DC Comics Presents

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DC Comics Presents
DC Comics Presents 1.jpg
Cover of DC Comics Presents #1 (July–August 1978), art by José Luis García-López and Dan Adkins.
Publication information
Publisher DC Comics
ScheduleBi-monthly (#1–2)
Monthly (#3–97)
Format Ongoing series
Publication dateJuly/August 1978 – September 1986
No. of issues97, plus 4 Annuals
Main character(s) Superman
Creative team
Written by
List
Penciller(s)
List
Inker(s)
List
Colorist(s) Gene D'Angelo

DC Comics Presents is a comic book series published by DC Comics from 1978 to 1986 which ran for 97 issues and four Annuals. It featured team-ups between Superman and a wide variety of other characters in the DC Universe. A recurring back-up feature "Whatever Happened to...?" had stories revealing the status of various minor and little-used characters.

Contents

Publication history

DC Comics Presents debuted with a July/August 1978 cover date and was edited by Julius Schwartz. [1] The series was launched with a team-up of Superman and the Flash by writer Martin Pasko and artist José Luis García-López. [2] The winner of the DC Comics Presents letter column name contest appeared in the Superman/Hawkman story in issue #11 (July 1979). [3] The "Whatever Happened to...?" backup feature began in issue #25 (Sept. 1980) and would appear in most issues for the next two years until its last installment in issue #48 (Aug. 1982). [4] Issue #26 included an insert introduction story to the then-upcoming New Teen Titans series by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez. [5] Len Wein and Jim Starlin co-created the supervillain Mongul in issue #27 (Nov. 1980) [6] as part of a three-issue storyline. [7] [8] [9] Another insert in issue #41 previewed the "new direction" Wonder Woman. [10] In issue #47, Superman traveled to Eternia and met the Masters of the Universe. [11] Ambush Bug made his first appearance in issue #52 (Dec. 1982) [12] and made additional appearances in issues #59 and 81. [13] [14] The Superman/Challengers of the Unknown tale in issue #84 was drawn by Jack Kirby and Alex Toth. [15] The series also contained the Alan Moore Superman/Swamp Thing story "The Jungle Line" in DC Comics Presents #85 (Sept. 1985), pencilled by Rick Veitch and inked by Al Williamson. Issue #87 featured the first appearance and origin of Superboy-Prime. [16] The last issue is an exception to the team-up format, instead featuring Superman in an "Untold Tale" involving the Phantom Zone by Steve Gerber, [17] following up as the conclusion to Gerber's previous limited series of the same title.

In 2004, the title DC Comics Presents was revived for eight one-shot issues, each a tribute to Schwartz, who had recently died. Each issue featured two stories based on a classic DC Comics cover of the past, reflecting Schwartz's frequent practice of commissioning a cover concept, then telling the writers to create a story about that cover.

In 2010, DC launched a new DC Comics Presents, a line of 100-page reprint issues reprinting stories that have not seen print since their original publication.

