Negative Burn

Negative Burn
The cover to Negative Burn (vol. 1) #1 (1993)
Publication information
Publisher	Caliber Press Image Comics Desperado Publishing
Schedule	Monthly
Format	Ongoing series
Publication date(s)	(vol 1) January 1993 – December 1997 (vol. 2) May 2006 – June 2008
No. of issues	(vol 1) 50 (vol. 2) 21
Editor(s)	Joe Pruett
Collected editions
The Best of Negative Burn, Year One	ISBN
The Best of Negative Burn, Year Two	ISBN
The Best from 1993-1998	ISBN

Negative Burn is a black-and-white anthology comic book published beginning in 1993 by Caliber Press, and subsequently by Image Comics and Desperado Publishing. Edited by Joe Pruett, Negative Burn is noted for its eclectic range of genres, mixture of established comics veterans and new talents, and promotion of creative experimentation.

The first volume of Negative Burn ended with issue 50 in 1997. Revived by Image and Desperado in 2005 with two seasonal specials, Negative Burn returned to a monthly format in 2006. The first eleven issues of the new volume were published by Image; the title is now exclusively published by Desperado.

A typical issue of Negative Burn might include a number of stand-alone stories; a new chapter of a longer, serialized piece; recurring features such as Brian Bolland’s “Mr. Mamoulian”; and a sketchbook section. The sketchbook featured studies, rough drawings, and never-before-seen artwork by a single illustrator. Artists such as Dave Dorman, Michael William Kaluta, David Mazzucchelli, Terry Moore, P. Craig Russell, Greg Ruth, Charles Vess, and even Neil Gaiman have been featured in the sketchbook section.

Desperado Publisher Pruett views the new incarnation of Negative Burn is a potential launching pad for new creators: "I’m offering Negative Burn as a way for a new creator to break in with us. If a creator shows promise and potential with his/her short story contributions then I might try to find them work with an already established creator or title in our library of titles, such as Dalibor Talajic and Federico Dallocchio with Deadworld and Will Volley with Antoine Sharp. I believe there needs to be an outlet for new talent . . . and [I] will try to do what I can to help them."