# Vertigo Comics
**Vertigo Comics** (also DC Vertigo) is an imprint of the [American comic book](https://www.edgepedia.org/american-comic-book) publisher [DC Comics](https://www.edgepedia.org/dc-comics), created in 1993 as a home for mature-readers, creator-driven titles set apart from the mainstream [DC Universe](https://www.edgepedia.org/dc-universe). It published acclaimed series such as *The Sandman*, *Preacher*, *100 Bullets*, *Fables*, and *Y: The Last Man*, was sunset at the end of 2019 in favor of the age-banded DC labels, and was revived with a new slate of ten series rolling out from February 2026.[1](https://comicbookco.com/lists/best-vertigo-comics-of-all-time-ranked/) • [2](https://www.dc.com/blog/2019/06/21/dc-doubles-down-on-its-brand-unites-all-publishing-under-a-single-banner) • [3](https://www.dc.com/blog/2025-10-09/dc-unveils-ten-bold-new-comic-book-series-in-its-dc-vertigo-imprint-for-2026)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1993, by editor Karen Berger, to house darker, creator-driven titles that did not fit DC's mainstream superhero line[1](https://comicbookco.com/lists/best-vertigo-comics-of-all-time-ranked/) |
| First issue | *Death: The High Cost of Living* #1, released January 14, 1993, the launch of the imprint[4](https://www.thepopverse.com/dc-vertigo-comic-comics-characters-sandman-best) |
| Editorial identity | Mature readers; by summer 1993 summarized for mainstream audiences as "graphic violence and strong language [...] geared to mature readers"[5](https://revues.u-bordeaux-montaigne.fr/leaves/fr/article/download/358/1005) |
| Signature titles | *The Sandman*, *Preacher*, *Fables*, *Y: The Last Man*, *100 Bullets*, *Hellblazer*, *Transmetropolitan*, *American Vampire*[1](https://comicbookco.com/lists/best-vertigo-comics-of-all-time-ranked/) • [6](https://www.dc.com/blog/2026-02-03/what-is-vertigo) |
| Hiatus | Announced June 2019; imprint sunset at the end of 2019 as DC reorganized into DC Kids, DC, and DC Black Label from 2020[2](https://www.dc.com/blog/2019/06/21/dc-doubles-down-on-its-brand-unites-all-publishing-under-a-single-banner) |
| Revival | Announced at New York Comic Con 2024; ten new series unveiled at NYCC 2025, publishing from February 2026[3](https://www.dc.com/blog/2025-10-09/dc-unveils-ten-bold-new-comic-book-series-in-its-dc-vertigo-imprint-for-2026) |
| Division of labor after revival | Wholly original books outside the DC Universe go to DC Vertigo; mature-rated stories featuring DC characters go to DC Black Label[6](https://www.dc.com/blog/2026-02-03/what-is-vertigo) |
## Origins
Vertigo grew out of work DC had been doing since the 1980s. Experimental mature-rated titles outside the purview of the [Comics Code Authority](https://www.edgepedia.org/comics-code-authority), such as *Swamp Thing*, *Animal Man*, and *Shade, the Changing Man*, established the audience and the editorial approach; DC's first branded imprint, Piranha Press (1989–1994), a home for the alternative comics scene, preceded it.[7](https://www.dc.com/blog/2026-01-26/black-labels-and-wild-storms-a-brief-history-of-dc-s-imprints) Much of Vertigo's fame, scholars note, is rooted in this pre-Vertigo period, the four or five years during which editor Karen Berger developed the roster of titles whose collective success provided the impetus for the imprint's formation.[8](https://revues.u-bordeaux-montaigne.fr/leaves/fr/article/download/356/1003)
Berger had joined DC Comics in 1979 as an editorial assistant to Paul Levitz and rose through the ranks; over the following two decades she defined Vertigo and mature comic books as a whole.[9](https://historyofvertigocomics.com/the-people/karen-berger/) The creators at the center of the new line were largely British writers, many recruited while writing for *2000 AD* in the 1980s, a movement known as the "British Invasion"; [Alan Moore](https://www.edgepedia.org/alan-moore)'s hiring on *Swamp Thing* had opened the door for [Grant Morrison](https://www.edgepedia.org/grant-morrison), Neil Gaiman, Peter Milligan, Garth Ennis, and [Warren Ellis](https://www.edgepedia.org/warren-ellis).[10](https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/19409/) • [11](https://as.com/meristation/comics/la-cosa-del-pantano-de-alan-moore-el-comic-que-lo-cambio-todo-f202510-r/) Berger's stated aim was to reach "people who don't read comics," and titles such as *Y: The Last Man*, *Preacher*, and *The Sandman* drew new readers, including women, into the comics mainstream.[12](https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/19409/2/Anthology_-_Round_with_revisions_Jun_09.pdf)
