The origin of 23rd Street Books is no mystery—it’s First Second Books.
When we launched First Second in 2006, our dream was to create a home for extraordinary voices in graphic novels. From the very beginning, we published for readers of all ages, including adults. But as our list grew and the readership for comics blossomed—especially in kids, middle grade, and YA—we realized that something new was needed.
So: 23rd Street Books. A dedicated imprint for adult readers, growing from First Second but distinct in its mission. A place where powerful stories unfold—sometimes funny, sometimes serious, sometimes surreal—but always crafted with the highest ambition for the medium.
The name comes from our earliest home in New York’s Flatiron Building, right at the meeting of 23rd Street, Fifth Avenue, and Broadway. And visually, it follows the logic of First Second’s :01. What comes next? Naturally—23.
At 23rd Street, we promise stories that delight, provoke, inform, and surprise. We publish thrilling fiction, breezy fiction, highbrow and lowbrow fiction, nonfiction, memoirs, thrillers, high-concept sci-fi, cozy and less cozy fantasy, epics, you name it, stories that defy genre altogether. What unites them all is true voice, gorgeous craft, and a deep belief in comics as a vital storytelling art.
Our creators include icons and debuts. Our readers range from lifelong lovers of comics and the newly curious. Our team is small, mighty, and wildly passionate.
If First Second helped change what kids’ comics could be, 23rd Street is here to do the same for adult graphic novels. We hope you’ll join us.
