SelfMadeHero

SelfMadeHero is an independent British publishing house focused on comics and graphic novels. Its catalogue combines adaptations of established literature with original long-form comics and nonfiction projects, particularly graphic biographies. The company was founded in February 2007 by Emma Hayley and initially established its identity through two lines: Manga Shakespeare and Eye Classics. Manga Shakespeare adapted plays by William Shakespeare into manga-influenced graphic formats. Richard Appignanesi handled the adaptations, while the artwork was created by British manga artists associated with the UK comics and manga scene. The first two books, Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet, were published simultaneously in January 2007. These titles became important early products for the publisher and helped give SelfMadeHero a recognizable position at the intersection of classic literature, education, comics, and contemporary visual storytelling. The adaptations generally used settings and visual conventions that differed from conventional stage or illustrated-book treatments, including historical and futuristic Japanese-inspired environments. The Eye Classics line extended the same broad idea of making canonical literature accessible through graphic adaptation. Its subjects included works by writers such as Edgar Allan Poe and Franz Kafka. The line drew on contributors from British comics, screenwriting, and more traditional visual-art backgrounds. Through these early programmes, SelfMadeHero developed a publishing model based on reinterpreting texts that already had cultural recognition while giving artists substantial scope to reshape their presentation. In 2008, founder Emma Hayley was named UK Young Publishing Entrepreneur of the Year as part of the British Book Awards. The recognition reflected the company’s rapid establishment within the independent publishing sector. In 2009, SelfMadeHero broadened its catalogue with graphic adaptations of Sherlock Holmes stories, including The Hound of the Baskervilles and A Study in Scarlet. It subsequently published projects related to H. P. Lovecraft, including the anthology LOVECRAFT by I. N. J. Culbard. The publisher also introduced a Graphic Biography series, beginning with Johnny Cash: I See a Darkness and later covering cultural figures including Hunter S. Thompson and Nick Cave. From 2010 onward, SelfMadeHero increasingly supported original material rather than concentrating only on adaptations. Notable original works include Glyn Dillon’s The Nao of Brown and Rob Davis’s The Motherless Oven trilogy. This expansion positioned the company as more than a specialist adaptations house: it became a venue for creator-led graphic novels with distinctive visual and narrative approaches. In 2011, the company received the Kitschies’ Black Tentacle award. SelfMadeHero has also undertaken programmes intended to develop new comics talent. With support from Arts Council England, it launched the Graphic Anthology Programme in February 2021. The free public programme selected seven applicants for twelve weeks of mentoring and masterclasses. The programme led to Catalyst, an anthology published in October 2021 containing eleven short stories, including work produced by the selected participants. The project was later presented through digital exhibitions associated with the Cartoon Museum and Arts Council England, with an emphasis on the diversity of the participating creators and on comics as a medium for social and artistic change. In 2023, SelfMadeHero became a partner in the First Graphic Novel Award alongside the Cartoon Museum and independent editor Corinne Pearlman, with support from the Authors’ Licensing and Collecting Society and The bks Agency. The award offered a publishing contract from SelfMadeHero and a £500 bursary to the winning author or team. The initiative continued the publisher’s role in identifying and supporting emerging graphic-novel creators. SelfMadeHero’s books are distributed in the United Kingdom by Abrams & Chronicle Books and in the United States by Abrams Books. Its overall positioning combines literary accessibility, author and artist development, and visually ambitious graphic storytelling. The available reference material does not establish a current owner, a separate parent company, a public listing, a current chief executive, or an official website URL.

