The following is an interview with Comicsburgh co-founders D.P. Brown and Grant Lankard on the launch of the Pittsburgh-based indie comic book collective and their upcoming catalog of releases. In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with Brown and Lankard about the genesis behind the collective, what readers can anticipate from a Comicsburgh title, and more!
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: Congratulations on the success of Comicsburgh and its catalog of titles! What inspired the genesis of your Pittsburgh-based independent comic book collective and what defines (or will come to define) a Comicsburgh title?
D.P. Brown: Thank you! Comicsburgh began with a simple idea: Talented independent creators should not have to surrender ownership of their characters and stories to receive meaningful publishing support. What started in Pittsburgh with two founders grew into a collective of writers, artists, and creative partners working together to move original projects from concept and script to finished books that can reach comic shops, bookstores, and libraries. Pittsburgh’s combination of grit, creativity, and strong community spirit became part of our identity, but our goal has always been bigger than one city—to build a publisher where creators retain their intellectual property while benefiting from a shared platform, professional distribution, and collective promotion.
A Comicsburgh title is defined less by a single genre than by the strength of its voice. Our catalog ranges from a modern reinvention of Beowulf to the superpowered science-fiction action of The Edge and the historical time-travel mystery of The Theme of Thieves. What connects those books is an original premise, layered characters, bold world-building, and something meaningful beneath the entertainment. We want readers to recognize a Comicsburgh title as a story that takes creative chances, respects its audience, and could not have come from anywhere else. Ultimately, Comicsburgh should stand for creator ownership, professional presentation, and unforgettable stories built with purpose.
BD: Your debut coincided with the release of three separate comic book titles, including The Edge, Beowulf, and The Theme of Thieves. What can you share with us about the premise of these stories?
DPB: Great question. Each title represents a different side of what Comicsburgh can offer.
The Edge is a superpowered science-fiction action epic centered on an unclassified substance that activates dormant abilities hidden within the human genome. When a powerful Enhanced known as Revenant begins hunting the substance’s creator, a specialized strike team is sent to stop him before the growing “Edge infection” spreads. It explores what happens when human evolution becomes both a weapon and a reason for persecution.
The Theme of Thieves is a mature time-travel mystery about two teenagers, Rebecca Rhodes and Jason Gable, who are pulled through history by a mysterious man in a red suit. Their journey is connected to “evanescence,” a phenomenon in which people have vanished without explanation for more than two centuries. As families, governments, religions, and the media struggle to explain the disappearances, Rebecca and Jason must uncover why they were chosen and how the erased injustices of the past are shaping their present.
Grant Lankard: Beowulf takes the legendary warrior from the Old English epic and reincarnates him as a thirty-something modern-day slacker. The idea came from when I was a child. My parents had a time-life book of fairy tales, and I remember thinking that the story of Beowulf reminded me of Spider-Man or Superman, just in a different time and place. Years later, when I decided to do an independent comic book, I used Beowulf as a jumping-off point. I added the character of Mooney, a wizard reincarnated in the body of a cat who was based on my real-life cat, Mooney. Mooney is obviously the most popular character in Beowulf.
DPB: They are very different stories, but all three combine high-concept entertainment with deeper questions about identity, power, history, and responsibility.
BD: You recently partnered with Independent Publishers Group (IPG) to expand your distribution to libraries, bookstores, and major book retailers across the United States and Canada. What can you share about your experience in being able to reach readers across North America?
DPB: Partnering with Independent Publishers Group has been an important step in Comicsburgh’s growth. IPG gives bookstores, libraries, and major retailers across the United States and Canada the ability to discover and order our titles through their established systems.
The partnership has also challenged us to strengthen our metadata, sales materials, production schedules, and marketing plans. Most importantly, it allows readers who may never encounter us at a convention or online to find a Comicsburgh title through their local bookstore or library. We are still in the early stages, but IPG has provided the infrastructure to reach North American readers; our responsibility is to build the awareness and demand that bring them to the books.
BD: Are there any other projects on which you are currently working that you can highlight?
DPB: We have several projects in development, including Kid Power Defenders, an all-ages superhero adventure about young heroes learning to work together, time-traveling to stop the villain, Master Mayhemonick, a character who creates chaos because it makes him feel in control. The series combines colorful action and humor with lessons about confidence, teamwork, and making responsible choices.
We are also developing Echo of Evanescence, a prose spinoff of The Theme of Thieves, co-written with Jessica Simms. It follows WDNP agents Darrell Jackson and Caitlyn McBride as they investigate a girl who suddenly reappears after being presumed lost to the evanescence phenomenon. Her return challenges everything the world believes about the disappearances.
BD: Likewise, are there any upcoming conventions at which our Pittsburgh-based readers will be able to find you, either in the remainder of 2026 or looking ahead to 2027?
GL: We’re very loyal to 3 Rivers Con. That’s probably our favorite comic book convention. Greater Pittsburgh Festival of Books and Pittsburgh Indie Expo are both also great.
BD: Lastly, what would you like to tell fans who want to learn more about Comicsburgh and its catalog?
DPB: We invite readers to visit Comicsburgh.com to explore our titles, meet the creators, and learn more about the worlds we are building. You can also follow Comicsburgh on social media and watch The Comicsburgh Show for news, creator conversations, and behind-the-scenes looks at how our books are made.
Whether you enjoy mythology, superheroes, science fiction, or historical mysteries, we believe there is a Comicsburgh story waiting for you. Most importantly, every purchase, follow, and recommendation directly supports independent creators and helps us continue bringing original, creator-owned stories to readers.
