Harry Markos Interview on 20 Years of Markosia in Indie Comics
This Harry Markos interview marks a special milestone as we celebrate 20 years of Markosia Publishing. Markosia are one of the UK's leading indie comic publishers. For two decades, they have carved out a reputation for championing new voices, adapting bold stories, and pushing the boundaries of what graphic novels can be
At the heart of it all is founder Harry Markos, whose passion for storytelling and commitment to nurturing talent have shaped the company's legacy. As Markosia celebrates its 20th anniversary, Harry reflects on the milestones that defined the company. From pioneering adaptations like The Lexian Chronicles to embracing digital innovation, he shares his vision for the future of indie publishing.
Markosia launched its first publications in 2005. What personal moment from those early days stands out most to you as you celebrate 20 years? How does it represent the spirit of the company today?
Personally, it was the release of The Lexian Chronicles, a novel that I had written that was also adapted into a comic book series. I wrote it under a pseudonym (Harry Gallan) and was very proud of the result. For me, what represents the company is that we have always been at the foremost of releasing new talent in particular, and new ideas. Sadly, that is what is missing in the industry at the moment, which has stagnated die to the fact that chances aren't been taken on unknown talent as much.
Looking back over two decades, what do you consider the top three milestones that shaped Markosia into the UK's leading indie publisher of graphic novels?
We were the first to adapt novels into graphic novels. Starting with The Lexian Chronicles, quickly followed by Shadowmancer. We also produced an amazing trio of books that we called illustronovellas, written by G.P Taylor and called The Doppleganger Chronicles, which were specifically aimed at reluctant readers. We were also one of the first publishers to be involved with digital content, when a company called Wowio entered the market.
We still engage with new innovative ideas that I hope will refresh the market. But for me, it is the introduction of some now-familiar faces in the industry that we signed and partnered with. I am most proud of that.
The 20th anniversary falls in a vibrant year for comics, with digital platforms booming. How are you planning to mark this occasion, and what special projects or events might fans look forward to?
For anyone signing up to our newsletter, we are offering a digital comic for free every single week. I am keen to engage with a new audience, and I think this is a great way to do it, to show them the amazing, diverse, quality content that we have published.
Markosia has built a reputation for diverse genres, from horror like Dark Mists to sci-fi epics like Starship Troopers. What draws you to stories that span such a wide range, and how do you decide which creator pitches to champion?
I have always been keen to publish a diverse range of books. I was frequently advised to focus on horror or sci-fi, but I chose to ignore that advice, respectfully, of course. We publish anything that we believe deserves an audience, whatever it is, providing it is legal!
You've worked with incredible talents over the years. What's your approach to discovering and nurturing new voices in the industry?
Creators involved in comics are very talented and imaginative people, and that honestly goes for most of them. It is such an underrated medium that has brought so much joy, knowledge and entertainment to millions over decades. Great content and talented creators stand out with their pitches and their enthusiasm, and it isn't difficult for me to pick them out. That's my favourite part of the job, engaging with the creators who bring these wonderful stories to life.
Early on, Markosia adapted novels like The Lexian Chronicles into comics. What's changed in how you balance original creator-owned work with licensed properties, like the recent Traveller RPG tie-ins, over the years?
I always knew we could do a great job adapting novels to graphic novels, or licenses into comic series and graphic novels, mainly because we have such a huge range of talented people that could work with us. I wanted us to produce more content for others, but it hasn't worked out as well as I'd hoped due to the economy and also due to the cautious approach by clients nowadays, which I can understand. I think people are seeing more and more the value that the medium can bring, and so I am still hopeful for the future.
Nowadays, we are fortunate enough to work with the likes of Mongoose Publishing with the Traveller license, something I am hoping to extend to other licenses, as we have a business model that works well for us both. Just because times are tough doesn't mean you can't engage and grow relationships for the future, because when things improve, we'll be very well placed to do much more.
Have there been any unexpected challenges in running an indie publisher for 20 years that have felt like the real plot twists?
The biggest challenge was trying to enter a marketplace that was so dominated by superheroes and the big two p[publishers, Marvel and DC. Then came others, like Dark Horse, Image, IDW, Boom etc, so it left very little room for the likes of us and other small publishers. I tried to do things the same way as the larger publishers and failed miserably, because I quickly realised that we could never compete on a level playing field or in that same space, and the distributor, who had a monopoly, was focused on those larger brands and pushed them more. It was tough and a harsh lesson learnt. We sold lots of books but made no money at all. I made the decision to leave that arena and went with a different business model. As a result of that decision, we sell less books but make money on them.
I also learnt that no matter how hard you try with PR and marketing, your books are quickly forgotten, literally minutes later, as a result of dozens more branded titles being released. It's tough, I can tell you!
A lot has changed in 20 years, and we've seen some good publishers fold. How has Markosia's business model evolved to stay resilient?
I hate to say I told you so, but I spoke about the market changing, that comic shops would decline in numbers and particularly comic books would become a loss leader. I stopped publishing 'floppies' more than ten years ago as a result and focused instead on digital issues. It was a good decision.
Additionally, I went from a traditional publishing model, where we needed warehousing for stock, etc, and went to a print-on-demand model, which doesn't. That saved us a lot of money and the need to have unsold stock sitting around for years.
You now have over 400 intellectual properties in your portfolio. What's one lesson from the past 20 years about the indie publishing landscape that you'd share with aspiring creators or publishers starting out today?
For publishers, don't make promises you can't keep and be brutally honest about the marketplace, so that creators you sign are realistic with their expectations. For creators, do it because you love doing it and don't expect instant success.
As Markosia enters its third decade, what emerging trends do you see shaping the future of graphic novels, and how is the company positioning itself?
Digital content is growing, and we are well placed for that. We'll continue to sign breakthrough talent and ideas and continue to publish 60-70 books a year. I hope one day to get some investment in so that we can expand to other media, we certainly have enough content!
I see the market changing, now that there are alternative distribution opportunities, but the traditional way of publishing is fading fast, so new ways of getting books out to readers need to be found, with innovative ways of marketing them.
Do you have anything that you're particularly looking forward to, release-wise, in 2026?
We have at least two new Traveller graphic novels coming in 2026, which I am excited about.
And finally, what would you class as your proudest achievement from the last 20 years? Maybe a top three?
Introducing some amazing talent and ideas to the industry.
Having a portfolio of over 450 Intellectual Properties.
Surviving a brutal industry that has seen off many larger and more successful publishers.
As you can see, with Markosia looking ahead to its third decade, the commitment to bold storytelling and nurturing new voices remains stronger than ever. To celebrate 20 years of publishing, the team is offering readers a free digital comic every week through their newsletter. A perfect way to discover the breadth of talent and creativity they've championed. You can explore their catalogue and sign up for the newsletter at Markosia's official website. Follow them on Social Media and join them in celebrating two decades of indie comics. There's plenty more stories to come!
