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Publisher: Random House
Years in Operation: 1927 - ?
Disclose Detail
Country: Flag United States Web Site: http://www.randomhouse.com/ Brands: 24 Indicia Publishers: 25 Series: 287 Printings: 908 (894 Issues) Disclose Notes: IMPORTANT: Alfred A. Knopf and Pantheon both maintain editorial independence from their parent Random House. Series for those imprints should be set up under their respective publisher records, not under Random House.


Random House was founded in 1927 by Bennett Cerf and Donald Klopfer, two years after they acquired the Modern Library imprint from publisher Horace Liveright, which reprints classic works of literature. Cerf is quoted as saying, "We just said we were going to publish a few books on the side at random," which suggested the name Random House.

American publishers Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. and Pantheon Books were acquired by Random House in 1960 and 1961, respectively; works continue to be published under these imprints with editorial independence.

In 1965, RCA bought Random House as part of a diversification strategy. Random House acquired the paperback book publisher Ballantine Books in 1973. RCA sold Random House to Advance Publications in 1980. In 1988, Random House acquired Crown Books. In 1998, Bertelsmann AG bought Random House and merged it with Bantam Doubleday Dell. In 2008, Random House restructured and created three divisions--Random House Publishing Group, Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group and Crown Publishing Group. In October 2012, Bertelsmann entered into talks with rival conglomerate Pearson plc, over the possibility of combining their respective publishing companies, Random House and Penguin Group. The merger was completed on July 1, 2013 and the new company is Penguin Random House. In October 2018, Penguin Random House merged two of its most known publishing lines, Random House and the Crown Publishing Group. The two lines retain their distinct editorial identities.


The publisher's main office in the United States is located at 1745 Broadway in Manhattan, in the Penguin Random House Tower. Earlier addresses were 457 Madison Avenue, New York 22, NY; 20 East 57th Street, New York 22, NY; and 201 East 50th Street, New York, NY 10022.


Random House, Inc. maintains several independently managed subsidiaries around the world:

The Random House Group in the UK, based in London. The Group comprises five publishing companies: Cornerstone Publishing, Vintage Publishing, Ebury Publishing, Random House Children's Publishers UK and Transworld Publishers, with more than 40 diverse imprints.

Verlagsgruppe Random House was established after Bertelsmann's 1998 acquisition of Random House, grouping its German imprints (until then operating as Verlagsgruppe Bertelsmann). With Bertelsmann acquiring full ownership of Penguin Random House in April 2020, Verlagsgruppe Random House is being reintegrated with the main Penguin Random House company.

Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial is Random House's Spanish-language division, targeting markets in Spain and South and Central America. It is headquartered in Barcelona with locations in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Uruguay, and the United States.

