| Founded | April 1983; 42 years ago (1983-04) |
|---|---|
| Founders | Bernd Metz, Herb Spiers, andJosep Toutain |
| Defunct | 1991; 34 years ago (1991) |
| Country of origin | U.S. |
| Headquarters location | 43 East 19th Street New York City |
| Key people | Bernd Metz Tom Leighton Elizabeth Bell |
| Publication types | Comics,trade paperbacks |
| Imprints | ComCat |
Catalan Communications was aNew York Citypublishing company that existed from 1983 to 1991. Operated by Bernd Metz, Catalan Communications mainly focused on English-language translations of European graphic novels. These were presented as high-qualitytrade paperbacks, orcomic albums — a European book format that American comic book readers were not yet accustomed to. Both the physical dimensions and the mature content were unfamiliar to U.S. audiences, who often referred to the format dismissively as "Euro-comics."[1][2]
Metz became one of the first American publishers to introduce U.S. readership to European-style comics on a larger scale than the niche-market efforts undertaken byHM Communications[a] – publisher of the groundbreakingHeavy Metal magazine – in the preceding decade.[3]
The company was founded in April 1983 as a collaboration between Bernd Metz (1944–2012), Herb Spiers, andJosep Toutain (1930–1997) of the Spanish art agencySelecciones Ilustradas.[4] It published from 1984 until 1992, operating out of a large loft located at 43 East 19th Street. Metz was the editor-in-chief, and the novelist Tom Leighton and later Elizabeth Bell provided English translations for the French and French-edition titles, including Max Cabanes'Colin-Maillard (Heartthrobs).[5] Despite initial struggles, the company was able to quickly establish financial stability, in large part due to their printing being done in Europe, where it was more economical to produce small press runs.[4]
On August 1, 1985,United States Customs Service officials seized copies ofMassimo Mattioli'sSqueak the Mouse on the grounds that the book was obscene. Since all of Catalan's publications were adult-only material, and at least as susceptible to seizure asSqueak the Mouse, Metz chose to fight the obscenity charge in court.[4] Metz won the case, and distributors actually increased their orders forSqueak the Mouse following the seizure, despite a coinciding price increase on the book.[4] After that, Catalan started anall-ages imprint[6] and adopted rating systems for their various publications.[7]
In 1990, Cabanes'Colin-Maillard graphic novel was the winner of the Grand Prix at France'sAngoulême International Comics Festival. One of Bell's translated books for Catalan revealed errors in an earlierHeavy Metal translation of the same story. James Keller, the Germanic studies scholar, translated the German edition of Sacher-Masoch'sVenus in Furs (Guido Crepax) in 1991, the year the company released its last titles. Tom Leighton was the IT arm of the firm, as well as the translator from French until 1989. Jeff Lisle translated from Italian and Spanish.[8]
Other books published by Catalan included Jacques Loustal'sLove Shots,Lorenzo Mattotti'sFires, and Barcelona artist Marti Riera'sThe Cabbie, with an introduction byArt Spiegelman. Published in five languages,Trip to Tulum byFederico Fellini andMilo Manara, with essays translated by Elizabeth Bell, was selected byPublishers Weekly as one of the best trade paperbacks of 1990.[9]
In 1989–90, Catalan expanded its line with the "ComCat" line of comic albums aimed at an all-age readership, such asBlake and Mortimer,The Adventures of Yoko, Vic and Paul,Code XIII andYoung Blueberry, the type of European comics traditionally referred to by its French-derived "bande dessinées" qualifier.
In 1991, attempting to stay afloat, the company offered returns on their books,[10] but they closed down that same year.
Euro-Comics for Beginners.