Solson Publications

Solson Publications was a small New York comic-book publishing company established in 1985 by Gary Brodsky, whose father, Sol Brodsky, had been a long-serving Marvel Comics executive. The company name was a play on the phrase “Sol’s son,” linking the new venture to Brodsky’s family connection with the comics industry. Solson operated primarily in the direct market era of the 1980s, when specialist comic shops and distributors created opportunities for independent publishers to release inexpensive black-and-white titles aimed at rapidly developing genre trends. The company’s publishing program was eclectic and strongly market-oriented. It issued martial-arts, ninja, science-fiction, fantasy, horror, humor, and parody comics, as well as practical books about drawing and producing comics. Several projects were designed to capitalize on the popularity of martial-arts entertainment and Eastman and Laird’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. These included instructional and humorous titles using ninja or turtle-related themes. Solson also published Reagan’s Raiders, a politically themed adventure parody in which Ronald Reagan and members of his administration appeared as costumed action characters, and The Bushido Blade of Zatoichi Walrus, a humorous martial-arts-oriented series. Solson’s first listed publication was the 1985 How to Draw Comics Comic by Allan J. Fromberg, which included art samples by John Byrne and John Romita Jr. The company subsequently developed a substantial instructional line, including books by editor and artist Rich Buckler. These publications addressed superhero drawing, comic-book creation, publishing, and related visual techniques. Some projects benefited from recognizable industry contributors, including Buckler, while the company’s broader catalogue remained characteristic of low-budget independent comics production. Rich Buckler served as an important creative and production figure at Solson. He worked as an editor, contributed artwork, and participated in instructional books and comic projects. Other contributors associated with the catalogue included Allan J. Fromberg, Gary Brodsky, Albert Occhino, Philip Hwang, James E. Lyle, Monroe Arnold, Jason Rodgers, and others. Jim Lee’s professional comics debut is identified in the supplied reference material as an inking contribution to the 1986 Solson Christmas Special: Samurai Santa. Solson was particularly active from 1986 through 1987 and then became dormant. Accounts associated with the company also mention reports from some contributors of non-payment for completed work, an issue that reflects the financial fragility of small independent publishers but for which detailed financial or legal documentation is not provided here. In 1997, Solson Publications re-emerged with books by Gary Brodsky and Albert Occhino, many focused on drawing, erotic art, adult anime, fantasy, fetish art, and related subjects. This second period produced titles through 1999, after which the company again ceased activity. No reliable evidence in the supplied material indicates that Solson remains an operating publisher.

Solson Publications emerged during the expansion of the American direct-market comics business in the mid-1980s. Gary Brodsky founded the company in 1985 in New York, drawing on a family connection to mainstream comics: his father, Sol Brodsky, had been a veteran Marvel Comics executive. The name “Solson” was formed as a reference to Sol’s son. Rather than competing directly with large publishers on the basis of established superhero properties, Solson pursued inexpensive black-and-white publications that could be produced quickly and positioned around current market interests. Its first listed release was How to Draw Comics Comic, written by Allan J. Fromberg and supplemented with art samples by John Byrne and John Romita Jr. This established a recurring feature of the company’s catalogue: alongside genre comics, Solson published instructional material for aspiring artists and creators. Rich Buckler became a central editorial and artistic presence, editing projects, supplying artwork, and authoring or contributing to several drawing manuals. His books included How to Become a Comic Book Artist, How to Draw Super-Heroes, and Rich Buckler’s Secrets of Drawing Comics. The company’s comic output during 1986 and 1987 reflected the popularity of martial arts, ninjas, science fiction, parody, and independent black-and-white comics. Titles included Amazing Wahzoo, Blackmoon, Codename: Ninja, Iron Maidens, Leonardo, Ninjutsu: Art of the Ninja, Rock Heads, Samurai Funnies, Scream, Sultry Teenage Super-Foxes, Those Crazy Peckers, The Three Stooges, and a futuristic version of T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents. Solson also produced The Bushido Blade of Zatoichi Walrus and Reagan’s Raiders. The latter used Ronald Reagan and members of his cabinet as costumed adventurers, presenting a topical political parody in the visual tradition of action-team comics. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles phenomenon influenced a number of Solson projects. The company issued How to Draw Eastman and Laird’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Martial Arts Training Manual, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Teach Karate. Other publications were connected to or spoofed the turtle-and-ninja trend. The Solson Christmas Special: Samurai Santa was another example of the publisher’s willingness to combine seasonal humor, martial-arts imagery, and creator-oriented production. Solson was most active in 1986–1987 and then went dormant. The reference material records reports from some contributors that they were not paid for completed work. No detailed accounting, court record, or quantified financial information is supplied, so the issue is best treated as a reported contributor dispute rather than a fully documented corporate scandal. The company returned in 1997 under a substantially different publishing emphasis. Gary Brodsky and Albert Occhino produced a series of drawing and art manuals dealing with erotic art, adult anime, fantasy, fetish art, figures, robots, spaceships, and related subjects. Examples included How to Draw Erotic Art, How to Draw Sexy Women, How to Draw Adult Anime, How to Draw Erotic Witches and Vampy Vampires, and How to Draw Fetish Art. The late-1990s catalogue also included The Best of Nightmare and Psycho and a continuation of Solson’s talent-search concept. Activity continued through 1999, after which Solson Publications again became defunct or inactive.

