Octopolis
Octopolis is a creator-owned graphic novel series by solo cartoonist SS Julian, published under the Cephalotype imprint, telling non-dystopian post-apocalyptic stories about intelligent octopuses and serving sci-fi comic readers, marine biology enthusiasts, and families with children.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- Headquarters—
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Octopolis does
Octopolis is a creator-owned graphic novel and comic series developed and operated as a solo venture by cartoonist SS Julian (he/they) under the self-publishing imprint Cephalotype. The flagship product, Octopolis: Holdfast, is a non-dystopian post-apocalyptic sci-fi story set in a future where intelligent octopuses inherit Earth after human extinction, with narrative and worldbuilding grounded in real marine biology and cephalopod science. Julian writes, inks, colors, and formats the books independently using standard creative tools, with the underlying production pipeline being entirely manual rather than technology- or AI-driven; the principal technology is the creator's craft and a Squarespace-hosted website.
The product line currently spans the Holdfast graphic novel (print and digital), the Octopolis #0: Prologue, the in-universe myth comic The Third Spear, and the recently introduced Octopus Dinner Party Board Book for children. Distribution is direct-to-consumer through an owned Square e-commerce storefront at octopolis-shop.square.site, an Etsy marketplace storefront, and a 2024 Kickstarter campaign that raised $32,000 to fund the first print run. Marketing is community-driven via the website blog, an email newsletter offering the first 12 pages as a download incentive, and organic social channels (Instagram, Facebook, BlueSky), supplemented by earned media from industry recognition.
The business is monetized through one-time print and digital book sales and merchandise, with no subscription, licensing, or institutional revenue streams disclosed. The customer base is consumer-facing and concentrated in sci-fi/fantasy comic readers and marine biology enthusiasts, with a secondary family/children segment addressed by the board book. Julian is represented by Jennifer Azantian of the Azantian Literary Agency, and in 2025 the project was named one of four finalists for the Russ Manning Promising Newcomer Award at the San Diego Comic-Con Eisner Awards, signaling rising industry recognition for an otherwise bootstrapped, self-published venture.
Octopolis firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Octopolis
- Website
- https://octopoliscomic.com
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Octopolis is a creator-owned graphic novel series by solo cartoonist SS Julian, published under the Cephalotype imprint, telling non-dystopian post-apocalyptic stories about intelligent octopuses and serving sci-fi comic readers, marine biology enthusiasts, and families with children.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Octopolis industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Independent Comic & Graphic Novel Publishing
- NAICS
- Book Publishers (51313)
- SIC
- Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Comics, Graphic Novels & Manga Print-on-Demand (MPAJANAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Children’s & Youth Educational Entertainment (Edutainment) (EDAGALAK)
Keywords
Octopolis business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Print and Digital Book Sales: Octopolis: Holdfast available in both print and digital formats through the online store. Board books for children also sold.
- Crowdfunding (Kickstarter): Initial launch funded through Kickstarter campaign raising $32,000 in 2024 for the first print run of Octopolis: Holdfast.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Octopolis product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Octopolis is a creator-owned independent comic book and graphic novel series set in a non-dystopian post-apocalyptic world populated by intelligent octopuses, self-published through the Cephalotype imprint. The catalog includes the flagship "Octopolis: Holdfast" graphic novel, an introductory "Octopolis #0: Prologue" issue, and a children's "Octopus Dinner Party Board Book," sold directly to readers in print and digital formats.
Product overview
Octopolis is a creator-owned comic book and graphic novel series by SS Julian, published through their imprint Cephalotype. The product lineup centers on the Octopolis: Holdfast graphic novel, supplemented by a children's board book (Octopus Dinner Party), prologue content (Octopolis #0: Prologue), individual issues (Octopolis #1: Holdfast), and myth content (The Third Spear). Products are available in print and digital formats, sold through the Octopolis Shop e-commerce platform and third-party retailers.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Cephalotype: SS Julian's self-publishing imprint under which Octopolis: Holdfast was published.
Products and services
- Octopolis: Holdfast (Graphic Novel) The flagship collected graphic novel edition of the Octopolis series, presenting the central non-dystopian post-apocalyptic story featuring intelligent octopuses, written and illustrated by creator SS Julian. Targeted at adult and young-adult readers of independent graphic novels and speculative fiction.
- Octopolis #0: Prologue An introductory single-issue comic serving as the prologue/entry point into the Octopolis series, published under the Cephalotype imprint. Aimed at new readers who want to sample the Octopolis universe before purchasing the collected Holdfast graphic novel.
- Octopus Dinner Party Board Book A children's board book leveraging the Octopolis octopus-themed IP for the infant/toddler audience. Targeted at parents and gift-buyers seeking unique, science- and nature-themed board books outside mass-market offerings.
Companies that use Octopolis
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Octopolis technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Octopolis partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- KickstartercoreCrowdfunding platform used for initial launch of Octopolis: Holdfast, raising $32,000 for the first print run. Key early partnership that enabled self-publishing.
- Azantian Literary AgencycoreLiterary representation for SS Julian by agent Jennifer Azantian, providing professional representation for publishing and rights deals.
- SF Aquarium of the BayminorSS Julian volunteers as a diver at the aquarium, providing authentic marine biology knowledge and connection that informs the Octopolis world.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Octopolis competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- DSTLRY: Creator-owned premium comics publisher that develops original intellectual property and offers physical and digital editions. It is comparable to Octopolis as another creator-forward comics property pursuing direct audience monetization.
- Z2 Comics: Independent graphic-novel and comics publisher centered on original and music-adjacent intellectual property. It is relevant to Octopolis because both sell creator-led comics across specialized audience niches.
- Mad Cave Studios: Independent comics publisher producing original graphic novels, series, and collected editions across genres. Its creator-published original IP and print/digital product model closely overlap with Octopolis.
- Iron Circus Comics: Independent comics publisher focused on creator-driven graphic novels, alternative work, and crowdfunding. Its self-published, creator-centric model is closely comparable to Octopolis's independent approach.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Octopolis social profiles
Digital presenceOctopolis financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Octopolis leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Octopolis funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Octopolis M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Octopolis
What does Octopolis do?
Octopolis is a creator-owned independent comic book and graphic novel series set in a non-dystopian post-apocalyptic world populated by intelligent octopuses, self-published through the Cephalotype imprint. The catalog includes the flagship "Octopolis: Holdfast" graphic novel, an introductory "Octopolis #0: Prologue" issue, and a children's "Octopus Dinner Party Board Book," sold directly to readers in print and digital formats.
Is Octopolis a public or private company?
Octopolis is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Octopolis founded?
Octopolis was founded in -1. It employs 1 to 10 people.
How does Octopolis make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Print and Digital Book Sales are the primary driver. The others are crowdfunding (Kickstarter).
Who are Octopolis's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are DSTLRY, Z2 Comics, Mad Cave Studios and Iron Circus Comics.
Does Octopolis have an API?
No public API is recorded for Octopolis.
What industry is Octopolis in?
Octopolis's product category is Independent Comic & Graphic Novel Publishing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJANAD, Comics, Graphic Novels & Manga Print-on-Demand, with a secondary code of EDAGALAK, Children’s & Youth Educational Entertainment (Edutainment). Its NAICS code is 51313 and its SIC code is 2731.