FairSquare Graphics and Tripwire Announce Strategic Partnership, Expanding Distribution Across the Direct Market

NEW YORK, NY — 15th October 2026 — FairSquare Graphics and Tripwire Magazine Limited, publisher of Tripwire magazine and acclaimed titles including Sherlock Holmes and The Empire Builders: The Gene Genie, today announced a new strategic partnership bringing together two independent publishing companies with deep roots in comics, graphic novels and the Direct Market.

Under the partnership, FairSquare Graphics and Tripwire will collaborate across editorial, publishing strategy, distribution and marketing, combining their respective experience, relationships and audiences to expand the reach of both companies’ publishing programmes…

As part of the new partnership, FairSquare Graphics’ titles will now be distributed through Lunar Distribution, Universal Distribution and Diamond UK, in addition to Philbo Distribution.

Together, these distribution channels will give FairSquare Graphics coverage across the entirety of the Direct Market in North America and the UK.

“This is much more than a distribution agreement,” said Fabrice Sapolsky, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of FairSquare Graphics. “Joel and I have known each other for a few years, and we’ve watched our companies grow along parallel paths. I also started in comics with comics journalism, with Comic Box Magazine, which ran in France from 1998 to 2017. Tripwire has built an incredible reputation for championing great comics and graphic storytelling through journalism, while FairSquare Graphics has built a publishing program around inclusive creators and books that deserve to reach a wider audience. Bringing those strengths together makes a lot of sense. We’re excited about what we can accomplish.”

Joel Meadows, Publisher of Tripwire Magazine Limited, added: “FairSquare Graphics has built a remarkable catalogue and a distinctive voice in the comics publishing landscape. We’ve always believed in working with independent publishers and creators who bring something different to the table. This partnership allows us to combine our strengths and build a broader, more ambitious publishing strategy together. We’re very excited about what comes next.”

The partnership will also see the companies working together on editorial development, marketing initiatives and long-term publishing strategy, creating new opportunities for creators and expanding the audience for their respective titles.

The companies will also return to the bookstore market in 2027, with further details to be announced at a later date.

“2027 is going to be an important year for us,” said Sapolsky. “We’re laying the groundwork now for the next phase of FairSquare Graphics, and this partnership with Tripwire is a big part of that. There is a lot more to come, and we’re deliberately keeping some of those plans under wraps for now.”

The partnership’s first releases will begin arriving in January 2027, with Happy Endings by Lucie Bryon, Shakespeare’s Vampires by Colleen Douglas, Fabrice Sapolsky and Lissa. February will bring a major wave of releases timed for Black History Month, including The Winterfields by Joe Illidge, ChrisCross and DC Alonso, Death Be Praised, Tripwire’s first standalone original comic project by Paul Neal and Rob Moran plus an All-New All-Different Tripwire Magazine celebrating its 35th anniversary.

FairSquare Graphics LLC is an independent publisher of graphic novels, novellas and magazines, founded in 2019. Its catalogue spans original and licensed work across multiple genres and audiences, with a focus on distinctive creators and stories from underrepresented voices. FairSquare Graphics’ publishing programme includes both creator-owned and licensed properties, distributed through the Direct Market, bookstores, libraries, schools and direct-to-consumer channels.

Founded in 1992, Tripwire Magazine Limited is the publisher of Tripwire, a long-running magazine and website covering comics, graphic novels, film, television and genre entertainment. The company also publishes books and graphic novels, including Sherlock Holmes and The Empire Builders: The Gene Genie, Death Be Praised and works with creators and publishers across the international comics and graphic novel industry.