Edgar Rice Burroughs

What Edgar Rice Burroughs does

Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. is a privately held, family-owned publishing and intellectual property management company founded in 1923 by the author Edgar Rice Burroughs to administer the rights to his literary works. Headquartered in Tarzana, California — the city named in honor of Burroughs' signature character — the company oversees an extensive portfolio of over 100 registered trademarks covering Tarzan, John Carter of Mars, Barsoom, Pellucidar, Carson of Venus, Caspak, and the Moon Trilogy, among others. The company functions as the sole authorized gatekeeper for canonical ERB content across publishing, film, television, theatrical stage productions, licensing, and merchandising, and has licensed these properties to partners including Disney for the Tarzan franchise.

The company's commercial operations span four primary revenue streams: book publishing through the Edgar Rice Burroughs Authorized Library (uniform hardcover editions of the original catalog with bonus materials), the Edgar Rice Burroughs Universe (canonical continuation novels written by contemporary authorized authors), ERB Universe Illustrated Epics (company-published comics and graphic novels, initiated in 2023), and licensed merchandise including collectible statues ($225-$7,500), commemorative coins, apparel, and consumer products such as Tarzan Coffee and Tarzan Hot Sauce. Distribution occurs primarily through the company's own WooCommerce-based direct e-commerce storefront, supplemented by Amazon, Zazzle print-on-demand, and Kickstarter crowdfunding campaigns for new editions. Pricing is unit-based, ranging from $16.99 mass-market paperbacks to $7,500 centennial limited-edition bronze statues, with collectible editions limited to 200-300 copies and bundled with signed bookplates and exclusive trading cards. The customer base is split between individual adventure fiction enthusiasts and collectors (long-tail B2C) and licensing partners such as Disney (B2B).

The company is led by President James J. Sullos, Jr., CPA, CFP, with VP of Publishing Christopher Paul Carey serving as Creative Director of the ERB Universe, VP of Operations Cathy Wilbanks overseeing licensing, and Assistant Treasurer Janet Mann. Headcount is reported in the 51-100 range per firmographic data, though no exact figure is disclosed. Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. has no disclosed subsidiaries, no institutional investors, no public stock listing, no funding rounds, and no mergers or acquisitions activity on record.

Name

Edgar Rice Burroughs

Legal name

Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc.

Website

https://edgarriceburroughs.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1923

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Literary Publishing & IP Licensing

NAICS

Sporting Goods, Hobby, Musical Instrument, Book, and Miscellaneous Retailers (459)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)

akta.pro primary industry

Genre & Category Publishing (Romance, Mystery/Thriller, Sci‑Fi/Fantasy, etc.) (MPAJAAAB)

Keywords

• Literary publishing
• Intellectual property licensing
• Collectible merchandise
• Graphic novel publishing
• Trademark licensing

Headquarters

HQ city

Tarzana

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Book Publishing and Sales: Sale of print books through the Edgar Rice Burroughs Authorized Library, ERB Universe novels, and Wild Adventures series. Books available in multiple formats including paperback, standard hardcover, and limited Collector's Editions with signed bookplates.
2. Comic and Graphic Novel Sales: ERB Universe Illustrated Epics comic books and graphic novels, including new canonical tales approved by the company.
3. Merchandise and Collectibles: Sale of branded merchandise including statues (ranging from $225 open edition to $2,500 limited edition bronze), clothing, artwork, audiobooks, puzzles, playing cards, and other licensed products.
4. Licensing and Royalties: Licensing of extensive trademark portfolio including Tarzan, John Carter of Mars, and other literary properties for adaptations, merchandise, and third-party products. Contact for licensing: [email protected].

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. publishes authorized editions of Edgar Rice Burroughs' classic adventure, science fiction, and fantasy novels and produces new ERB Universe continuation novels and graphic novels. The company sells collectible merchandise (statues, commemorative coins) and licensed products (coffee, hot sauce, apparel), and licenses its extensive trademark portfolio (Tarzan, John Carter of Mars, Barsoom, Pellucidar, Carson of Venus) for adaptations, third-party products, and media productions. Operations are anchored by a direct-to-consumer e-commerce store and a B2B trademark licensing program.

Product overview

Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. is a publishing and licensing company founded in 1923 that manages the literary works and intellectual property of author Edgar Rice Burroughs. The company's core offerings center on the Edgar Rice Burroughs Authorized Library (hardcover editions of classic novels with bonus materials), the Edgar Rice Burroughs Universe (authorized continuation novels), and ERB Universe Illustrated Epics (company-published comics and graphic novels). Their flagship franchises include Tarzan (24+ books), John Carter of Mars/Barsoom, Carson of Venus, Pellucidar, The Land That Time Forgot/Caspak, and the Moon Trilogy. The company operates an e-commerce store selling books, collectible statues, commemorative coins, and licensed merchandise including coffee, hot sauce, and apparel. An online comic portal provides access to comic content with subscription options.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Edgar Rice Burroughs Authorized Library: Complete literary works of Edgar Rice Burroughs published in uniform hardcover editions with extras and rarities from the company's archives.
• Edgar Rice Burroughs Universe

