[steerpike]

It's probably not that complicated nor really that related to an agency. The simple fact is probably more that for a certain type of nerd with a literary bent Kate Beaton and Hark a vagrant hold a similar place in our heart as Randall Munroe and XKCD.

[pavlov]

For this level of exposure, probably both?

"Ducks" seems to be published simultaneously by Drawn & Quarterly in North America and Penguin Books in the UK. These two together have enough money and experience to mount a good PR campaign.

[optimalsolver]

What steerpike is trying to say is that you don't really need a major PR campaign for this. The people who work at those media outlets probably have a close attachment to Kate's previous works, so they'll gladly cover a new release without much prodding.