Just some associations to consider

gistfile1.txt

rails g model Title name
rails g model IssuesTitle issue_id:integer title_id:integer
rails g model Issue name publisher_id:integer illustration
rails g model Publisher name
rails g model Role name
rails g model Person name
rails g model PersonRole name issue_id:integer role_id:integer person_id:integer

models.rb

class Issue < ActiveRecord::Base
  has_many :issues_titles
  has_many :titles, :through => :issues_titles
  belongs_to :publisher
  has_many :person_roles
  
  # TODO: Consider CarrierWave http://railscasts.com/episodes/253-carrierwave-file-uploads
  
  attr_accessible :name, :publisher_id
end

class IssuesTitle < ActiveRecord::Base
  belongs_to :issue
  belongs_to :title
  attr_accessible :issue_id, :title_id
end

class Person < ActiveRecord::Base
  has_many :person_roles
  has_many :roles, :through => :person_roles
  has_many :issues, :through => :person_roles
  attr_accessible :name
end

class PersonRole < ActiveRecord::Base
  belongs_to :issue
  belongs_to :role
  belongs_to :person
  attr_accessible :issue_id, :name, :person_id, :role_id
end

class Publisher < ActiveRecord::Base
  has_many :issues
  
  attr_accessible :name
end

class Role < ActiveRecord::Base
  has_many :person_roles
  has_many :people, :through => :person_roles
  has_many :issues, :through => :person_roles
  
  attr_accessible :name
end

class Title < ActiveRecord::Base
  has_many :issues_titles
  has_many :issues, :through => :issues_titles
  has_many :publishers, :through => :issues
  attr_accessible :name
end