Writing was an art form at Vertigo Comics. During the 1990s comic book boom, comic books were often sold more on the basis of their art than their writing. This led to a focus on muscles and splash pages, at the expense of storytelling.
Vertigo was different. They encouraged their writers to tell fresh new stories that were not limited by the Comics Code Authority, which regulated content in mainstream comics. This was helped by the fact that many of the original Vertigo creators shared similar backgrounds in the UK and Europe, where comics were more open to adult themes.
The stories published by Vertigo explored a wide range of adult themes, including God, sexual transformation, drug use, presidential elections, and much more. No two Vertigo stories were the same, but none were adult just for the sake of being adult. Every story was told with class and style that only Vertigo Comics could achieve.
Writers were free to use their imagination and to create art, as they saw fit. This led to some of the most innovative and groundbreaking comics ever published. Vertigo stories were not afraid to tackle difficult subjects, and they often did so in a way that was both thought-provoking and entertaining.