Art & Creativity Quote by Mark Millar

Difference is the alibi and the sales pitch here. Mark Millar’s line sounds like a simple production note, but it’s really a compact manifesto for how contemporary storytelling survives in a market that wants everything to be a “brand” while pretending it still loves originality.

On the surface, he’s talking logistics: if the books don’t resemble each other, you can’t slot them into one publisher’s standard machinery and expect the best outcome. Each publisher has its own taste, imprint identity, marketing muscle, and tolerance for risk. “Had to be different” isn’t just preference; it’s necessity, because publishing isn’t a neutral pipeline. It’s a creative collaborator that shapes covers, positioning, distribution, even what kind of weirdness is allowed to remain on the page.

The subtext is Millar’s ongoing negotiation with gatekeepers. He’s famous for high-concept comics that travel easily into film and TV, yet he’s also protective of the idea that each project has its own DNA. By insisting the publishers “had to” vary, he reframes a potentially messy, scattershot career strategy as principled craft: not chasing deals, but matching ecosystems to stories.

There’s also a quiet flex. Only writers with leverage get to treat publishers like bespoke tools rather than final arbiters. The quote signals agency in an industry built on permission, and it subtly argues that “different” isn’t an aesthetic bonus; it’s the whole point.