NOW Library, NOW Video, and NOW Comics, started in late 1985 as a sole-proprietorship, with the first publications shipping in May 1986, and then became part of the Caputo Publishing, Inc. (CPI) umbrella in 1987.

In a four-year period, CPI grew from a one-man operation with annual sales of $110,000, to an international (12 countries) multi-million dollar Illinois corporation, on Michigan Avenue, with 20+ employees, 70+ freelancers and number three in market share. NOW Comics produced almost 1,000 publications since 1986, through a dozen distributors, including WARNER PUBLISHER SERVICES, the world's largest distributors of magazines and books, and Diamond Comic Distributors. These publications included VECTOR (the world's first computer generated color comic magazine), MR. T & THE FORCE , SPEED RACER, ASTRO BOY, ALIAS, THE TERMINATOR, THE REAL GHOSTBUSTERS, FRIGHT NIGHT, GHOSTBUSTERS II, MARRIED...WITH CHILDREN and THE GREEN HORNET, and SPEED RACER Home Videos and Gift Sets. These highly recognized characters were licensing arrangements with companies such as COLUMBIA (SONY) PICTURES, BROADWAY VIDEO, ELP COMMUNICATIONS, CBS ENTERTAINMENT, INC., SPEED RACER ENTERPRISES and LEISURE CONCEPTS, INC. (CLICK HERE for a complete list).

Tony C. Caputo became an industry spokesperson for almost a decade, with dozens of radio, television and print interviews and articles within such publications as THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE, ENTREPRENEUR MAGAZINE, THE CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, THE LOS ANGELES TIMES, THE NEW YORK TIMES, CBS TV, and INSIDE CHICAGO.

He also acquired the talents of such industry legends as Harlan Ellison, Neal Adams, Jim Steranko, Bill Sienkiewicz, Mike Baron, Jeff Butler, David Dorman and Chuck Dixon. Caputo and NOW Comics also "discovered" Alex Ross (TERMINATOR: THE BURNING EARTH), although Caputo describes it as not "discover" but "blown away." In addition, collaborated with celebrities, MR. T, Van Williams (TV's GREEN HORNET) and Terry Gilliam (of MONTY PYTHON).

In his relentless pursuit for additional sales, he organized cross-promotional activities with RALSTON PURINA (THE REAL GHOSTBUSTERS cereal), COCA-COLA FOODS (SLIMER'S Ecto-Cooler Hi-C drink), FUJI FILM, VENTURE STORES and COLUMBIA (SONY) PICTURES. In 1988, CPI purchased to rights to release the classic Japanimation; SPEED RACER on home video. Under the banner, NOW Video, Caputo released 22 volumes of SPEED RACER videos and three special Gift Sets, including the SILVER ANNIVERSARY EDITION

In 1989, he co-produced THE WHAT NOW CAPER, a sixty-minute comedy-documentary on comic book production, with City Video Productions, and has worked as a publishing consultant for various companies, including Walt Disney Publications.

In 1991, NOW Comics was reborn as NOW Entertainment Corporation.  This new infusion of over $2 million in capital catapulted the company to number five in market share within its first quarter of business and NOW Entertainment was nominated as best new publisher of 1991.

Tony C. Caputo left NOW Entertainment Corporation in February of 1994 to move into technology, about six months before NOW Entertainment Corporation ceased publishing forever.

In 2003, NOW Media Group, Inc was formed as a partnership with a few original and new creators producing graphic novels, and trade paperbacks, but the corporation dissolved in February 2006 and each creator went their separate ways.