The imprint's independence from the main line was one of Berger's decisive conquests in 1993: she convinced her superiors that Vertigo comics should not bear the DC logo, emphasizing an imprint that only marginally dealt with superheroes and addressed a different readership.[8](https://revues.u-bordeaux-montaigne.fr/leaves/fr/article/download/356/1003) Vertigo also carried an aesthetic distance: *Sandman*'s covers in particular were conceptual and often surreal and did not feature the lead character.[13](https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/25988/3/Mixed%20Media%20Sandman%20paper%20FINAL.pdf) Alongside Vertigo, DC launched Paradox Press, an imprint for original graphic novels outside the monthly format, including *Road to Perdition* and *A History of Violence*.[7](https://www.dc.com/blog/2026-01-26/black-labels-and-wild-storms-a-brief-history-of-dc-s-imprints)
## The original run, 1993–2019
The launch roster combined DC-originating characters with new material. Vertigo absorbed books like *Swamp Thing*, *The Sandman*, *Hellblazer*, *Doom Patrol*, *Animal Man*, and *Shade, the Changing Man*, and gave creators a place where they could tell any kind of story they wanted.[14](https://comicbook.com/comics/news/10-incredible-vertigo-comics-that-changed-the-entire-industry/) Within a couple of years the imprint also became home to wholly original titles unconnected to the DC Universe, including *100 Bullets*, *Fables*, *American Vampire*, and *Y: The Last Man*, giving it two parallel missions: DC Universe-adjacent series such as *Hellblazer* and *Swamp Thing* continued to run while original creator-owned work accumulated.[6](https://www.dc.com/blog/2026-02-03/what-is-vertigo)
**Flagship series.** *The Sandman*, by [Neil Gaiman](https://www.edgepedia.org/neil-gaiman), followed Dream (also called Morpheus), a supernatural being who escapes occult imprisonment and must rebuild his life and the land called [The Dreaming](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-dreaming); it was one of the imprint's most popular and iconic series.[15](https://www.wired.com/2013/03/vertigo-comics-history-timeline/) *Hellblazer* ran 238 issues; its protagonist, the magician and supernatural detective [John Constantine](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-constantine), first appeared in Alan Moore's *Swamp Thing*.[15](https://www.wired.com/2013/03/vertigo-comics-history-timeline/) *DMZ*, by Brian Wood and Riccardo Burchielli, imagined a near-future America divided by civil war, with Manhattan turned into a demilitarized zone, and ran 72 issues.[15](https://www.wired.com/2013/03/vertigo-comics-history-timeline/) *Y: The Last Man* earned a 2008 Eisner Award for Best Continuing Series and the first Hugo Award nomination for Best Graphic Story.[16](https://www.dc.com/blog/2026-04-02/beyond-boundaries-ten-defining-vertigo-artists)
**Censorship and critical standing.** Claiming an adult readership, Vertigo progressively developed a more assertive voice; censorship eased over time, and the word "fuck" was finally allowed in 1994 in the pages of *Sandman* #64 and *The Invisibles* #1.[8](https://revues.u-bordeaux-montaigne.fr/leaves/fr/article/download/356/1003) Critical recognition followed quickly: in 1994, the first year the Eisner Awards included Vertigo nominees distinct from DC nominees, DC received the most awards for a publisher thanks to the Vertigo imprint, with Neil Gaiman taking best writer.[17](https://revues.u-bordeaux-montaigne.fr/leaves/article/download/358/203/422) Scholars describe the imprint as a shorthand for a set of publishing practices: engagement with popular genres from a literary and political prism, the pairing of serial publication with trade collections, and the coexistence of creator-owned with publisher-controlled series.[18](https://revues.u-bordeaux-montaigne.fr/leaves/fr/article/download/359/1006)
**Later years.** In 2012, following the New 52's debut, mature books starring original DC characters started returning to the main line, while Vertigo grew more and more identified with original, creator-driven stories that featured no DC Universe characters.[6](https://www.dc.com/blog/2026-02-03/what-is-vertigo) In 2018 [DC Entertainment](https://www.edgepedia.org/dc-entertainment) announced a line-wide relaunch and rebrand to DC Vertigo for its 25th anniversary, helmed by executive editor Mark Doyle, with seven new series and the Neil Gaiman-curated Sandman Universe imprint.