IssueCharacter(s)
#1 Flash [2]
#2Flash
#3 Adam Strange
#4 Metal Men
#5 Aquaman
#6 Green Lantern
#7 Red Tornado
#8 Swamp Thing
#9 Wonder Woman
#10 Sgt. Rock
#11 Hawkman
#12 Mister Miracle
#13 Legion of Super-Heroes
#14 Superboy
#15 Atom
#16 Black Lightning [Note 1]
#17 Firestorm
#18 Zatanna
#19 Batgirl
#20 Green Arrow
#21 Elongated Man [Note 2]
#22 Captain Comet
#23 Doctor Fate
#24 Deadman
#25 Phantom Stranger
#26Green Lantern
#27 Martian Manhunter [6]
#28 Supergirl
#29 Spectre
#30 Black Canary
#31 Robin
#32 Wonder Woman
#33 Captain Marvel
#34 Marvel Family
#35 Man-Bat
#36 Starman
#37 Hawkgirl
#38Flash
#39 Plastic Man [Note 2]
#40 Metamorpho [Note 1]
#41 Joker
#42 Unknown Soldier
#43Legion of Super-Heroes
#44 Dial H for Hero
#45Firestorm
#46 Global Guardians
#47 Masters of the Universe
#48 Aquaman
#49Captain Marvel
#50 Clark Kent
#51Atom
#52 Doom Patrol [12]
#53 House of Mystery
#54Green Arrow
#55 Air Wave
#56 Power Girl
#57 Atomic Knights
#58Elongated Man
#58Robin
#59 Legion of Substitute Heroes
#60 Guardians of the Universe
#61 OMAC
#62 Freedom Fighters
#63 Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld
#64 Kamandi
#65 Madame Xanadu
#66 Etrigan the Demon
#67 Santa Claus
#68 Vixen
#69 Blackhawk
#70Metal Men
#71 Bizarro
#72Phantom Stranger, Joker
#73Flash
#74Hawkman
#75 Arion
#76Wonder Woman
#77 Forgotten Heroes
#78Forgotten Villains
#79Clark Kent
#80Legion of Super-Heroes
#81 Ambush Bug
#82Adam Strange
#83 Batman and the Outsiders
#84 Challengers of the Unknown
#85Swamp Thing
#86Supergirl
#87 Superboy-Prime [16]
#88 Creeper
#89 Omega Men
#90Firestorm
#90 Captain Atom
#91Captain Comet
#92 Vigilante
#93Elastic Four [Note 3]
#94 Harbinger, Lady Quark, Pariah
#95Hawkman
#96 Blue Devil
#97 Phantom Zone villains
Annual #1 Superman (Earth-Two)
Annual #2 Superwoman
Annual #3Captain Marvel
Annual #4Superwoman
  1. 1 2 Also appeared as a member of the Outsiders in issue #83.
  2. 1 2 Also appeared as a member of the Elastic Four in issue #93.
  3. ↑ The Elastic Four was a one-time unofficial team made up of Plastic Man, the Elongated Man, Elastic Lad and the Malleable Man.
IssueCharacter(s)
#25 Hourman
#26 Sargon the Sorcerer
#27 Congorilla
#28 Johnny Thunder (John Tane) and Madame .44
#29 Doctor Mid-Nite
#30 Atom
#31 Robotman
#32Mark Merlin and Prince Ra-Man
#33 Star Hawkins
#35 Rex the Wonder Dog
#37 Rip Hunter
#38 Crimson Avenger
#39 Richard Dragon
#40 Air Wave
#42 Sandman
#47 Sandy
#48 Black Pirate

Writer Mike Tiefenbacher had several proposals for other "Whatever Happened to...?" stories. These included Captain Action, Blackhawk, Genius Jones, Nighthawk, Ragman, the Sea Devils, Silent Knight, and Wildcat. [4]

Julius Schwartz tribute

In September and October 2004, the title DC Comics Presents was revived for a series of eight one-shot issues, each a tribute to DC editor Julius Schwartz, who had died the previous February. [18] Each issue featured two stories based on a classic DC Comics cover of the past, reflecting Schwartz's frequent practice of commissioning a cover concept, then telling the writers to create a story about that cover.

DC Comics Presents:DateNotes
DC Comics Presents: Batman #1September 2004Cover art by Adam Hughes is a homage to the cover of Batman #183 (August 1966).
DC Comics Presents: Green Lantern #1Cover art by Brian Bolland is a homage to the cover of Green Lantern #31 (September 1964).
DC Comics Presents: Hawkman #1Cover art by José Luis García-López and Kevin Nowlan is a homage to the cover of Hawkman #6 (February–March 1965).
DC Comics Presents: Mystery in Space #1Cover art by Alex Ross is a homage to the cover of Mystery in Space #82 (March 1963).
DC Comics Presents: Flash #1October 2004Cover art by Alex Ross is a homage to The Flash #163 (August 1966).
DC Comics Presents: Justice League of America #1Cover art by José Luis García-López is a homage to Justice League of America #53 (May 1967).
DC Comics Presents: Superman #1Cover art by Adam Hughes is a homage to the cover of Superman #264 (June 1973).
DC Comics Presents: The Atom #1Cover art by Brian Bolland is a homage to the cover of The Atom #10 (December 1963 – January 1964).

