Blank Slate Books (BSB) was a publishing company based in the United Kingdom. It published primarily comic books, graphic novels and comic strip collections, with an emphasis on new work by British artists and translated work by European artists.[4] The books it published were noted for their "indie-friendly" content, and were frequently by small press artists whose initial work was self-published. The name of the company was a pun on "drawing" or "writing" on a blackboard.
BSB was one of the few dedicated original comics and graphic novel publishers in the UK.
History
Blank Slate Books (BSB) was founded in 2008 by Kenny Penman and partner James Hamilton.[5] Penman was inspired by Fantagraphics Books of Seattle, WA, to publish books in the United Kingdom that would do for artists in Britain what Fantagraphics was doing in the USA, championing independent, alternative creators who were not working in superhero or other ‘mainstream’ commercial comics genres. Penman was co-director of Forbidden Planet International,[6] and had plenty of experience with the comics industry. He saw the mission of BSB as "supporting home-grown talent" and providing an essential outlet for work that might not be seen elsewhere.[7] He was primarily motivated to begin the company after encountering the work of Oliver East, who had no real precedents in UK comics.
The publication of Trains Are Mint by East was BSB's first release in 2008[5] and was critically acclaimed, with an Ignatz award nomination following soon after publication.[8]
Penman's other mission was to introduce titles from European countries to the UK that otherwise might not be seen. He focused primarily upon German titles by creators such as Mawil, Line Hoven, and Ule Osterle, who starred in Germany but little known in the UK.[2] BSB published six to eight books a year.
In 2012 Woodrow Phoenix, himself an acclaimed author of graphic novels, became art director of the company, supervising BSB's design and production.[citation needed]
^Johnston, Rich (26 December 2019). "The Daily LITG, Boxing Day 2019, Happy Birthday Kenny Penman". Bleeding Cool. Kenny Penman, Publisher of Blank Slate Books and co-owner of Forbidden Planet International.