SelfMadeHero is an independent publishing house which specialises in adapting works of literature, as well as producing ground-breaking original fiction in the

graphic novel A graphic novel is a long-form, fictional work of sequential art. The term ''graphic novel'' is often applied broadly, including fiction, non-fiction, and anthologized work, though this practice is highly contested by comic scholars and industry ...

medium. SelfMadeHero's books are distributed in the U.S. by

Abrams Books Abrams, formerly Harry N. Abrams, Inc. (HNA), is an American publisher of art and illustrated books, children's books, and stationery. The enterprise is a subsidiary of the French publisher La Martinière Groupe. Run by President and CEO Mich ...

History

SelfMadeHero was founded in October 2007 by Emma Hayley, and launched with two lines: Manga Shakespeare,Shakespeare gets comic treatment

BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...

, May 11, 2007 featuring works based on the Bard but with different settings - mainly Japan in the past and future, and Eye Classics, which are adaptations of great classic works, such as those of

Poe Edgar Allan Poe (; Edgar Poe; January 19, 1809 – October 7, 1849) was an American writer, poet, editor, and literary critic. Poe is best known for his poetry and short stories, particularly his tales of mystery and the macabre. He is wide ...

and

Kafka Franz Kafka (3 July 1883 – 3 June 1924) was a German-speaking Bohemian novelist and short-story writer, widely regarded as one of the major figures of 20th-century literature. His work fuses elements of realism and the fantastic. It typ ...

. In 2008 she won the UK Young Publisher of the Year at the

British Book Awards The British Book Awards or Nibbies are literary awards for the best UK writers and their works, administered by ''The Bookseller''. The awards have had several previous names, owners and sponsors since being launched in 1990, including the National ...

. In 2009 SelfMadeHero expanded to include graphic adaptations of Sherlock Holmes, including Hound of the Baskervilles and Study in Scarlet, and later At The Mountain of Madness and The Shadow Out of Time by H.P. Lovecraft. It also began publishing the Graphic Biography series with Johnny Cash: I See a Darkness, which has further expanded to tell the fascinating life stories of era-defining pop-culture icons such as

Hunter S. Thompson Hunter Stockton Thompson (July 18, 1937 – February 20, 2005) was an American journalist and author who founded the gonzo journalism movement. He rose to prominence with the publication of '' Hell's Angels'' (1967), a book for which he s ...

and

Nick Cave Nicholas Edward Cave (born 22 September 1957) is an Australian singer, songwriter, poet, lyricist, author, screenwriter, composer and occasional actor. Known for his baritone voice and for fronting the rock band Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, C ...

. Since 2010 SelfMadeHero has been publishing original material, notably

Glyn Dillon Glyn Dillon (born 1971About: Glyn Dillon
, SelfMadeHero) is a British costume designer, as well ...

's The Nao of Brown, The Motherless Oven trilogy by Rob Davis, and LOVECRAFT by

I.N.J. Culbard Ian Culbard, professionally known as I. N. J. Culbard, is a British comic artist, writer and animator. Biography Culbard was born in Greenwich, London. He began his career as an animator but is best known for his work in comics and has gained ...

. In 2011 the company received the

Kitschies The Kitschies are British literary prizes presented annually for "the year's most progressive, intelligent and entertaining works that contain elements of the speculative or fantastic" published in the United Kingdom. Awards and criteria The Kit ...

Black Tentacle award.

Bibliography

Manga Shakespeare

The adaptations of

Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's natio ...

's plays were made by

Richard Appignanesi Richard Appignanesi (born December 20, 1940) is a Canadian writer and editor. He was the originating editor of the internationally successful illustrated ''For Beginners'' book series (since 1991 called the '' Introducing...'' series), as well ...

(who previously worked on

Icon Books Richard Appignanesi (born December 20, 1940) is a Canadian writer and editor. He was the originating editor of the internationally successful illustrated ''For Beginners'' book series (since 1991 called the '' Introducing...'' series), as well ...

' '' Introducing...'' series), with the art created by UK-based

manga artist A is a comic artist who writes and/or illustrates manga. As of 2006, about 3,000 professional manga artists were working in Japan. Most manga artists study at an art college or manga school or take on an apprenticeship with another artist be ...

who have come to prominence via

Tokyopop Tokyopop (styled TOKYOPOP; formerly known as Mixx Entertainment) is an American distributor, licensor and publisher of anime, manga, manhwa and Western manga-style works. The German publishing division produces German translations of licensed J ...

Rising Stars of Manga ''Rising Stars of Manga'' (RSoM) was an English-language comic anthology published by TOKYOPOP from 2002 to 2008, and a contest held by the same company. It was originally semi-annual, but switched to annual beginning with the 6th volume. Each vol ...

(United Kingdom & Ireland) competition, their work for

Sweatdrop Studios Sweatdrop Studios are a collective of UK Original English-language manga creators who publish British small press comics. Overview The UK's first home-based independent Original English-language manga publisher and distributor, Sweatdrop Studio ...

or London manga collective Umisen Yamisen.

Eye Classics

The creators are drawn from a British comic background (in particular ''Nevermore'') but also include screenwriters and more traditional artists.

Crime Classics

The Crime Classics line began with a set of four adaptations of the Arthur Conan Doyle stories, adapted by

Ian Edginton Ian Edginton is a British comic book writer, known for his work on such titles as ''X-Force'', '' Scarlet Traces'', '' H. G. Wells' The War of the Worlds'' and ''Leviathan''. Career Ian Edginton is known for his steampunk/ alternate history work ...

, with art by

I. N. J. Culbard Ian Culbard, professionally known as I. N. J. Culbard, is a British comic artist, writer and animator. Biography Culbard was born in Greenwich, London. He began his career as an animator but is best known for his work in comics and has gained ...

Rachel Cooke Rachel Cooke (born 1969) is a British journalist and writer. Early life Cooke was born in Sheffield, and is the daughter of a university lecturer. She went to school in Jaffa, Israel, until she was 11, before returning to Sheffield, and atte ...

reviewed ''A Study in Scarlet'' for ''

The Observer ''The Observer'' is a British newspaper Sunday editions, published on Sundays. It is a sister paper to ''The Guardian'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', whose parent company Guardian Media Group, Guardian Media Group Limited acquired it in 1993. ...

'' and concluded:

Graphic Biography

Awards and nominations

Notes

References

* *

External links

* {{Authority control Comics based on fiction Comic book publishing companies of the United Kingdom British graphic novels Original English-language manga Privately held companies of the United Kingdom 2007 establishments in England Publishing companies established in 2007