Random House of Canada was established in 1944 as the Canadian distributor of Random House Books. In 1986 the company established its own indigenous Canadian publishing program that has become one of the most successful in Canadian history.
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Series Name Years in Print Issues (Printings)
100 Years of American Newspaper Comics {Hardcovers} 1996 - 1
The Acme Novelty Library Final Report to Shareholders and Rainy Day Saturday Afternoon Fun Book {Comic Books} 2005 - 1
Addams and Evil {Comic Books} 1947 - 1
The Adventures of Simon Pegg {Trade Paperbacks} 2010 - 1
Air Gear {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Each issue collects three issues Air Gear (Random House, 2003 series). There may be more issues.
2004 - ? 1
Air Gear {Trade Paperbacks} Disclose
Note: English translation of エア・ギア [Ea Gia] [Air Gear] (講談社 [Kodansha], 2003 series).
2006 - 2010 15
Ali-A Adventures: Game On! {Comic Books} 2017 - 1
Alive: The Final Evolution {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Series cancelled well before it could be completed. Kodansha USA published the remaining thirteen volumes through digital-only channels.
2007 - 2009 8
All Out for the Sack Race! {Comic Books} 1945 - 1
All the Rage: The Boondocks Past and Present {Comic Books} 2007 - 1
Amefurashi: The Rain Goddess {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: by Atsushi Suzumi
2009 - 2
American Splendor {Trade Paperbacks} 2003 - 1
American Splendor: Ego & Hubris: The Michael Malice Story {Hardcovers} 2006 - 1
American Splendor: Our Movie Year {Trade Paperbacks} 2004 - 1
Arisa {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: American translation of the Japanese series アリサ.
2010 - 1
The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye {Comic Books} 2016 - 1
Aster and the Accidental Magic {Comic Books} 2020 - 1
Aster and the Accidental Magic {Comic Books} 2020 - 1
The Astrosmurf {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: English translation is copyright 1979 by Hodder & Stoughton, Ltd., London.
1979 - 1
Aventura {Comic Books} 2007 - 2009 3
Avril Lavigne's Make 5 Wishes {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: by Camilla D'Errico and Joshua Dysart
2007 - 2
Babymouse {Hardcovers} Disclose
Note: Books are "Library Bound", which means the Hardcover is put directly over the softcover version.
2005 - ? 19
Babymouse {Comic Books} 2005 - ? 19 (21)
Bakugan Battle Brawlers {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: The first four volumes use stills from the Cartoon Network show. The last volume is an original graphic novel.
2008 - 2010 5
Basilisk: The Kouga Ninja Scrolls {Comic Books} 2006 - 2007 5
Batman Beyond: No Place Like Home {Comic Books} 2000 - 1
Ben 10 Alien Force: Ben 10 Returns {Comic Books} 2008 - ? 1
Ben 10 Alien Force: Doom Dimension {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Based on the television show "Ben 10 Alien Force"
2010 - 2
Best of American Splendor {Trade Paperbacks} 2005 - 1
The Best of Callahan {Comic Books} 2003 - 1
Biggles: Flying Detective {Comic Books} 1996 - 1
Birth of a Nation {Comic Books} 2004 - 1
Blood Work {Hardcovers} 2011 - 1
Bodyworld {Hardcovers} 2010 - 1
Boy, Girl. Boy, Girl. {Trade Paperbacks} 1961 - 1
Bram Stoker's Dracula {Comic Books} 2005 - 1
Bug Boys {Comic Books} 2020 - 1
Bullet Witch {Comic Books} 2007 - 1
The Bus {Comic Books} 1987 - 1
The Cartoon History of the Universe {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Reprinting of the Doubleday version. 3 Volumes exist in total.
2001 - 1
The Cartoon History of the Universe II {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Reprinting the Bantam Doubleday Dell version.
2001 - ? 1
Le Chevalier d'Eon {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: by Kiriko Yumeji and Tou Ubukata
2007 - 2010 8
The City of Ember: The Graphic Novel {Comic Books} 2012 - 1
Code:Breaker {Comic Books} 2010 - 2
Comics Squad {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Also published in hardcover
2014 - ? 3
Comics Squad {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: The softcover edition is listed separately.
2014 - ? 3
The Complete Maus: A Survivor's Tale [25th Anniversary Edition] {Comic Books} 2011 - 1
Crabapple Trouble {Comic Books} 2020 - 1
Dark Wraith of Shannara {Comic Books} 2008 - 1
Dead Lawyers and Other Pleasant Thoughts [Non Sequitur] {Comic Books} 1993 - 1
Del Rey Manga Summer 2006 Previews {Comic Books} 2006 - 1
Del Rey Showcase, Free Comic Book Day {Comic Books} 2010 - 1
Disney Tangled the Series {Comic Books} 2018 - ? 2
Dogs Don't Eat Dessert [Peanuts] {Comic Books} 1987 - 1
Donut Feed the Squirrels {Comic Books} 2020 - 1
Doonesbury Redux {Comic Books} 2004 - ? 1
