The Vertigo Comics classic series Air is getting a new printing courtesy of Berger Books, which is famed Vertigo editor Karen Berger’s eponymous imprint with Dark Horse Comics. This marks the second time Berger’s new project has revived a somewhat under-the-radar Vertigo comic, with Enigma getting an excellent new definitive edition hardcover printing in December.

This all made the team around here think — Vertigo represents what is arguably a creative peak for North American comics, a bold expansion by a corporate publisher into new and riskier territory. Many of its hits are fondly-remembered cornerstones — from Preacher to Sandman to 100 Bullets — but some of our favorite work has gone out of print all together. That’s why today we’ve set out to answer a question: what other Vertigo comics would we like to see revived by Berger Books?

Check out our picks below…

Vertigo Comics New Editions

Blood: A Tale
Writer: JM DeMatteis
Artists: Kent Williams with Jon J Muth, Sherilyn Van Valkenburgh, and George Pratt
Letterer: Gaspar Saladino
Original Publication Date: 1987
Why It's Cool: I feel like I'm kind of cheating right off the bat because Blood: A Tale did receive a second life. It was originally published by Epic Comics in the late '80s, then republished by Vertigo almost a decade later. Still, it's a classic that I believe deserves a modern audience. Blood: A Tale is a sorta fairy tale, a nightmare, an existential meditation on being, a fable, a morality play, and a boon being paid to a dead man who denies that he's dead kept alive by a story being told by an enigmatic, transitory Scheherazade. It's about a Boy who becomes a Man who is Blood, but not, weaving through a sometimes confusing quest to understand life, existence, and purpose. Also, vampires. All beautifully painted by Kent Williams, who helps everything feel like a dream. (d. emerson eddy)

Brave Old World
Writer: William Messner-Loebs
Artists: Guy Davis & Phil Hester
Colorists: Kevin Somers & Jamison (separations)
Letterer: John Costanza
Original Publication Date: 2000
Why It's Cool: Part of the V2K imprint at the turn of the century, Brave Old World threw a monkey wrench into the Y2K Bug fear by transporting a group of scientists trying to solve them problem back into the past. Reading it again recently, I am somewhat reticent in the extent of the racial slurs used (though they do make sense given the setting) and problems people had in 1900 with women and bodily autonomy, it's still an entertaining mix of steampunk and historical adventure. The main draw here is the artwork from Guy Davis and Phil Hester. Wonderful alternate present alien designed machinery as well as beautiful weird angles and deep shadows you'd expect from this pairing. (d. emerson eddy)

Deadenders
Writer: Ed Brubaker
Artist: Warren Pleece
Inkers: Richard Case and Cameron Stewart
Colorists: Bjarne Hansen and Marguerite Van Cook
Letterer: John Costanza
Original Publication Date: 2000
Why It’s Cool: While it’s not a well known book by any means, Ed Brubaker is a name most of you probably know. Deadenders was his attempt, with artist Warren Pleece, to capture the energy of British Invasion books like Kill Your Boyfriend or Girl. The result is a deeply heartfelt and human look at life in the apocalypse. Deadenders was collected by DC in 2012 but is now out of print, making it a perfect candidate to get a new release now. (Harry Kassen)

House on the Borderland
Adapted By: Simon Revelstroke and Richard Corben
Illustrated By: Richard Corben
Colored and Separated By: Lee Loughridge
Lettered By: Clem Robins
Original Publication Date: 2004
Why It’s Cool: House on the Borderland was illustrated by the late Richard Corben, one of my favorite comics artists of all time, and it’s an adaptation of William Hope Hodgson’s lost classic 1908 story that dances between science fiction, fantasy, and Lovecraftian horror. The imagery here is unsurprisingly outstanding, spanning a tight 96-pages that will likely take you right through the book in a single setting. I believe the last time this book was in print was about 10 years ago, with editions for that run currently going for about $200 in some places online. Following Corben’s passing toward the end of 2020, I would love to see this book put out again for today’s audience. (Zack Quaintance)

