{{Short description|Black-and-white anthology comic book}} {{Infobox comic book title <!--Wikipedia:WikiProject Comics--> |image = NegativeBurn01.jpg |caption = The cover to ''Negative Burn'' (vol. 1) #1 (1993). |schedule = Monthly |ongoing = y |publisher = Caliber Press<br />Image Comics<br />Desperado Publishing |date = '''(vol. 1)'''<br />January 1993 – December 1997<br />'''(vol. 2)'''<br />May 2006 – June 2008 |issues = '''(vol. 1)'''<br />50<br />'''(vol. 2)'''<br />21 |main_char_team = |writers = |artists = |pencillers = |inkers = |letterers = |colorists = |editors = Joe Pruett |creative_team_month = |creative_team_year = |creators = |TPB = The Best of Negative Burn, Year One |ISBN = 0-941613-69-0 |TPB1 = The Best of Negative Burn, Year Two |ISBN1 = 0941613844 |TPB2 = The Best from 1993-1998 |ISBN2 = 1582404526 |subcat = Caliber Comics |sort = Negative Burn }} '''''Negative Burn''''' is a black-and-white anthology comic book published beginning in 1993 by Caliber Press, and subsequently by Image Comics and Desperado Publishing. Edited by Joe Pruett, ''Negative Burn'' is noted for its eclectic range of genres, mixture of established comics veterans and new talents, and promotion of creative experimentation.
==Publication history== === Volume 1 (1993–1997) === The first volume of ''Negative Burn'' lasted 50 issues from January 1993 to December 1997. During that period is was nominated for the Best Anthology Harvey Award from 1994 to 1997, and for the Eisner Award for Best Anthology in both 1997 and 1999.
=== Volume 2 (2005–2008) === Revived in 2005 with two seasonal specials, ''Negative Burn'' returned to a monthly format in 2006. The first eleven issues of the new volume were published by Image Comics, while the final ten issues were published by Desperado Publishing.
During its 2005–2008 revival, editor/publisher Joe Pruett positioned ''Negative Burn'' as a platform for emerging creators, with the aim of helping them move on to larger or more established projects within the publisher’s catalog. He described the series as “a way for a new creator to break in ... such as Dalibor Talajic and Federico Dallocchio with ''Deadworld'' and Will Volley with ''Antoine Sharp'',"<ref name="newsarama">{{cite web |author=Benjamin Ong Pang Kean |url=http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=124471 |title=Joe Pruett on Relaunching Desperado Publishing |publisher=Newsarama |date=August 8, 2007 |accessdate=August 31, 2008 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090913064525/http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=124471 |archivedate=September 13, 2009}}</ref> adding that promising contributors might later be paired with established creators or titles.<ref name="newsarama" />
While the revival benefited from the series' name recognition from the 1990s,<ref name="newsarama" /> it nevertheless experienced the gradual sales decline typical of the period; volume 2 of ''Negative Burn'' ended in June 2008 with issue #21.
=== Revival attempts and ultimate publication (2009–2026) === The title was slated to return in 2009 as a 200-page annual trade paperback anthology from Desperado.<ref>{{cite web |first=Shaun |last=Manning |url=http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=26172 |title=Joe Pruett and the Return of 'Negative Burn' |publisher=Comic Book Resources |date=May 11, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100514141757/http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=26172|archive-date=May 14, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://previewsworld.com/support/previews_docs/orderforms/archive/2009/AUG09/AUG09_COF.txt |work=Previews World |publisher= Diamond Comic Distributors |title=2009 August order form |date=August 2009 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111220140452/http://previewsworld.com/support/previews_docs/orderforms/archive/2009/AUG09/AUG09_COF.txt|archive-date=Dec 20, 2011}}</ref> Delayed when Desperado was absorbed by IDW Publishing in late 2009,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.comicsbeat.com/desperado-joins-idw/ |title=Desperado joins IDW |work=The Beat |date=Nov 23, 2009|first=Heidi |last=MacDonald}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.desperadopublishing.com/aboutus.htm |publisher=Desperado Publishing |title= About Us |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110709015525/https://www.desperadopublishing.com/aboutus.htm| archive-date=July 9, 2011}}</ref> the title was re-solicited by IDW in 2010,<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.diamondcomics.com/support/previews_docs/orderforms/archive/2010/APR10_COF.txt |work=Previews | publisher=Diamond Comic Distributors |title=2010 April order form |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120210194500/http://www.diamondcomics.com/support/previews_docs/orderforms/archive/2010/APR10_COF.txt|archive-date=Feb 10, 2012 | date=April 2010|volume=20 |number=4}}</ref> but ultimately canceled without ever being published.<ref>{{cite magazine| url=http://previewsworld.com/support/previews_docs/orderforms/archive/2010/JUN10_Cancel.txt |work=Previews World |publisher=Diamond Comic Distributors |title=2010 June Cancellations |date=June 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120312025754/http://previewsworld.com/support/previews_docs/orderforms/archive/2010/JUN10_Cancel.txt|archive-date=March 12, 2012 |volume=20|number=6}}</ref>
Pruett revived the anthology in 2026, crowdfunded on Zoop.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://bleedingcool.com/comics/the-return-of-negative-burn-from-joe-pruett-in-2026-on-zoop |title=The Return Of Negative Burn From Joe Pruett In 2026 On Zoop |date=16 Dec 2025 |first=Rich |last=Johnston |work=Bleeding Cool}}</ref>
== Contents == A typical issue of ''Negative Burn'' might include a number of stand-alone stories; a new chapter of a longer, serialized piece; recurring features such as Brian Bolland's "Mr. Mamoulian"; and a sketchbook section. The sketchbook featured studies, rough drawings, and never-before-seen artwork by a single illustrator. Artists such as Dave Dorman, Michael William Kaluta, David Mazzucchelli, Terry Moore, P. Craig Russell, Greg Ruth, Charles Vess, and even Neil Gaiman have been featured in the sketchbook section.
