An influential, iconic publisher that pioneered art and literary comics, Fantagraphics Books had a brand known for a lack of branding since 1976. Working with Jacq Cohen and my design team (Keeli McCarthy, Justin Allan-Spencer, and Chelsea Wirtz), we set out to define the values, market, and significance of the brand.

     The original logo is a cumbersome horizontal wordmark—we sought to downplay the word and instead reinforce the visual storytelling focus with a timeless image, landing on the "Legacy Torch", a flaming pen nib typical of cartooning. This becomes an icon that immediately signals thoughtful, trailblazing work.

     Fantagraphics is a unique word, owned by the publisher and synonymous with art comics, so I lobbied to drop "Books" from the logo. As media becomes more fluid and multidisciplinary, this allows Fantagraphics to stake ground in more than just traditional print media.