 | This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations .(September 2009) |
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| Industry | Comics |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1999 |
| Founder | Alan Moore |
| Defunct | 2010 [1] |
| Headquarters | United States [1] |
Key people | Alan Moore |
| Parent | Wildstorm (DC Comics) |
America's Best Comics (ABC) was a comic book publishing brand. [2] It was set up by Alan Moore in 1999 as an imprint of WildStorm, an idea proposed to Moore by WildStorm founder Jim Lee when it was still under Image Comics.
America's Best Comics was a prominent Standard/Better/Nedor title during the 1940s Golden Age of comic books, starring such heroes as the Black Terror and the Fighting Yank. Those characters were integrated into the Moore version under the ABC imprint, where Moore wrote series including The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen , a strip which merged several famous Victorian era fiction characters into one world; Tom Strong , an homage to pulp fiction heroes such as Tarzan and Doc Savage; Top 10 , a police procedural set in a police precinct in a city where everyone has superpowers or is a costumed adventurer; and Promethea , one of Moore's most personal pieces which detailed his view on magic.
Peter Hogan and Rick Veitch had their own spin-off series, Terra Obscura and Greyshirt: Indigo Sunset respectively, and Steve Moore (no relation) co-wrote Tom Strong's Terrific Tales with Moore.
Regular contributing artists include Kevin O'Neill, Chris Sprouse, Rick Veitch, J. H. Williams III, Gene Ha, Zander Cannon, Kevin Nowlan, Hilary Barta, Melinda Gebbie, Jim Baikie, Yanick Paquette, and Art Adams.
All the lettering for the ABC line was done by Todd Klein, with the exception of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen which was handled by Bill Oakley. The logo of ABC is mainly based on an idea from Alex Ross and was also done by Todd Klein. [3]
In August 1998, Jim Lee sold WildStorm to DC Comics, unaware that due to past conflicts over the Watchmen copyright in the 1980s, Moore had vowed never to work for the publisher again.
According to the interview Moore gave George Khoury in the book The Extraordinary Works of Alan Moore, when Lee first saw Alan Moore after the takeover, the tall figure of Moore holding his snake-headed walking stick impressed Lee so, he was sure Moore - who was then still ignorant of the sale - was going to beat him senseless. Moore was reluctant at first, but ultimately decided to accept his new situation as he had promised work to a number of his artist friends from Rob Liefeld's defunct Awesome Comics line. In the same interview, he said that it was better to go back against a principle for the greater good, than to have no principles in life at all. He also expressed interest in eventually ending the line with a little apocalypse. Deliberately and permanently ending an entire comic line was something he felt had never been done before in comics. [4]
Moore brought an end to the ABC Universe towards the conclusion of Promethea when she ushers in the apocalypse. [5] [6] Moore wrote the last issue of Tom Strong and two 64-page Tomorrow Stories specials offering a final farewell to most of ABC's characters.
Before those final stories, the ABC line continued a little while longer under other writers. Tom Strong, for example, had been written entirely by guest authors since November 2003. These authors have included; Peter Hogan, Geoff Johns, Mark Schultz, Steve Aylett, Brian K. Vaughan, Ed Brubaker and Michael Moorcock. A sequel to Top 10 called Beyond The Farthest Precinct has been penned by novelist Paul Di Filippo and artist Jerry Ordway and another title, written by Peter Hogan and Steve Moore, was going to explore the remaining secrets of all of the major ABC characters. This mini-series America's Best Comics: A to Z, started in September 2005 but was canceled after four issues in July 2006.
WildStorm was shut down in 2010, its disestablishment spelled the end of ABC, and reprints of ABC titles were subsequently being published under DC's Vertigo imprint. [1]
America's Best Comics: A to Z was to be a six-part miniseries written by Peter Hogan and Steve Moore. It planned to reveal secrets and unknown facts about the characters that have appeared thus far in the ABC line. The miniseries was canceled after issue #4. Work had begun on issue #5, but its unclear how complete it was before the plug was pulled. There are no plans at present to publish a collection of the issues.
Each issue features artwork from character's original designer/co-creator and a cover by Terry Dodson. It was expected to signal the end of the ABC line, and was planned as a farewell to the characters.
Promethea is a comic book series created by Alan Moore, J. H. Williams III and Mick Gray, published by America's Best Comics/WildStorm.
Tomorrow Stories is an American comic book series created by Alan Moore for his America's Best Comics (ABC) line, published by Wildstorm.