SelfMadeHero was founded in February 2007 by Emma Hayley as an independent publishing house devoted to comics and graphic novels. The business entered the market with Manga Shakespeare and Eye Classics. Manga Shakespeare reworked Shakespeare’s plays through a manga-influenced visual language, with Richard Appignanesi adapting the texts and British manga artists providing the artwork. Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet were released together in January 2007 and helped establish the publisher’s early identity. Eye Classics applied a related graphic-adaptation approach to major literary works, including texts associated with Edgar Allan Poe and Franz Kafka. The company received early industry recognition when Emma Hayley was named UK Young Publishing Entrepreneur of the Year at the 2008 British Book Awards. In 2009, SelfMadeHero expanded its adaptations programme through graphic versions of Sherlock Holmes stories, including The Hound of the Baskervilles and A Study in Scarlet. The publisher later added H. P. Lovecraft-related projects, including I. N. J. Culbard’s LOVECRAFT anthology. A Graphic Biography line also emerged, beginning with Johnny Cash: I See a Darkness and subsequently examining figures such as Hunter S. Thompson and Nick Cave. From 2010, the catalogue included a growing proportion of original work. Glyn Dillon’s The Nao of Brown and Rob Davis’s The Motherless Oven trilogy are among the notable creator-led projects associated with this phase. In 2011, SelfMadeHero received the Kitschies’ Black Tentacle award. The shift toward original graphic novels broadened the company’s role from literary adaptation specialist to independent publisher of distinctive contemporary comics. In February 2021, with support from Arts Council England, SelfMadeHero launched the Graphic Anthology Programme. The free programme selected seven applicants for an intensive twelve-week programme of mentoring and masterclasses. Its published outcome, Catalyst, appeared in October 2021 and contained eleven short stories. The project was later promoted through digital exhibitions by the Cartoon Museum and Arts Council England, highlighting the diversity of its contributors and the potential of comics to act as a catalyst for change. In 2023, SelfMadeHero participated in the First Graphic Novel Award, a partnership with the Cartoon Museum and independent editor Corinne Pearlman, supported by the Authors’ Licensing and Collecting Society and The bks Agency. The award offered a £500 bursary and a publishing contract as prizes. SelfMadeHero’s distribution arrangements identify Abrams & Chronicle Books as its UK distributor and Abrams Books as its US distributor. The available material does not specify a current corporate parent, owner, chief executive, public listing, or official website URL.

• 2023

  First Graphic Novel Award partnership

  [1]SelfMadeHeroen.wikipedia.org

  SelfMadeHero joined the Cartoon Museum and Corinne Pearlman in presenting the 2023 First Graphic Novel Award.

• 2021

  Graphic Anthology Programme begins

  [1]SelfMadeHeroen.wikipedia.org

  The publisher launched a publicly accessible comics development programme with support from Arts Council England.

• 2021

  Catalyst is published

  [1]SelfMadeHeroen.wikipedia.org

  The Graphic Anthology Programme produced Catalyst, an anthology featuring eleven short stories and work by programme participants.

• 2011

  Kitschies Black Tentacle award

  [1]SelfMadeHeroen.wikipedia.org

  SelfMadeHero received the Black Tentacle award from the Kitschies.

• 2010

  Original graphic novels become a larger focus

  [1]SelfMadeHeroen.wikipedia.org

  The publisher began issuing original material, including Glyn Dillon’s The Nao of Brown and Rob Davis’s The Motherless Oven trilogy.

• 2009

  Expansion into crime and horror adaptations

  [1]SelfMadeHeroen.wikipedia.org

  SelfMadeHero expanded into Sherlock Holmes adaptations and later published projects connected with H. P. Lovecraft.

• 2008

  Founder receives young publishing entrepreneur award

  [1]SelfMadeHeroen.wikipedia.org

  Emma Hayley was named UK Young Publishing Entrepreneur of the Year as part of the British Book Awards.

• 2007

  SelfMadeHero is founded

  [1]SelfMadeHeroen.wikipedia.org

  Emma Hayley founded the independent publisher in February 2007, with Manga Shakespeare and Eye Classics as its initial publishing lines.

• 2007

  First Manga Shakespeare titles appear

  [1]SelfMadeHeroen.wikipedia.org

  Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet were published simultaneously in January, helping establish the company’s early catalogue and market identity.

An independent literary and creator-led graphic-novel publisher that adapts canonical works while developing original comics, biographies, anthologies, and emerging talent.

• Literary adaptation series · 2007

  Manga Shakespeare

  A series adapting Shakespeare’s plays into manga-influenced graphic novels. Richard Appignanesi adapted the plays, while artists from the British manga and comics scene supplied the artwork. The books use contemporary visual storytelling and, in several cases, settings that depart from conventional Shakespeare illustration, including historical or futuristic Japanese-inspired environments. Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet were the first two titles published.

