Neptune Comics (as it was named at the outset), began in 1985 as a small direct-to-consumer mail order company selling American comics to UK collectors at a time when there were few specialist retail outlets.

In early 1986 Neptune Comics also began selling at regional Comic Marts in cities such as Leeds and Sheffield, and by mid-1986 began supplying retail outlets.

[1] The company was incorporated in the spring of 1987 as Neptune Comic Distributors Limited.

Neptune expanded into publishing in 1989 with Trident Comics, and in late 1990 helped to found Apocalypse Ltd, which published Toxic!, a weekly title meant to compete with Fleetway Publications's 2000 AD.

Financial problems led the distribution side to stop importing American comics in July 1991, as it could not pay outstanding bills owed to Diamond.