• 1999

  Second publishing period ends

  [1]Solson Publicationsen.wikipedia.org

  The company's documented late-1990s activity ended after additional art manuals and The Best of Nightmare and Psycho.

• 1997

  Return with erotic-art and figure-drawing titles

  [1]Solson Publicationsen.wikipedia.org

  Solson resumed publishing with drawing manuals by Gary Brodsky, Albert Occhino, and other contributors, including books focused on erotic art and sexy figure drawing.

• 1993

  Later Solson's Comic Talent Starsearch issue

  [1]Solson Publicationsen.wikipedia.org

  The company catalogue included a later issue of Solson's Comic Talent Starsearch, linking the 1990s output to an earlier talent-oriented series.

• 1987

  End of the principal 1980s publishing period

  [1]Solson Publicationsen.wikipedia.org

  After operating actively in 1986 and 1987, Solson became dormant.

• 1986

  Expansion into genre comics and instructional books

  [1]Solson Publicationsen.wikipedia.org

  Solson issued a broad range of black-and-white comics and drawing manuals, including Reagan's Raiders, Samurai Funnies, and Rich Buckler projects.

• 1985

  Company founded and first title published

  [1]Solson Publicationsen.wikipedia.org

  Gary Brodsky founded Solson Publications in New York. The company's first listed publication was Allan J. Fromberg's How to Draw Comics Comic.

A low-budget, trend-responsive independent comics publisher that combined black-and-white genre comics with practical drawing and publishing manuals.

• Instructional comic-book manual · 1985

  How to Draw Comics Comic

  Allan J. Fromberg's 1985 instructional publication was Solson's first listed title. It explained comic-making concepts through a comic-book format and included art samples attributed to John Byrne and John Romita Jr., establishing the company's interest in practical guidance for aspiring creators.

• Political parody comic · 1986

  Reagan's Raiders

  A three-issue 1986–1987 black-and-white comic by Monroe Arnold and Rich Buckler. It portrayed then-president Ronald Reagan and members of his cabinet as costumed adventurers modeled on action-team comics, making it one of Solson's most topical and recognizable parody projects.

• Drawing and martial-arts manuals · 1986

  Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles instructional line

  Solson published several turtle- and ninja-related instructional works, including How to Draw Eastman and Laird's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Martial Arts Training Manual, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Teach Karate. The line reflected the strong market for ninja and turtle-themed material during the mid-1980s.

• Comic-art education · 1986

  Rich Buckler instructional books

  Buckler's Solson books included How to Become a Comic Book Artist, How to Draw Super-Heroes, and Rich Buckler's Secrets of Drawing Comics. They covered drawing techniques, superhero construction, and aspects of professional comic production, reinforcing Solson's role as a publisher for aspiring artists as well as comic readers.

• Seasonal parody comic · 1986

  Solson Christmas Special: Samurai Santa

  A 1986 holiday special written by Philip Clarke Jr., penciled by Don Secrease, and inked by Jim Lee. Its combination of Christmas subject matter and samurai imagery exemplified Solson's practice of blending familiar cultural trends into inexpensive genre comics.

• Illustration manuals · 1997

  Gary and Al Present series

  A late-1990s series associated mainly with Gary Brodsky and Albert Occhino. It covered erotic art, adult anime, fantasy, fetish art, figure drawing, robots, cyborgs, androids, spaceships, and other subjects. The line marked Solson's shift away from its best-known 1980s black-and-white comics emphasis.

• 1987

  Reported non-payment claims by contributors

  Some contributors later reported that Solson Publications had not paid them for completed work. The available reference does not provide case details, amounts, judgments, or a complete account of the claims, so the matter should be understood as reported contributor allegations rather than a fully documented legal finding.

  Source

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• 1997

  Shift toward adult and erotic-art instructionStrategy

  Background

  After its 1980s comics activity ended, Solson returned with a new series of instructional books by Gary Brodsky and Albert Occhino.

  Action taken

  The reactivated catalogue emphasized erotic art, adult anime, fetish art, figure drawing, fantasy, and related illustration subjects.

  Aftermath

  The second documented publishing period continued through 1999 and was followed by another cessation of activity.

  Source

• 1985

  Adopt a low-cost black-and-white direct-market modelStrategy

  Background

  Solson entered the independent comics market at a time when specialist comic shops and direct distribution supported small publishers and rapidly changing genre trends.

  Action taken

  The company concentrated on inexpensive black-and-white comics and practical creator manuals rather than a large mainstream superhero line.

  Aftermath

  This model produced a varied catalogue during the company's principal 1980s period, but the company later became dormant.

  Source

1. 1Solson Publicationsen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Solson Publications at the Grand Comics Databasecomics.org