Universal Comics

Universal Comics (formerly Multimedia Comics and before that Specialist Productions) is a defunct American comic publisher and a partner of Image Comics, formed by Marvel Comics editor James L. Hilltree in 1992 and it was owned by Universal Studios. It is best known for the Black Shadow comic book series and it is also known for many movie and TV licenses. It spawned two imprints DreamWorks Comics, which was launched in 1996 and Gingo Comics, which the latter launched in 1993. Both of them, along with the label were defunct in 2005.

History
In 1992, James L. Hilltree, known for his work as editor on Marvel Comics' adaptation of Agents of Innocence left Marvel Comics in order to start out his own studio. He called it "Specialist Productions" because of its interest in the comic book industry. He tested out by acquiring the Gabriel Garza license and decided to launch his comic series. The first line of Specialist titles were launched in October 1992 and it was published under the Image Comics system.

Multimedia acquired the company two months later, and it was renamed to Multimedia Comics. The new name took effect on January 1993, because Multimedia has a passionate interest in the comic book industry. The first tiles to sport the new name were Mickey the Wicked #1, Gabriel Garza #4 and ''Black Shadow'’ #4. Hilltree started out Gingo Comics as a label for Gingo properties, while Multimedia relies on original and movie/TV/celebrity properties.

On January 31, 1996, Multimedia was acquired by MCA, and the comic company was rebranded twice, first as MCA Comics for a short time, before being renamed to Universal Comics on December 1996. The first issues were comic adaptations of the Woody Woodpecker property, and the next year, comics based on Ama and the Mysterious Crystal became Image's best-selling title. Around the same time, Hilltree, in association with movie producer Steven Spielberg launched DreamWorks Comics as an imprint of the studio.

Due to poor sales of Universal's comics compared to those of Top Cow's, Universal decided to shut the division and its labels down in 2005, and the final titles were announced in March 2005. Hilltree started a new industry to continue producing comics and a new partner of Image Comics, Hillflower Productions to continue producing comics based on Universal Studios and Gingo properties and new original properties.