• Literary adaptation series · 2007

  Eye Classics

  A graphic-adaptation line devoted to major works of literature. Its catalogue includes adaptations of works associated with Edgar Allan Poe and Franz Kafka. The contributors came from British comics, screenwriting, and traditional visual-art backgrounds, giving the line a varied approach to translating prose and poetry into sequential art.

• Crime and mystery adaptations · 2009

  Crime Classics

  A line of graphic adaptations of crime and detective fiction. It began with four adaptations of Arthur Conan Doyle stories, adapted by Ian Edginton and illustrated by I. N. J. Culbard. The line extended SelfMadeHero’s adaptation model into detective fiction while retaining an emphasis on concise, visually driven retellings.

• Graphic biography · 2009

  Graphic Biography

  A series presenting the lives and cultural significance of prominent public figures through graphic narrative. It began with Johnny Cash: I See a Darkness and later included biographies or biographical treatments of figures such as Hunter S. Thompson and Nick Cave. The line connects documentary storytelling with the visual and interpretive possibilities of comics.

• Original graphic novel · 2010

  The Nao of Brown

  Glyn Dillon’s original graphic novel, associated with SelfMadeHero’s expansion into creator-led contemporary work from 2010 onward. It represents the publisher’s movement beyond adaptations and into substantial author-driven graphic novels.

• Original graphic-novel trilogy · 2010

  The Motherless Oven trilogy

  Rob Davis’s trilogy of original graphic novels, published as part of SelfMadeHero’s creator-led programme. The series is one of the publisher’s notable original projects and illustrates its interest in sustained, multi-volume graphic storytelling.

• Graphic anthology · 2021

  Catalyst

  An anthology published as the outcome of the Graphic Anthology Programme. Released in October 2021, it contains eleven short stories, including work created by participants selected for the programme’s mentoring and masterclass programme.

• 2023First Graphic Novel Award

  United Kingdom

  SelfMadeHero partnered with the Cartoon Museum and independent editor Corinne Pearlman on the 2023 award for unpublished first graphic novels. The initiative was supported by the Authors’ Licensing and Collecting Society and The bks Agency.

  Outcome. The winning author or team was offered a SelfMadeHero publishing contract and a £500 bursary sponsored by The bks Agency.

  Source
• 2021Graphic Anthology Programme

  United Kingdom

  A free public comics-development programme supported by Arts Council England. Seven applicants were selected for twelve weeks of mentoring and masterclasses, with the aim of developing new graphic storytelling and producing an anthology.

  Outcome. The programme resulted in the October 2021 anthology Catalyst, which included eleven short stories. Its work was later presented through digital exhibitions associated with the Cartoon Museum and Arts Council England.

  Source

• 2010

  Increase emphasis on original graphic novelsStrategy

  Background

  SelfMadeHero’s early catalogue was strongly associated with adaptations, but the publisher also sought creator-led material.

  Action taken

  From 2010, it began publishing original works including The Nao of Brown and The Motherless Oven trilogy.

  Aftermath

  The company developed a broader identity as an independent graphic-novel publisher rather than an adaptations-only house.

  Source

• 2009

  Broaden into crime, horror, and graphic biographyStrategy

  Background

  After establishing its initial literary-adaptation lines, SelfMadeHero expanded its subject range.

  Action taken

  The company added Sherlock Holmes adaptations, later Lovecraft-related work, and the Graphic Biography series.

  Aftermath

  The catalogue moved beyond Shakespeare and general classics to include detective fiction, horror, and nonfiction portraits of cultural figures.

  Source

• 2007

  Launch with adaptation-led publishing linesStrategy

  Background

  The new independent publisher needed a clear editorial identity and began with recognizable literary properties.

  Action taken

  SelfMadeHero launched Manga Shakespeare and Eye Classics, combining manga-influenced presentation with adaptations of canonical literature.

  Aftermath

  The first Manga Shakespeare titles helped establish the company and provided a foundation for expansion into crime, horror, biography, and original graphic novels.

  Source

1. 1SelfMadeHeroen.wikipedia.org