== Creators == Notable ''Negative Burn'' contributors include Brian Bolland, Alan Moore, P. Craig Russell, Doug Wheeler, Dave Johnson, Dave Gibbons, Evan Dorkin, Phil Hester, Arthur Adams, Edvin Biuković, Bob Burden, Zander Cannon, Mark Chiarello, Guy Davis, Michael Gaydos, Dean Haspiel, Darko Macan, Mike Wieringo, Terry Moore, Brian Michael Bendis, Josh Neufeld, Ron Kasman, Patton Oswalt, Paul Pope, Jim Mahfood, Moebius, Roxanne Starr, Mike Perkins and Tony Harris.
== Awards == ''Negative Burn'' has been nominated for over twenty comics industry awards, including the Harvey Award,<ref>{{cite web|title=1994 Harvey Award Nominees and Winners|publisher=Hahn Library|work=Comic Book Awards Almanac|department=Best Anthology|quote=Negative Burn, edited by Joe Pruett and Charles Moore (Caliber)|url=http://www.hahnlibrary.net/comics/awards/harvey94.php}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=1995 Harvey Award Nominees and Winners|publisher=Hahn Library|work=Comic Book Awards Almanac|department=Best Anthology|url=http://www.hahnlibrary.net/comics/awards/harvey95.php}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=1996 Harvey Award Nominees and Winners|publisher=Hahn Library|work=Comic Book Awards Almanac|department=Best Graphic Album of Previously Released Material and Best Anthology|url=http://www.hahnlibrary.net/comics/awards/harvey96.php}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=1997 Harvey Award Nominees and Winners|publisher=Hahn Library|work=Comic Book Awards Almanac|department=Best Anthology|url=http://www.hahnlibrary.net/comics/awards/harvey97.php}}</ref> the Eisner Award,<ref>{{cite web|title=1997 Will Eisner Comic Industry Award Nominees and Winners|department=Best Anthology|work=Comic Book Awards Almanac|publisher=Hahn Library|url=http://www.hahnlibrary.net/comics/awards/eisner97.php}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=1999 Will Eisner Comic Industry Award Nominees and Winners|department=Best Anthology|work=Comic Book Awards Almanac|publisher=Hahn Library|url=http://www.hahnlibrary.net/comics/awards/eisner99.php|quote=Negative Burn #50, ed. by Joe Pruett (Caliber)}}</ref> the Eagle Award,<ref>{{cite web|quote=Negative Burn: The Very Best of 1993-1998 (Various)|work=Eagle Awards|department=Favourite Reprint Compilation | title=Previous Winners: 2006|url=http://www.eagleawards.co.uk/category/previous-winners/2006/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314223040/http://www.eagleawards.co.uk/category/previous-winners/2006/|archive-date=Mar 14, 2012}}</ref> the Don Thompson Award,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hahnlibrary.net/comics/awards/thompson.php |title=Compuserve Comics and Animation Forum's Don Thompson Awards|work=Comic Book Awards Almanac|publisher=Hahn Library}}</ref> and many others. In addition, the collection ''Negative Burn: The Best from 1993-1998'' was named by Diamond Comic Distributors' ''Scoop'' e-newsletter as a Top Ten Trade Paperback of 2005.{{cn|date=August 2024}}
== Collected editions == * ''The Best of Negative Burn, Year One'' (128 pages, Caliber Press, 1994, Stabur Press, 1995, {{ISBN|0-941613-69-0}}) * ''The Best of Negative Burn, Year Two'' (128 pages, Caliber Press, 1995, Stabur Press, 1996, {{ISBN|0-941613-84-4}}) * ''Negative Burn: The Best from 1993-1998'' (200 pages, Image Comics, 1999, {{ISBN|1-58240-452-6}}, 2005, {{ISBN|1-58240-441-0}})
== Notes == {{reflist}}
==References== {{refbegin}} * {{gcdb series|id=20749|title=''Negative Burn'' (Caliber)}} * {{comicbookdb|type=title|id=5205|title=''Negative Burn'' (Caliber)}} * {{gcdb series|id=18810|title=''Negative Burn'' (Image)}} * {{comicbookdb|type=title|id=7100|title=''Negative Burn'' (Image/Desperado)}} * {{gcdb series|id=26412|title=''Negative Burn'' (Desperado)}} {{refend}}
== External links == * [http://www.calibercomics.com/TITLES/NegativeBurn.htm ''Negative Burn'' at Caliber website] * [http://www.calibercomics.com/TITLES/negbrnchlt.htm ''Negative Burn'' contributor checklist]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Negative Burn}} Category:1993 comics debuts Category:2006 comics debuts Category:Comics anthologies Category:Caliber Comics titles Category:Image Comics titles