AMAZING HEROES #62 1985 PREVIEW SPECIAL, A-C

The AMAZING HEROES PREVIEW SPECIAL issue was clearly the most popular release of the magazine every year. And in fact, it was so popular and so labor-intensive that it was spun off into its own series after this point. But before that happened, we got this second Preview issue within the body of the run. And as it was the 1985 Preview Edition, it contained advanced information concerning a number of upcoming series, both good and bad, that would be long remembered. As such, it’s an interesting artifact to look back at, and to get a sense of what the assorted creators, editors and fans were most looking forward to, what their plans and intentions were, and what didn’t quite make it to market in the same condition as is described in these pages. There is really nothing akin to these Preview Specials today, even with the internet.

To begin with, here is the list of contributors who did all of the reach-outs, collected all of the information and wrote it all up. A number of these folks went on to greater careers within the industry in years to come, including Diana Schutz and Mark Waid.

“ALAN MOORE’S COMIC” for Fantagraphics never saw the light of day.

Interesting here to see the thinking behind where the BATMAN team was intending to go with the Jason Todd Robin. BATMAN SPECIAL PROJECT, of course, eventually developed into THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS, making this some of the earliest public information released about that seminal project.

I don’t believe BLOODY BONES AND BLACKEYED PEAS ever saw publication.