2010 revival

In 2010, DC launched a new DC Comics Presents series featuring stories that have not seen print since their original publication. The issues are: [19] [20]

Collected editions

See also

References

  1. ↑ Kingman, Jim (August 2013). "Men of Steel: Superman and Julius Schwartz in World's Finest Comics and DC Comics Presents". Back Issue! (#66). Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing: 53–64.
  2. 1 2 McAvennie, Michael (2010). "1970s". In Dolan, Hannah (ed.). DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle. London, United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. p. 179. ISBN   978-0-7566-6742-9. A new ongoing Superman series started to mix things up by teaming the Man of Steel with other heroes in the DC Universe. Writer Martin Pasko and artist José Luis García-López launched the inaugural issue.
  3. ↑ DC Comics Presents #11 at the Grand Comics Database
  4. 1 2 Wells, John (May 2013). "Flashback: Whatever Happened to...?". Back Issue! (#64). Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing: 51–61.
  5. ↑ Manning, Matthew K. "1980s" in Dolan, p. 188: "[The New Teen Titans] went on to become DC's most popular comic team of its day. Not only the springboard for the following month's The New Teen Titans #1, the preview's momentous story also featured the first appearance of future DC mainstays Cyborg, Starfire, and Raven".
  6. 1 2 Manning "1980s" in Dolan, p. 188: "Artist Jim Starlin displayed his penchant for portraying powerful cosmic villains with the debut of Mongul, a new threat to plague Superman's life, in a story written by Len Wein".
  7. ↑ Wein, Len  ( w ), Starlin, Jim  ( p ), Giordano, Dick ; McLaughlin, Frank  ( i )."The Key That Unlocked Chaos!"DC Comics Presents,no. 27(November 1980).
  8. ↑ Wein, Len ( w ),Starlin, Jim ( p ), Tanghal, Romeo  ( i )."Warworld!"DC Comics Presents,no. 28(December 1980).
  9. ↑ Wein, Len ( w ),Starlin, Jim ( p ),Tanghal, Romeo ( i )."Where No Superman Has Gone Before"DC Comics Presents,no. 29(January 1981).
  10. ↑ Sanderson, Peter (September–October 1981). "Thomas/Colan Premiere Wonder Woman's New Look". Comics Feature (12/13). New Media Publishing: 23. The hotly-debated new Wonder Woman uniform will be bestowed on the Amazon Princess in her first adventure written and drawn by her new creative team: Roy Thomas and Gene Colan...This story will appear as an insert in DC Comics Presents #41.
  11. ↑ Kupperberg, Paul  ( w ), Swan, Curt  ( p ), DeCarlo, Mike  ( i )."From Eternia—with Death!"DC Comics Presents,no. 47(July 1982).
  12. 1 2 Manning "1980s" in Dolan, p. 199: "[Ambush Bug] made his debut in the pages of DC Comics Presents #52...[by] writer Paul Kupperberg and artist Keith Giffen".
  13. ↑ Giffen, Keith ; Levitz, Paul  ( w ),Giffen, Keith; Schaffenberger, Kurt  ( p ),Schaffenberger, Kurt ( i )."Ambush Bug II"DC Comics Presents,no. 59(July 1983).
  14. ↑ Giffen, Keith; Fleming, Robert Loren  ( w ),Giffen, Keith ( p ), Oksner, Bob  ( i )."All This and Kobra Too!"DC Comics Presents,no. 81(May 1985).
  15. ↑ Rozakis, Bob  ( w ), Kirby, Jack and Toth, Alex  ( p ), Theakston, Greg  ( i )."Give Me Power... Give Me Your World!"DC Comics Presents,no. 84(August 1985).
  16. 1 2 Manning "1980s" in Dolan, p. 215: "This issue set into motion the life of Earth-Prime's youngest superhero, a major player in the Crisis on Infinite Earths saga, and the brutal adversary at the heart of 2005-2006's Infinite Crisis limited series".
  17. ↑ Gerber, Steve  ( w ), Veitch, Rick  ( p ), Smith, Bob  ( i )."Phantom Zone: The Final Chapter"DC Comics Presents,no. 97(September 1986).
  18. ↑ Cowsill, Alan "2000s" in Dolan, p. 314: "When DC Comics' icon Julius Schwartz sadly passed away in February 2004, some kind of major tribute was required...To celebrate his life, DC revived the DC Comics Presents series, producing eight one-shots in which DC writers and artists put their own twists on covers inspired by Schwartz and reimagined classic Silver Age stories".
  19. ↑ Segura, Alex (July 16, 2010). "And Now...DC Comics Presents". DC Comics.com. Archived from the original on November 29, 2011. Retrieved January 16, 2012.
  20. ↑ "DC Comics Solitications for November 2010". Comic Book Resources. August 16, 2010. Archived from the original on June 17, 2011. Retrieved January 16, 2012.
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