Vertigo (publisher)

Vertigo is a publishing company owned and operated by DC Comics. It operates under the "Vertigo" name in order to separate itself from the more mainstream "comic book" image -- namely, so as not to appeal directly to children and younger readers.

Vertigo publishes comic book stories aimed at a more "mature" audience. Many of the comics published by Vertigo contain mature themes, including graphic violence, sex, and controversial topics.

Vertigo was founded in the wake of DC's successful "mature" comics of the late 1980s, beginning with Swamp Thing and continuing with The Sandman. DC founded the Vertigo line to attract writers who wanted to publish "mature" comics of this sort, without having to worry about offending parents and young children.

Notable comic book series published under the Vertigo line have included Preacher, Lucifer, and Hellblazer.