The first DC SAMPLER must have proven to be a success, because for the next couple of issues, DC did it again--producing a free comic book-sized magazine promoting all of their upcoming series. You can really see that the switch-over to what DC would become was in full swing by this point, and there's a … Continue reading DC SAMPLER #2
By 1983, DC was on a creative upswing. The arrival of new President and Publisher Jenette Kahn had coincided with efforts to expand DC's efforts into the growing Direct Market of comic book specialty shops that had sprung up across the country. At this time, DC's fortunes on the mainstream Newsstand weren't looking all that … Continue reading DC SAMPLER #1
Over the years, both Marvel and DC have built up a steady stream of ancillary income by licensing out their characters for what are known as "custom comics"--comics dedicated to promoting a company, a perspective or an ideal (or sometimes a specific product or individual.) These books are produced to-order for the client, meaning that … Continue reading The Amazing Spider-Man vs The Prodigy
The April 1978 issue of FREE ENTERPRISE magazine, a publication dedicated to talking about opportunities for investors in which they could potentially profit handsomely, ran a number of pieces on the comic book marketplace of the period. The main one was about the increased value that was being placed on old comic books, but more … Continue reading How To Start A Comic Book Empire
The advent of World War II and the patriotic fervor that hit the nation swiftly became a driving force behind comic books. It was clear almost immediately that young readers, with no other real way of engaging the enemy and helping with the battle effort, wanted to live those experiences vicariously through stories. Consequently, all … Continue reading The Other Captain America
As we've touched upon a couple of times in the past, while Jack Kirby's innovation of turning the mythological figure of Thor into a super hero in the early days of the Marvel Age was undoubtedly a bit of inspiration on his part, it wasn't a thing that happened in a vacuum. In fact, Thor … Continue reading When Batman Fought Thor
At this point, so long after the fact, and with a bevy of films reinforcing the essential ideas of the character, the specifics of who and what Wolverine are have been very well established. But for a very long time, that simply was not the case. And in fact, it would be almost six years … Continue reading When Was Wolverine Wolverine?
In 1947, Stan Lee had been working for Timely Comics for pretty much his entire adult life, beginning in 1940. He had gone off to war, married, and was now ready to spread his wings and attempt some other ventures. By that same token, Stan also had overhead--a new wife to support--and so he wasn't … Continue reading WRITER’S DIGEST Vol. 27, #12: There’s Money In Comics!
Now here is an interesting oddity that we'll talk about a little bit. During World War II, starting in late 1944 and running into 1945, DC/National Comics signed a deal with the United States Navy to provide them with Special Editions of a number of upcoming publications, to be used in the training of sailors … Continue reading ACTION COMICS #80 – U.S. Navy Edition
It's an argument that comes up every couple of months like clockwork, especially when some new film or television project is announced. There are always those that espouse that Batman, in order to be treated realistically, should carry and use a gun. And these people inevitably point to the character's earliest days as justification, talking … Continue reading When Batman Used A Gun
The Tom Brevoort Experience 