So a lot of people aren't really knowledgeable of the wide variety of comics companies out there today. Even though comics don't sell as well as they used to, there are more companies and more choices today than ever before. Therefore I've decided to compile a nice little list of the all the companies out there that you can buy comics from. You should never feel you have the settle with just Superman or Spiderman comics. Most stores will carry any book you order from them. Anyway here we go...

DC Comics
Summary: One of the two major comics companies. Mostly publishes Superhero comics owned by the company itself, but has various imprints that also publish creator owned works and manga. Iconic Characters: Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman.
Imprints of DC Comics: Vertigo: Publishes some creator owned and some company owned titles aimed at mature readers. (Example: Hellblazer, Preacher, 100 Bullets, Fables, V For Vendetta)
Wildstorm: Publishes stories inside it's own universe but owned by DC Comics, allowing some crossovers to occur. Titles include The Authority, Gen13, Wild C.A.T.S, and more.
Americas Best Comics: Comics all written by Alan Moore, with a few guest writers. All of these stories are contained in their "own" universe, but the entire ABC Universe is slated to end after Moore retires.
CMX: DC's manga imprint. Titles include Megatokyo and Tenjho Tenge, and many more.
All Star: A revamped series of stories featuring DC's most iconic/popular characters, written and illustrated by it's most popular artists and writers.
DC Kids: Comics that coincide with animated DC cartoons, including Justice League Unlimited, The Batman, and Teen Titans.

Marvel Comics
Summary: The other major comics company which also mainly publishes comics featuring superheros and other individuals with superpowers. Iconic Characters: Spiderman, Hulk, Captain America, Iron Man, Wolverine.
Imprints of Marvel Comics:
MAX: Features comics aimed at mature audiences.
Marvel Ultimate Universe: Features comics that tell the most iconic character's stories geared toward the new generation. Each series in Ultimate Marvel don't seem to be in continuity with any other, although they share similarities.
Dabel Brothers Productions: Does some projects with Marvel publishing high quality graphic novels, as well as doing graphic adpations of fantasy novels.
Marvel Knights: Another imprint dealing with more mature comics than mainstream Marvel. Includes Daredevil, Punisher, and more.
MC2: Deal with comics that happen in the future of the Marvel universe.
Marvel Adventures: Deals with comic aimed at younger audiences.
Icon Comics: Publishes creator owned comics, including Powers and Kabuki.
Marvel Next: Published titles with young protagonists, mainly with an anime flair.

Image Comics
Summary: Publishes creator owned comics from a variety of genres. Also affiliated with Top Cow publishing certain types of comics. Originally formed by big name artists breaking off from the two mainstream companies, now publishes any artists/writers who submit ideas approved by the company.

Dark Horse Comics
Summary: Company publishing both creator owned and licensed comics. Includes Star Wars comic books, Hellboy, 300, and Japanese comics such as Akira, Berserk, and Blade of the Immortal.

Antarctic Press
Summary: Comic Book company publishing mainly anime and manga styled comics. Includes Gold Digger, Chisuji, and more.

Avatar Press
Summary: Publishes mini-series, as well as comics based off of movies and television shows such as Robocop and Stargate.

Platinum Studios, or Platinum Comics
Summary: Comics publisher which publishes comic books and adapts them for film. Also owns Drunk Duck. Publishes such comics as Cowboys and Aliens, Blood Nation, Hero by Night, and Watchdogs.

Viz Comics or Viz Media
Summary: Publishes manga and owns all the Shonen Jump properties. Also publishes a lot of manga aimed at female readers (under the Shoujo Beat imprint) and more mature Shonen titles under the Shonen Jump Advanced imprint.

TokyoPop
Summary: Worldwide distributor of manga. Also publishes comics by Americans in the manga style as "Original English Language Manga", or OEL Manga. Recently signed a deal allowing it to adapt books published by Harper Collins into manga form.

Oni Press
http://www.onipress.com/
Summary: Pick out and publish work by some of the best indie artists. Most notably 'Scott Pilgrim' by Bryan Lee O'Malley.

Radio Comix
Summary: Alternative comics company publishing both adult and non-adult titles, in a variety of styles.

Top Shelf Productions
Summary: Comics company publishing a variety of works such as "Blankets" as well as "Lost Girls" by Alan Moore.

Dynamite Entertainment
Summary: Create comic book adaptions of existing products, such as Wolf-Man, Frankenstein, Army of Darkness, Darkman, Battlestar Galactica, etc. Are now publishing Garth Ennis' The Boys.

Fantagraphics
Publish all kinds of comics, from comic strips to adult-only comics. Probably most known for publishing Ghost World. Also puts classic comics into collections.

Viper Comics
Publishes indie comics. Is located in Texas.

Tugboat Press
Very indie comics publisher. Publishes the "Paper-Cutter Comic Book Anthology".

Well I hope you all feel educated now and don't feel you need to just buy what's on the shelves at a local comic store. Stores will be happy to order any books you want for you, from any company. Also if I missed any companies here list them and I'll add them here.

Oni Press
http://www.onipress.com/
Pick out and publish work by some of the best indie artists. Most notably 'Scott Pilgrim' by Bryan Lee O'Malley.

They're not really a major company, but Scott Pilgrim, Sidekicks and Sharknife are notable titles by Oni, so I thought it was worth a mention. Scott Pilgrim being one of my favourite comics ever, which I will plug at any opportunity!

If you're going to include Viz and Tokyopop, you might also want to add ADV, CPM, DGN, and Del Ray to the list. All specialize in manga. Also, where's Mirage, Archie, and Gemstone? Well, among others. There are several smaller publishers, too.

Aren't there book publishers getting into the graphic novel business? I think Harper Collins at least is developing a line...

virgin comics has some good stories

Alright, I'll add those real soon.

Woohoo, go Radio Comix. They've been awfully nice to me. :D

Under marvel, you left out their #2 biggest seller Wolverine. Definitly have to mention him, he's the reason a lot of people read comics.

Also DC didn't originally publish V For Vendetta, it was serialized in Warrior. They just publish the graphic novel now.

Again, under marvel the Ultimate universe is shared amongst itself, and has crossed over with its Supreme Power universe.

And one more, Marvel Age/Adventures published stories based on Spider-man and the X-men for younger readers. Also I think its used for the Mary Jane comic.

I'll stop now before I find something else.

Well yeah, they publish the graphic novel so I figured that counted.

Looks like you forgot to mentin Dynamite comics... they do the Evil Dead comic, and probably other stuff too.

You also didn't mention Fantagraphics, Viper Comics or Tugboat Press. They're all small, indy companies but they're around making comics.

King Tractor Press?

Oh and Nifty Comics, Arcana, Digitalwebbing, ALIAS, BOOM! Studios, Warmaggedon, Dreamchilde Press

http://www.accomics.com/

i used to read some of these when i was younger. there's something about an all hot chick superhero team that appeals to teenagers.

Pulpo Press

A small publisher just starting out, already onto their fourth anthology and publishing various works from around the world. Possibly one of the best independant publishers around, in my opinion. It helps that i know the guys that run it too.

I forgot to mention Drawn and Quarterly. they published Adrian Tomine's Optic Nerve as well as some others that I can't remember just now.

My BONE books say they are printed by Cartoon Books. And I remember my Sam and Max is from Kitchen Sink Press. They around any more?