Industrial Gothic
Writer & Artist: Ted McKeever
Color Separations: Digital Chameleon
Letterer: John Workman
Original Publication Date: 1995
Why It's Cool: I kind of stole the name of Ted McKeever's early breakthrough work Eddy Current as the name of my own eddy currents reviews column over twenty years ago, so the least that I owe him is continued support for his brilliant, idiosyncratic work. Industrial Gothic was the first of his run of solo mini-series at Vertigo (having previously worked on Doom Patrol with Rachel Pollack and The Extremist with Peter Milligan) and it's an incredible love story. A weird love story of a pair of “ugly” people, Pencil and Nickel, as they escape from a prison to search for a fabled tower across a dystopian, nightmarish landscape, but a love story nonetheless. Along the way, they have to find themselves and escape from other modes of thinking. Coupled with McKeever's oddly shaped people, grit, and detailed backgrounds, Industrial Gothic is one hell of a trip. I highly recommend the entirety of Ted McKeever's body of work. (d. emerson eddy)

Neil Young’s Greendale
Writer: Joshua Dysart
Artist: Cliff Chiang
Colorist: Dave Stewart
Letterer: Todd Klein
Original Publication Date: 2010
Why It’s Cool: This is an odd one. Yes, it’s a graphic novel adaptation of Neil Young’s 2003 concept album rock opera. I was skeptical at first too, but the creative team of Joshua Dysart, Cliff Chiang, Dave Stewart, and Todd Klein — along with the book’s stylish design, courtesy of Robin Brosterman — was enough to get me interested. After an initial read to get the general silliness of the book out of the way, I was able to see the way the story — Sun Green’s coming of age and coming to terms with the world of 2003 America — tackles the complex issues of political responsibility, generational trauma, and the call to adventure. It’s a really interesting and special book, and it’d be wonderful for people to be able to experience this one again. (Harry Kassen)

Nevada
Writer: Steve Gerber
Penciller: Phil Winslade
Inkers: Steve Leialoha & Dick Giordano
Colorists: Nathan Eyring & Chris Chuckry
Letterer: John Workman
Original Publication Date: 1998
Why It's Cool: I'm of the opinion that all Steve Gerber work should be collected, studied, and loved in perpetuity. He had an amazing way of taking the absurd and outlandish and weaving a tale that was engrossing and heartwarming. Like Howard the Duck, which in a way Nevada is part of that narrative, with the continued adventures of a chorus girl and an ostrich. Although technically that was a different chorus girl and ostrich. Nevada is kind of a surrealist crime drama, it's also a metaphysical fantasy adventure. You decide which one rules out. And tackle some philosophical questions while you're at it. It also has some thoroughly stunning artwork from Phil Winslade. The layouts and character designs in this book are half of the fun, making this an experimental work in even more ways. Sadly there was never a Nevada II. (d. emerson eddy)

Sheriff of Babylon
Writer: Tom King
Artist: Mitch Gerads
Letterers: Nick J. Napolitano and Travis Lanham
Original Publication Date: 2015
Why It’s Cool: This book isn’t especially under-the-radar and it’s not out of print. It wasn’t published during Karen Berger’s tenure as Vertigo editor, instead being one of the central books of Shelly Bond’s time at the helm. It’s not even out of print at the moment, which is what would lead to a new edition being possible. What makes the idea of a new edition appealing, however, apart from the fact that the book is a modern classic, is that there’s a sequel written and ready for Gerads to draw it, if only they can get out from the Vertigo deal. King said in the past that he wants to do a sequel with Gerads, but since then he’s said that the Vertigo deal makes it more lucrative to instead work on new DC Universe series rather than Sheriff Season 2. For those of us who want to see what comes next, a new edition at another publisher may be our only chance. (Harry Kassen)

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