[19](https://www.dc.com/blog/2018-06-07/dc-entertainment-announces-vertigo-returns-to-its-roots-with-a-line-wide-relaunch-and-dc-vertigo-rebrand-helmed-by-new-executive-editor-mark-doyle) In June 2019, DC announced that from 2020 all publishing content would be organized under three age-specific labels, DC Kids, DC, and [DC Black Label](https://www.edgepedia.org/dc-black-label), and that the Vertigo imprint would be sunset at the end of the year. Publisher Dan DiDio framed the change as a return to a singular DC brand: "That kind of material is now mainstream across all genres."[2](https://www.dc.com/blog/2019/06/21/dc-doubles-down-on-its-brand-unites-all-publishing-under-a-single-banner) DC Black Label, which had debuted in 2018, carried Vertigo's original mission of mature stories featuring DC characters unburdened by continuity, and some original titles, including [Joe Hill](https://www.edgepedia.org/joe-hill)'s Hill House imprint, *The Fellspyre Chronicles*, and *The Nice House on the Lake*, appeared under Black Label.[6](https://www.dc.com/blog/2026-02-03/what-is-vertigo)
## The 2026 revival
DC announced the Vertigo revival at New York Comic Con in 2024. The imprint first returned by adopting the ongoing series *The Nice House by the Sea*, by James Tynion IV and Álvaro Martínez Bueno, and at NYCC 2025 DC unveiled a full slate of ten new titles.[3](https://www.dc.com/blog/2025-10-09/dc-unveils-ten-bold-new-comic-book-series-in-its-dc-vertigo-imprint-for-2026) • [20](https://store.comixrevolution.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/dc_connect_67.pdf) The new line, like the original, focuses on creator-owned titles that push boundaries and defy convention, spanning psychological thrillers, occult espionage, and post-apocalyptic horror.[3](https://www.dc.com/blog/2025-10-09/dc-unveils-ten-bold-new-comic-book-series-in-its-dc-vertigo-imprint-for-2026)
The rollout began in February 2026: *The Nice House by the Sea* #7 on February 4, *Bleeding Hearts* #1 (by [Deniz Camp](https://www.edgepedia.org/deniz-camp), Stipan Morian, and Matt Hollingsworth) on February 11, *End of Life* #1 (Kyle Starks, Steve Pugh, Chris O'Halloran) on February 18, and *The Peril of the Brutal Dark: An Ezra Cain Mystery* #1 (Chris Condon and Jacob Phillips) on February 25, with the rest releasing through 2026.[3](https://www.dc.com/blog/2025-10-09/dc-unveils-ten-bold-new-comic-book-series-in-its-dc-vertigo-imprint-for-2026) The slate also includes *100 Bullets: The US of Anger* by [Brian Azzarello](https://www.edgepedia.org/brian-azzarello) and Eduardo Risso, in which the character Lono returns to America, and new series by Ram V and Mike Perkins, Tom Taylor and Darick Robertson, Grace Ellis and Hannah Templer, Mariko Tamaki and Rosemary Valero-O'Connell, and Simon Spurrier and Aaron Campbell.[3](https://www.dc.com/blog/2025-10-09/dc-unveils-ten-bold-new-comic-book-series-in-its-dc-vertigo-imprint-for-2026)
Under the revived structure, the two labels have distinct missions. Wholly original books set outside the DC Universe, such as *The Nice House by the Sea* and the *100 Bullets* follow-up, are DC Vertigo titles; reprints of old Vertigo stories and future mature-rated stories featuring DC characters outside continuity are, for the most part, DC Black Label books, so Constantine and Swamp Thing are not expected to return to the Vertigo imprint.[6](https://www.dc.com/blog/2026-02-03/what-is-vertigo)
## Influence
For more than a quarter century the imprint published hundreds of ongoing titles and miniseries that helped set the mood not only for mature-readers comics but for mainstream American comics as a whole; commentators have argued that without Vertigo's example, much of Marvel's output in the 21st century would not have happened.[4](https://www.thepopverse.com/dc-vertigo-comic-comics-characters-sandman-best) Its alumni and offshoots spread through the industry: Berger later oversaw the Berger Books imprint at Dark Horse, and the legacy of creator-owned genre work has been carried in particular by Image Comics, which commentators describe as having solidified its position as an heir to Vertigo with hit creator-owned titles.[21](https://revues.u-bordeaux-montaigne.fr/leaves/article/download/356/200/416) Vertigo characters also crossed into other media, with television adaptations including *Preacher* and *Sandman* and a 2005 *Constantine* film based on *Hellblazer*.[22](https://as.com/meristation/series/james-gunn-se-pone-al-mando-de-una-serie-basada-en-una-de-las-obras-del-genio-del-comic-alan-moore-y-despeja-una-incognita-de-los-fans-de-vertigo-f202511-n/)