Products and services

• Edgar Rice Burroughs Authorized Library Complete hardcover editions of Edgar Rice Burroughs' literary works published by the company, featuring cover art by Joe Jusko, forewords by authorities, afterwords, and bonus archival materials. Includes all Tarzan books (1-24+), Barsoom series, and other ERB works in paperback, standard hardcover, and limited Collector's Editions.
• Edgar Rice Burroughs Universe Canonical continuation novels written by authorized contemporary authors expanding the ERB multiverse across Tarzan, Barsoom, Pellucidar, Caspak, Venus, and other fictional worlds, with cross-over storylines and new heroes/villains.
• ERB Universe Illustrated Epics Comics and graphic novels published by ERB, Inc. featuring canonical tales of ERB characters created and approved by the company, including new storylines and characters in the ERB Universe Illustrated Epics line.
• Collectible Statues Licensed sculptures including Tarzan open edition cold-cast porcelain ($225), limited edition cold-cast bronze ($425, edition of 100), and Centennial limited cast bronze statues of 10 with $2,500 deposit (full $7,500).
• Goliath Coins Limited edition 100th anniversary commemorative coins featuring ERB Universe characters (Tarzan, John Carter, Dejah Thoris, etc.), 2.75 inches in diameter with antique gold plating, available as a set of 8 or individually at $149.99.
• Tarzan Coffee Licensed coffee products by Jade City Foods available in Light, Medium, and Dark roasts featuring Tarzan branding, marketed under license from ERB, Inc.
• Tarzan Hot Sauce Licensed hot sauce series by Jade City Foods featuring 5 flavors with Frank Frazetta artwork, marketed under license from ERB, Inc.
• Jane Porter and the City of Fire First graphic novel published by ERB, Inc., a 72-page mass market edition featuring Jane Porter and Pellucidar, written by Mike Wolfer and illustrated by Miriana Puglia.
• Comic Subscription Service Subscription service for ongoing ERB Universe comic releases offering subscribers exclusive editions and merchandise, accessed via the online comic portal at edgarriceburroughs.com/comics.
• ERB Trademark Licensing Program B2B licensing of ERB trademarks including Tarzan, John Carter of Mars, Pellucidar, Barsoom, Carson of Venus, Dejah Thoris, Tars Tarkas, and other character and series marks for use in adaptations, merchandise, and third-party consumer products. Licensing inquiries handled via [email protected].

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• ZazzleminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrint-on-demand partnership for Girl from Hollywood merchandise including socks, hats, notebooks, binders, stickers, sunglasses, pajamas, holiday ornaments, and cell phone cases available through Zazzle's platform.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Wildstorm/DC Comics: Major comics and graphic novel publisher with deep IP ownership. Comparable as a publisher/distributor of genre comics (adventure, sci-fi) operating at much greater scale than ERB, Inc.'s ERB Universe Illustrated Epics line.
• Disney: Holds film/character adaptation rights to Tarzan and operates as a major licensor of entertainment IP. Comparable as a strategic counterparty and benchmark for how a large entertainment conglomerate extracts value from iconic literary properties.

Emerging players

• Tor Books: Major science fiction and fantasy imprint within Macmillan. Comparable as a publisher operating in the same adventure/sci-fi/fantasy genre that ERB, Inc. targets with its ERB Universe continuation novels.
• Open Road Integrated Media: Digital publishing company focused on backlist e-book distribution and marketing for legacy authors. Comparable as a partner/publisher channel for classic literary catalog monetization alongside ERB, Inc.'s Authorized Library program.

Direct peers

• Baen Books: Independent science fiction and fantasy publisher. Comparable as a niche publisher specializing in adventure/sci-fi/fantasy genre fiction, though focused on new author IP rather than legacy estate management.
• Middle-earth Enterprises: Manages the literary and commercial rights to J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth works. Directly comparable to ERB, Inc. as a literary estate management company overseeing iconic fantasy/adventure IP (Hobbit, Lord of the Rings) with active publishing and licensing operations.
• Ian Fleming Publications: Owns and administers the literary copyright of Ian Fleming's James Bond novels. Comparable as a family-controlled literary estate that publishes canonical novels, licenses film/merchandise rights, and stewards an iconic 20th-century adventure franchise.
• Agatha Christie Limited: Manages the literary estate of Agatha Christie, controlling publishing, licensing, and adaptations of one of the best-selling fiction franchises in history. Comparable to ERB, Inc. as a literary estate company with active publishing programs and global brand licensing operations.
• Conan Properties International: Owns the rights to Robert E. Howard's Conan the Barbarian and related pulp adventure characters. Highly comparable to ERB, Inc. given the overlapping pulp adventure genre, sword-and-planet/barbarian themes, and active licensing across film, TV, comics, and games.
• Arthur Conan Doyle Estate: Administers the literary legacy and IP rights of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, including Sherlock Holmes. Comparable as a literary estate handling an iconic adventure/mystery character with a long publishing and adaptation history.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/EdgarRBurroughs
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@EdgarRBurroughs
• Facebookfacebook.com/erburroughs
• Instagraminstagram.com/edgarriceburroughsinc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Edgar Rice Burroughs