Alterna Brings Back Comics Printed on Newsprint Next Month

Years after mainstream publishers stopped using the paper stock as a default, some readers still bemoan the loss of newsprint. Well, take a deep whiff and prepare yourself to get ink on your fingers: Alterna Comics is bringing back comics printed on newsprint in May.

In its first decade of existence, Alterna Comics produced dozens of graphic novels for distribution in comic shops and bookstores. Now in their eleventh year, Alterna is announcing plans for a single-issue lineup that will feature throwback-style covers, a new company logo, cover prices under $1.99, and the distant but familiar feel of newsprint.

"We're less than a week away from debuting our newsprint comics at shops across the world -- needless to say everyone at Alterna is very excited!" said Alterna publisher Peter Simeti in a statement. "Readers and retailers have been super supportive of this initiative and it just really means a lot to the creators here. We've been receiving messages from customers that they're opening up pull boxes for the first time in years and that they're buying a reader copy AND a copy to keep safe -- for a creator-owned company like us, it's very surreal to hear things like this. Personally, I hope that readers love the stories and that they'll use the savings on our books to even try other creator-owned books at their local shop. Thanks again for supporting and for helping us to bring back newsprint to new comic book day!"

Every black and white series will be priced at $1.00, and the color series will be priced at $1.50. Alterna is launching a number of bimonthly limited series, along with some quarterlies and one-shots, all in the throwback format.

The series include Cloak, Amazing Age, Adam Wreck, and Lilith Dark.

"When I fell in love with comics, it was an entire experience. The stories, the imagery, and the paper," Simeti said."There was almost nothing else like reading a comic book. It was a fragile thing, but durable at the same time. Printed on newsprint with a thin, but glossy, cover, you could roll the comic – not that you'd necessarily want to – and they were lightweight and had a floppy feel. The smell and feel of the pages is something that no longer occurs on the new comic book day release wall, yet it's prevalent in back issue bins across the country. Our goal is to create a comic book that would "feel" like it just came out of a shop from 30 years ago."