Highwater Books

Somerville used to be home to its own comic and graphic book publisher between 1997 and 2004. Former resident Tom Devlin started Highwater Books in Somerville because it combined the advantages of proximity to Boston and Cambridge with affordability. Devlin has since moved on to be creative director for Drawn and Quarterly in Montreal. Highwater published 15 books during its lifespan and played a significant role as an alternative comics publisher in connecting talented artists with each other and with a readership. Highwater’s books are still sold over the web, and the vibe created by their tenure is still felt and talked about by the comics community. In fact, the Fourth Wall Project in Boston (132 Brookline Ave) is holding a retrospective exhibit of Highwater artists opening October 1. The exhibit includes old and new works by the core artists involved in the development of Highwater as well as an installation that exhibits the ephemera and history of the company itself.