In 1994, during the 90s comic-boom, friends Lansdale and Klaw had ruminated over the non-existence of "a comic book anthology with some of the biggest names in fantasy and horror fiction". Klaw suggested they produced one themselves, utilising Lansdale's connections, and the two began searching for a publisher. Concurrently, Klaw (then working in a Bookstop) had struck up a friendship with regular customer Ben Ostrander, even renewing his interest in comics after a considerable hiatus, having discovered the two shared many interests. Ostrander was looking to change careers, even approaching Klaw with the idea of opening a specialty science fiction shop, although this was ultimately scrapped.