Future Comics

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In 1998, American comic book artist Bob Layton coming off after a short retirement from the comic book industry, returned to the business of creating comics by teaming-up with his fellow Floridian and mentor, Dick Giordano, and head writer David Michelinie to form Future Comics. Discouraged by the growing lack of professionalism in the business, Layton, Giordano, and Michelinie formed Future Comics and it's cast of distinct and unusual properties including Freemind, Deathmask, Metallix and Peacekeeper. One of Future's stated goals was to revolutionize the distribution side of the comics business with the industry's first, totally-autonomous Internet comics company, selling to readers and booksellers alike directly through the world-wide web. The attraction of developing exciting new concepts and business models, in an atmosphere of creative encouragement and support, was this company’s driving force. After publishing some issues in their first year, Future Comics went on a hiatus and proposed to cancel from publishing individual comics to just publishing original trade paperbacks (first reprinting the original issues, then bringing out brand new stories afterward), with the ever growing graphic novel format rising in sales at mass markets. Unfortunately, the trade paperback concept never happened. Unsuccessful in their goal, Layton was eventually forced to close that chapter of his career as Future Comics closed its doors after only two and a half years in business in 2004.