## References
1. [The 12 Best Vertigo Comics of All Time, Ranked, Comic Book Co](https://comicbookco.com/lists/best-vertigo-comics-of-all-time-ranked/)
2. [DC Doubles Down on Its Brand, Unites All Publishing Under a Single Banner, DC.com (June 21, 2019)](https://www.dc.com/blog/2019/06/21/dc-doubles-down-on-its-brand-unites-all-publishing-under-a-single-banner)
3. [DC Unveils Ten Bold New Comic Book Series in Its DC Vertigo Imprint for 2026, DC.com (October 9, 2025)](https://www.dc.com/blog/2025-10-09/dc-unveils-ten-bold-new-comic-book-series-in-its-dc-vertigo-imprint-for-2026)
4. [30 for 30: revisiting Vertigo's biggest and best, three decades later, Popverse](https://www.thepopverse.com/dc-vertigo-comic-comics-characters-sandman-best)
5. [Vertigo: the first few months (1992-1994), according to The Comics Journal and Wizard, Leaves (Bordeaux Montaigne)](https://revues.u-bordeaux-montaigne.fr/leaves/fr/article/download/358/1005)
6. [What is Vertigo?, DC.com (February 3, 2026), by Alex Jaffe](https://www.dc.com/blog/2026-02-03/what-is-vertigo)
7. [Black Labels and WildStorms: A Brief History of DC's Imprints, DC.com (January 26, 2026), by Alex Jaffe](https://www.dc.com/blog/2026-01-26/black-labels-and-wild-storms-a-brief-history-of-dc-s-imprints)
8. ["In Which a Wake is Held"—the Life and Death of Vertigo, Leaves (Bordeaux Montaigne)](https://revues.u-bordeaux-montaigne.fr/leaves/fr/article/download/356/1003)
9. [Karen Berger, History of Vertigo Comics](https://historyofvertigocomics.com/the-people/karen-berger/)
10. [Chapter One: "Is this a book?" DC Vertigo and the redefinition of comics in the 1990s, Bournemouth University](https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/19409/)
11. [La Cosa del Pantano de Alan Moore, MeriStation (AS.com)](https://as.com/meristation/comics/la-cosa-del-pantano-de-alan-moore-el-comic-que-lo-cambio-todo-f202510-r/)
12. [Chapter One (full text), Bournemouth University Research Online](https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/19409/2/Anthology_-_Round_with_revisions_Jun_09.pdf)
13. [Mixed Media Sandman paper, Bournemouth University Research Online](https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/25988/3/Mixed%20Media%20Sandman%20paper%20FINAL.pdf)
14. [10 Incredible Vertigo Comics That Changed The Entire Industry, ComicBook.com](https://comicbook.com/comics/news/10-incredible-vertigo-comics-that-changed-the-entire-industry/)
15. [From Sandman to Scalped: A Complete Infographic History of Vertigo Comics, WIRED (March 11, 2013)](https://www.wired.com/2013/03/vertigo-comics-history-timeline/)
16. [Beyond Boundaries: Ten Defining Vertigo Artists, DC.com (April 2, 2026)](https://www.dc.com/blog/2026-04-02/beyond-boundaries-ten-defining-vertigo-artists)
17. [Vertigo: the first few months (1992-1994), full text, Leaves (Bordeaux Montaigne)](https://revues.u-bordeaux-montaigne.fr/leaves/article/download/358/203/422)
18. [Vertigo outside Vertigo, Leaves (Bordeaux Montaigne)](https://revues.u-bordeaux-montaigne.fr/leaves/fr/article/download/359/1006)
19. [DC Entertainment Announces Vertigo Returns to Its Roots with a Line-Wide Relaunch and DC Vertigo Rebrand, Helmed by New Executive Editor Mark Doyle, DC.com (June 7, 2018)](https://www.dc.com/blog/2018-06-07/dc-entertainment-announces-vertigo-returns-to-its-roots-with-a-line-wide-relaunch-and-dc-vertigo-rebrand-helmed-by-new-executive-editor-mark-doyle)
20. [DC Connect #67, Comic Revolution store PDF](https://store.comixrevolution.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/dc_connect_67.pdf)
21. ["In Which a Wake is Held"—the Life and Death of Vertigo, full text, Leaves (Bordeaux Montaigne)](https://revues.u-bordeaux-montaigne.fr/leaves/article/download/356/200/416)
22. [James Gunn se pone al mando de una serie basada en una obra de Alan Moore, MeriStation (AS.com)](https://as.com/meristation/series/james-gunn-se-pone-al-mando-de-una-serie-basada-en-una-de-las-obras-del-genio-del-comic-alan-moore-y-despeja-una-incognita-de-los-fans-de-vertigo-f202511-n/)
---
*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Visual arts and design › Illustration and illustrators › Comic books and characters › Comic book series and storylines*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license