Vertigo Comics is known for its dark, mature, and sophisticated stories. But what many people don’t know is that the imprint’s success is largely due to its editors.
Karen Berger was the first editor-in-chief of Vertigo, and she set the tone for the imprint’s early years. Berger was not a fan of superhero comics, and she wanted to create a space for more adult-oriented stories. She worked with British writers and artists to create a line of comics that were unlike anything else on the market.
Berger’s successors, Shelly Bond and Will Dennis, continued her legacy. Bond brought a strong editorial vision to Vertigo, and she helped to publish some of the imprint’s most acclaimed titles, such as Fables and Y: The Last Man. Dennis would take the helm of Vertigo in 2016, and would continue to publish innovative and groundbreaking Verigo books until the imprint’s demise.
The editors of Vertigo Comics have played a vital role in shaping the imprint’s identity. They have helped to discover new talent, publish groundbreaking stories, and create a space for adult-oriented comics. Without them, Vertigo Comics would not be the same.
The following is a list of Vertigo Comics editors that helped shape the imprint into what it would turn into being.
| Axel Alonso | Karen Berger | Shelley Bond |
| Will Dennis | Mark Doyle | James S. Rich |