became a major part of the catalog, including creator monographs, instructional works, checklists, and large historical series.

  Source

• 1994

  Create an authorized Jack Kirby tribute magazineProduct launch

  Background

  John Morrow wanted to document and honor Jack Kirby after the artist’s death, but also wanted the project to respect Kirby’s family and estate.

  Action taken

  Morrow sought Rosalind Kirby’s approval before producing The Jack Kirby Collector and used the resulting support to develop the publication.

  Aftermath

  The magazine became the foundation of TwoMorrows’ publishing business and its long-term archival identity.

  Source

• 2026

  Diamond bankruptcy disrupts TwoMorrows distribution[1]TwoMorrows Publishingen.wikipedia.org

  Bankruptcy · Other

  The bankruptcy of Diamond Comic Distributors reportedly left TwoMorrows owed more than $65,000 and delayed shipments. The company sought direct customer orders and alternative distribution arrangements.

• 2025

  Michael Eury retires from editing Back Issue! and RetroFan[1]TwoMorrows Publishingen.wikipedia.org

  Leadership change

  Michael Eury ended his editorial work on the two TwoMorrows magazines after a long career with the publisher.

• 2006

  TwoMorrows adds DVD publishing[1]TwoMorrows Publishingen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  The company expanded into DVDs with an art-instruction program and a DVD edition associated with its George Pérez Modern Masters book.

• 2004

  TwoMorrows enters book publishing[1]TwoMorrows Publishingen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  The company published The All-Star Companion by Roy Thomas, marking a significant expansion beyond magazines.

• 2003

  Back Issue! debuts[1]TwoMorrows Publishingen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  TwoMorrows launched Back Issue!, a magazine focused on historical periods, creators, and themes in comic-book publishing.

• 1999

  TwoMorrows expands its magazine portfolio[1]TwoMorrows Publishingen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  Alter Ego became a standalone TwoMorrows publication after an earlier combined presentation with Comic Book Artist.

• 1996

  TwoMorrows formally becomes a publishing company[1]TwoMorrows Publishingen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The publishing operation that grew from TwoMorrows Advertising was formally established as TwoMorrows Publishing.

• 1994

  TwoMorrows Publishing launches The Jack Kirby Collector[1]TwoMorrows Publishingen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  The first issue of the company’s foundational Jack Kirby magazine was published as a small tribute and research-oriented fanzine.

1. 1TwoMorrows Publishingen.wikipedia.org
2. 2TwoMorrows Publishing official websitetwomorrows.com