Penguin Random House Publisher Services (PRHPS), a division of leading global trade book publisher Penguin Random House, today, February 17, announced an exclusive multi-year sales and distribution agreement with Drawn & Quarterly, the internationally renowned publisher of the world’s best cartoonists, beginning on September 1, 2026.
Under the agreement, PRHPS will sell and distribute D&Q’s frontlist and backlist exclusively across all sales channels, including the Canadian market, which will be sold and distributed by Penguin Random House Canada.
Founded in Montreal in 1990, Drawn & Quarterly has long been recognized as one of the most influential publishers in literary comics and graphic novels, known for its dedication to artistic excellence, international voices, and career-long support of its cartoonists. D&Q has published many North American luminaries of the medium including Adrian Tomine, Lynda Barry, Nick Drnaso, Kate Beaton, Chester Brown, Aminder Dhaliwal, Jillian Tamaki, Ebony Flowers, Chris Ware, and Seth, as well as international authors including Tove Jansson (Finland); Guy Delisle (France); Tom Gauld (UK); Yoshiharu Tsuge (Japan); Shigeru Mizuki (Japan); Shirato Sanpei (Japan); Keum Suk Gendry-Kim (Korea); Zuo Ma (China); and many more cartoonists from across the globe.
The company’s dedication to high production values, editorial integrity, and artistic autonomy has led to it being described by Time as “the most elegant comics publisher in North America.” D&Q books have been nominated for the Man Booker Prize, Governor General’s Literary Awards, Giller Prize, NAACP Image Award, Lambda Literary Award, the Story Prize, and many Eisner, Harvey, and Ignatz Awards.
“We know firsthand the stellar, sincere, and passionate service that PRH provides independent retailers from operating our own full-service bookstore, so we look forward to working with PRH as a client publisher to grow our business across North America and beyond in all markets,” said Peggy Burns, Publisher & Co-Owner, Drawn & Quarterly. “PRH understands that our commitment to our cartoonists is our foremost concern.”
“At the end of 2024, D&Q had five distributors in North America with metadata and shipments going in every direction. PRH will streamline our supply chain from beginning to end,” said Julia Pohl-Miranda, Vice President & Co-Owner, Marketing and Sales. “As an employee-owned publisher whose print runs belie our boutique publisher status, we couldn’t be more excited.”
Rachel Goldstein, Executive Vice President of Penguin Random House Publisher Services, said, “Drawn & Quarterly has been a cornerstone of independent comics publishing for decades, championing extraordinary artists and elevating storytelling in profound ways. Their commitment to creators, booksellers, and readers alike aligns seamlessly with our own values. We’re honored to partner with them and support the next phase of their growth.”
ABOUT DRAWN & QUARTERLY. Over the past thirty-five years, Drawn & Quarterly has grown from a single-issue magazine into an independent publishing house that “has helped to change the landscape of comics and even of publishing itself,” per The Guardian. The company publishes many of the world’s most acclaimed cartoonists and has built a reputation for producing beautifully designed and enduring editions that resonate with readers worldwide. In 2023, ownership of D&Q was transferred to four longtime employees, making D&Q the first independent comics publisher to effect a succession plan. Visit www.drawnandquarterly.com for more information.