LEGAL NOTICE
   

AWARD-WINNING VESPERS®


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graphic novel by Tony C. Caputo!
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Complete List of NOW Publications
(1986 -2005)
-

EB’NN

Syphons

Vector

Prime Slime Tales

Silverwing

Dai Kamikaze

Valor ThunderStar & His Fireflies

Boy & His ‘Bot

Slimer

Slimer Trade Paperback

Speed Racer

Speed Racer (1992)

Speed Racer 3-D Special

Speed Racer Classics Trade Paperback (Manga)

Speed Racer Classics Trade Paperback (Manga)

Speed Racer Special

Speed Racer/Ninja High School (with Eternity Comics)

Speed Racer: 5th Anniversary Collector's Edition

Speed Racer: Return of The GRX

Supercops

Syphons

Syphons (1994 Mark Beachum))

Syphons Preview Edition (Mark Beachum)

Syphons: Sygate Stratagem

Syphons Graphic Novel (Curtis & Beachum, with IMAGE)

The Original Astroboy

Fright Night

Fright Night II

Fright Night 3-D Halloween Special

Fright Night 3-D Special

Fright Night 3-D Winter Special

Real Ghostbusters

Real Ghostbusters (Vol.2)

Real Ghostbusters 3-D Special

Real Ghostbusters Annual

Real Ghostbusters Starring In Ghostbusters II

Slimer & the Real Ghostbusters

The Terminator

Terminator: All My Futures Past

Terminator: The Burning Earth

Terminator: The Burning Earth Trade Paperback

Adventures of Baron Munchausen’s

Alias (1990)

Bats, Cats & Cadillac’s

Doctor Gorpon Trade Paperback (2004)

Freejack

Green Hornet

Green Hornet (Vol. 2)

Green Hornet Anniversary Special

Green Hornet Annual

Green Hornet: Dark Tomorrow

Green Hornet: Solitary Sentinel

Sting of the Green Hornet

Tales of the Green Hornet

Tales of the Green Hornet (Vol. 2)

Tales of the Green Hornet (Vol. 3)

Kato of the Green Hornet

Kato II

Little Monsters

Married With Children (1990)

Married With Children (1991)

Married With Children 3-D

Married With Children Annual (1994)

Married With Children Flashback Special

Married With Children Special (1992)

Married With Children: 2099 (1993)

Married With Children: Buck's Tale (1994)

Married With Children: Bud Bundy, Fanboy In Paradise

Married With Children: Kelly Bundy Special (1992)

Married with Children: Kelly Goes To Kollege

Married with Children: Lotto Fever

Married With Children: Off Broadway

Married With Children: Quantum Quartet (1993)

Mirror Walker

Mr. Lizard

Mr. Lizard 3-D Special (1993)

Mr. T and the T-Force

New Adventures of Speed Racer

Now Comics Preview Catalog (1987)

Now What?! News Magazine

Racer X (1988)

Racer X Vol. II (1989)

Rust

Rust (Vol. 2) (1988)

Rust Volume III (1989)

Twilight Zone Prestige Premiere (Harlan Ellison & Neal Adams)

Twilight Zone

Twilight Zone (Vol. 2)

Twilight Zone (Vol. 3)

Twilight Zone 3-D Winter Special (1993)

Twilight Zone Anniversary Special

Twilight Zone Annual (1993)

Twilight Zone Science Fiction Special (1993)

Universal Soldier (1992)

Weird Melvin Comic Strips Trade Paperback  (2004)

Weird Melvin Trade Paperback  (2004)

Ralph Snart Adventures

Ralph Snart Adventures 3-D Special

Ralph Snart Adventures Manga-Sized Trade Paperback (2004)

Ralph Snart Adventures Vol. 2

Ralph Snart Adventures Vol. 3

Ralph Snart Adventures Vol. 4 (1992)

Ralph Snart Adventures Vol. 5

 

 
 
All content is ©2001, 2002 Mars Media Group, 2006 by Anthony C. Caputo.  All Rights Reserved. Absolutely no reproduction permitted without written permission by owner and/or the respective trademark and copyright holders. VESPERS® is TM & © 1994, 2002, 2003 and 2004, 2005 Anthony C. Caputo.  All Rights Reserved and used with permission. Published by Watson-Guptill Publications are Visual Storytelling: The Art & Technique (© 2003 Anthony C. Caputo) and How to Self-Publish Your Own Comic Book (© 1995, 1997 Anthony C. Caputo).