Doonesbury: The War Years {Comic Books} 2006 - ? 1
Dragon Eye {Comic Books} 2007 - 2009 8
The Dresden Files: Storm Front: The Gathering Storm {Hardcovers} Disclose
Note: Collects Dresden Files: Storm Front, The (Dabel Brothers Productions, 2008 Series) #1-4.
2009 - 1
The Dresden Files: Welcome to the Jungle {Hardcovers} 2008 - 1 (2)
Drinking at the Movies {Comic Books} 2010 - 1
Edgar Allan Poe: The Fall of the House of Usher and Other Tales of Terror {Comic Books} 2005 - 1
The End of the World {Comic Books} 2019 - 1
Epileptic {Comic Books} 2006 - 1
ES: Eternal Sabbath {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Formerly listed with the "Del Rey Manga" imprint. Indicia publisher needs to be checked. by Fuyumi Soryo
2006 - 2008 8
Even White Boys Get the Blues {Comic Books} 1992 - 1
Excuse Me: Cartoons, Complaints, and Notes to Self {Comic Books} 2019 - 1
The Exile {Comic Books} 2010 - 1
Fagin the Jew {Comic Books} 2003 - 1
Fairy Navigator Runa {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Written by Miyoko Ikeda; Illustrated by Michiyo Kikuta
2010 - 2
Fairy Tail {Trade Paperbacks} Disclose
Note: Formerly listed with the "Del Rey Manga" imprint. Indicia publisher needs to be checked. American reprint of フェアリーテイル [Fearī Teiru / Fairy Tail] (講談社 [Kodansha], 2006 series). After volume 12, the rights went to Kodansha (US) who published from 13 on and also reprinted the first 12.
2008 - 2010 12
Faust: Fiction and Manga from the Cutting Edge of Japanese Pop Culture {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Anthology- mostly text with some manga.
2008 - 2009 2
Faux Bubba {Comic Books} 1993 - 1
Feiffer on Nixon: The Cartoon Presidency {Comic Books} 1974 - 1
Feiffer's Album {Hardcovers} 1963 - 1
Feiffer's Marriage Manual {Comic Books} 1967 - 1967 1 (2)
Fever Moon {Hardcovers} 2012 - 1
Flight {Trade Paperbacks} Disclose
Note: Early volumes are the same as the Image series of the same name.
2006 - 2011 8
Flight Explorer {Comic Books} 2008 - 1
Four-Eyed Prince {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: by Wataru Mizukami
2009 - 2010 3
Free Collars Kingdom {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: by Takuya Fujima
2007 - 3
Free Manga Sampler From Del Rey! {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Free Comic Book Day 2004.
2004 - 1
Gacha Gacha {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: English translation of the first story arc of the Japanese manga Gacha Gacha (ガチャガチャ, Gachagacha). Not to be confused with Gatcha Gacha (Tokyopop, 2006 Series)
2005 - 2006 5
Gacha Gacha: The Next Revolution {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Eleven volumes (projected) English translation of the second (and last) story arc of the Japanese manga Gacha Gacha (ガチャガチャ, Gachagacha). Not to be confused with Gatcha Gacha (Tokyopop, 2006 Series)
2006 - 2010 11
Gakuen Prince {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: by Jun Yuzuki
2009 - 3
A Game of Thrones {Comic Books} 2012 - ? 4
Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: by Mahiro Maeda and Yura Ariwara
2008 - 2009 3
Garfield {Trade Paperbacks} Disclose
Note: In 2001, page count was reduced "Garfield Classics" became the cover title.
1980 - ? 66 (71)
A Garfield Christmas {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: At least two printings.
1987 - 1
Garfield Complete Works {Comic Books} 2018 - ? 1
Garfield in Disguise {Comic Books} 1985 - 1
Garfield in Paradise {Comic Books} 1986 - 1
Garfield in the Rough {Hardcovers} Disclose
Note: A comic serialization of the TV special produced by United Media Productions.
1984 - 1
Garfield Minus Garfield {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Collects strips from Dan Walsh’s website GarfieldMinusGarfield.net, along with the original Garfield newspaper strips that they were adapted from. The premise is to take a Garfield strip and remove Garfield from it, leaving Jon Arbuckle mostly talking to himself. This creates a new cartoon on an entirely different level, showing the existential angst of Jon.
2008 - 1
Garfield On the Town {Trade Paperbacks} Disclose
Note: A comic serialization of the TV special produced by United Media Productions. This book has at least 2 printings.
1983 - 1 (2)
Garfield Treasury {Trade Paperbacks} Disclose
Note: Reprints Sunday Garfield newspaper comic strips.
1982 - 1999 10
Garfield's Jolly Holiday 3-Pack {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: Not part of the numbered series of Garfield books.
1997 - 1
Garfield's Sunday Finest {Comic Books} 2013 - 1
Garfield: It's a Cat-Eat-Dog World {Comic Books} 1996 - 1
Genshiken: The Society for the Study of Modern Visual Culture {Comic Books} Disclose
Note: by Kio Shimoku
2005 - 2007 9

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