COMIC CON INTERNATIONAL: Joe Kubert and Sergio Aragones

Platinum Editions was a joint venture between Ervin Rustemagic’s Strip Art Features (S.A.F.) and Malibu Comics. The idea was that since Ervin’s client roster of fantastically-talented big name artists was already creating graphic albums for distribution in multiple European countries, why not publish a US edition as well. Why not, indeed.

Malibu agreed to pay for a black plate change during the press run and produce a version of each book with English dialogue (and lettering), and distribute the books under a new imprint. Ervin originally wanted to call the imprint “Exit” because he had a theory that the sheer number of “Exit” signs on the freeways, interstates and highways across the U.S. amounted to a ton of free advertising. But Platinum Editions won the name game.

Once printed in Europe, the books would then ship to the US. It gave Malibu – in 1991 – access to some creators it normally would not have gotten to work with, including Joe Kubert (who would later illustrate Rustemagic’s Fax From Sarajevo) and Sergio Aragones. Kubert’s book was Abraham Stone, and Sergio did two books, Buzz & Bell: Space Cadets and Smokehouse Five.

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