Tiny Onion Studio — known for producing comics with major houses — has launched its own publishing arm, Crying Eye Press, and opened sales with a deluxe edition of a seasonal horror story by James Tynion IV. The move marks a deliberate pivot toward direct-to-consumer, high-end physical books and signals a growing trend of indie creators taking control of printing and distribution.
Tiny Onion began as a creative imprint that partnered with established publishers for production and distribution. Now the company has established an in-house press run by design director and print production lead Courtney Menard, enabling the studio to manage everything from design through fulfillment.
First release: Crumbs expands from digital short to collectible book
The imprint’s debut title, Crumbs: A Very Bad Elf, started life as a short Christmas-horror entry in a Dstlry digital anthology titled Through the Boughs, A Yuletide Offering. For the new edition, the creative team reworked the piece so that each original panel occupies a full page, increasing pacing and visual impact.
The book was sold directly through Tiny Onion’s online shop and first surfaced at New York Comic Con. Production choices — including gold foil stamping and gilt page edges — were intended to give the volume the look and heft of a classic holiday gift while preserving its unsettling tone.
Speaking to Publishers Weekly, Menard described the rationale for the new imprint as a way to produce “bespoke, indie-style” comics without carrying the logistical burden of traditional publishing partners. She said the team wanted to maintain creative control and offer physical books that stand apart from mass-market releases.
- What Crying Eye Press aims to publish: experimental zines, short horror comics, cryptid and occult-themed stories.
- Production focus: limited-run, collector-oriented editions with premium finishes and design-forward presentation.
- Distribution model: primarily direct-to-consumer sales through Tiny Onion’s store rather than relying on the traditional direct market.
Where this fits in the broader comics landscape
Over the past two years Tiny Onion has broadened its operations beyond a branding project into a production company, working on high-profile titles and deals with larger entertainment partners. Launching a proprietary press gives the studio a parallel path: continuing collaborations with established publishers while also experimenting with small-batch, design-led releases sold straight to readers.
This strategy responds to two clear pressures in the industry: rising costs and a crowded retail ecosystem. By handling print and fulfillment internally, publishers can trim intermediary expenses and present unique physical editions that appeal to collectors and gifting buyers.
The studio has not announced additional Crying Eye titles yet. For now, Crumbs serves as a proof of concept — a compact, visually reworked horror story aimed at readers who want an artfully produced comic that’s as much an object as a narrative.
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