Tom Strong is an American comic book series created by writer Alan Moore and artist Chris Sprouse, initially published bi-monthly by America's Best Comics, an imprint of DC Comics' Wildstorm division. Tom Strong, the title character, is a "science hero", with a wife, Dhalua, and a daughter, Tesla, both with enhanced physical and mental abilities and longevity. He lives in a building called The Stronghold in Millennium City. He is also helped by Pneuman, a steam-powered robot, and King Solomon, a gorilla with human characteristics. His greatest foe is tuxedo-clad "science villain" Paul Saveen. The series explores many different timelines and universes, which are a nod to different comic genres. The primary characters are tributes to and spoofs of early pulp heroes.
Smax is a fictional character from the comic book series Top 10 written by Alan Moore, illustrated by Gene Ha, and originally published by the now defunct America's Best Comics imprint of DC Comics. A Top-10 spin-off mini-series also called Smax focused on the character and provided him with more of a backstory.
Richard Veitch is an American comics artist and writer who has worked in mainstream, underground, and alternative comics.
Terra Obscura is a 2003 comic book miniseries spin-off from Alan Moore's Tom Strong series. The stories are written by Peter Hogan, and drawn by Yanick Paquette and Karl Story with additional flashback sequences drawn by Eric Theriault. Each story is co-plotted by Alan Moore and Peter Hogan. It was published under Moore's America's Best Comics imprint through Wildstorm Comics, which is owned by DC Comics.
The American Crusader is a superhero who originally appeared in Thrilling Comics #19. He appeared in almost every issue until #41.
The Black Terror is a fictional comic book superhero debuting in Exciting Comics #9, published by Nedor Comics in January 1941. The character was popular and, on the strength of the Black Terror's sales, Nedor made Exciting Comics a monthly magazine starting with issue #11.
Doc Strange is a Golden Age comic book superhero who originally appeared in Thrilling Comics #1 in February 1940. The character continued in Thrilling Comics until issue #64. He also appeared in America's Best Comics #1-23 and 27.
Grim Reaper is a fictional character and a superhero. Created by writer/editor Richard E. Hughes, he first appeared in Fighting Yank #7, and was quickly promoted to cover feature of Wonder Comics, beginning with #1. His origin story was told in Wonder Comics #2.
Peter K. Hogan is an English writer and comics writer, best known for Resident Alien, which he co-created with artist Steve Parkhouse. Hogan began his comics career as editor of cult British comic magazine Revolver in 1990–1991, before working for 2000 AD, American comic book publishers Vertigo, America's Best Comics and Dark Horse Comics
The Society of Modern American Science Heroes', or SMASH, is a team of superheroes whose adventures are published by America's Best Comics and take place on the parallel world of Terra Obscura.
The Fighting Yank is the name of several superheroes, first appearing in Startling Comics #10.
This is a bibliography of works by British author and comic book writer Alan Moore.
Standard Comics was a comic book imprint of American publisher Ned Pines, who also published pulp magazines and paperback books. Standard in turn was the parent company of two comic-book lines: Better Publications and Nedor Publishing. Collectors and historians sometimes refer to them collectively as "Standard/Better/Nedor".
Miss Masque is a fictional masked crime-fighter. She originally appeared in comic books published by Nedor Comics, and was later revived by AC Comics, America's Best Comics, and Dynamite Entertainment.
The Scarab is a fictional superhero from the Golden Age of Comics. He first appeared in Startling Comics #34, published by Nedor Comics. The character was later revived by writer Alan Moore for America's Best Comics.
The American Eagle is a superhero from the Golden Age of Comics. He first appeared in America's Best Comics #2, published by Nedor Comics, an imprint of Standard Comics.
Princess Pantha is a jungle heroine that appeared in comic books published by Nedor Comics. The character was revived twice; first by AC Comics, and then by writer Alan Moore for his Tom Strong spin-off, Terra Obscura. She first appeared in Thrilling Comics #56.
Alan Moore is an English author known primarily for his work in comic books including Watchmen, V for Vendetta, The Ballad of Halo Jones, Swamp Thing, Batman: The Killing Joke, and From Hell. He is widely recognised among his peers and critics as one of the best comic book writers in the English language. Moore has occasionally used such pseudonyms as Curt Vile, Jill de Ray, Brilburn Logue, and Translucia Baboon; also, reprints of some of his work have been credited to The Original Writer when Moore requested that his name be removed.
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