Founded in 1997, Oni Press has tended to think of itself as a grittier alternative for comic-book fans seeking something other than superheroes in tights. But recently, the company has been creeping closer to the mainstream. Two of its offerings, Whiteout and the Scott Pilgrim series, were made into feature films, and the company has been pursuing younger readers with family-friendly fare. The problem: Many parents and retailers flinched at Oni's logo—the face of a demon from Japanese folklore. What's more, the old logo didn't work well on digital products. So, in mid-2010, co-founder Joe Nozemack asked Keith Wood, the company's art director, for a redesign. The new logo was unveiled in January; the first books with the new trademark will hit shelves in April.
Before
The Image
The laughing trickster, which also is the company's mascot, was based on a trinket Nozemack's brother gave him as a souvenir from Japan. It was intended to convey an air of fun and mischief, but some parents simply winced at what they thought was a horned, evil creature. "That was a barrier," says Wood. "Younger readers don't have their own disposable income and are relying on their parents to purchase titles."
The Font