Comic Book History Key Moments in Comic Publishing
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Key Facts
1st appearance and origin of Black Lightning
1st appearance of Tobias Whale
First solo title featuring a black hero at DC
Key Facts
1st appearance and origin of Black Lightning
1st appearance of Tobias Whale
First solo title featuring a black hero at DC
Key Facts
1st team appearance of FemForce, the world's first all-female superteam: Phantom Lady, Synn, Tara, Miss Victory, Blonde Bomber
Key Facts
1st team appearance of FemForce, the world's first all-female superteam: Phantom Lady, Synn, Tara, Miss Victory, Blonde Bomber
Key Facts
1st cameo appearance and death of Miracleman, an alternate reality version of Marvelman
First mention of the standard Marvel Universe referred to as 616
1st full appearance of Captain U.K., in costume
Key Facts
1st cameo appearance and death of Miracleman, an alternate reality version of Marvelman
First mention of the standard Marvel Universe referred to as 616
1st full appearance of Captain U.K., in costume
Key Facts
First digitally-illustrated comic book, created on Apple's 1984 Macintosh Plus running MacPaint
Early issues were printed on a dot-matrix printer, until Apple donated their state-of-the-art LaserWriter which at that time retailed for $6,995 (about $25,000 today)
The story continues in Jon Sable, Freelance #25 which was on newsstands the same day
A four-page preview was first printed in the UK computer magazine Big K #12 in March 1985, preceded by an article that featured artwork in Big K #6 (1984)
Key Facts
First digitally-illustrated comic book, created on Apple's 1984 Macintosh Plus running MacPaint
Early issues were printed on a dot-matrix printer, until Apple donated their state-of-the-art LaserWriter which at that time retailed for $6,995 (about $25,000 today)
The story continues in Jon Sable, Freelance #25 which was on newsstands the same day
A four-page preview was first printed in the UK computer magazine Big K #12 in March 1985, preceded by an article that featured artwork in Big K #6 (1984)
Key Facts
First comic book published by Antarctic Press
Key Facts
First comic book published by Dark Horse Comics founded in 1986
1st appearance of Concrete, an average man's journey through life in a stone body
1st appearance of Black Cross, a fearless warrior in a post-apocalyptic world
Key Facts
First comic book published by Dark Horse Comics founded in 1986
1st appearance of Concrete, an average man's journey through life in a stone body
1st appearance of Black Cross, a fearless warrior in a post-apocalyptic world
Key Facts
Premiere issue of a twelve-issue series that explores the dark side of superheroes from a realistic, flawed perspective
1st appearance of Rorschach, Dr. Manhattan, Ozymandias, Silk Spectre, The Comedian and Night Owl
Alan Moore based his characters off of DC's newly acquired Charlton heroes: the Question, Captain Atom, Thunderbolt, Nightshade, the Peacemaker and Blue Beetle
[July 2023 - Warner Bros. announced an animated Watchmen feature is in development]
Key Facts
Premiere issue of a twelve-issue series that explores the dark side of superheroes from a realistic, flawed perspective
1st appearance of Rorschach, Dr. Manhattan, Ozymandias, Silk Spectre, The Comedian and Night Owl
Alan Moore based his characters off of DC's newly acquired Charlton heroes: the Question, Captain Atom, Thunderbolt, Nightshade, the Peacemaker and Blue Beetle
[July 2023 - Warner Bros. announced an animated Watchmen feature is in development]
Key Facts
100-page, black and white, independently published comic book written and illustrated by Mike Diana then distributed to approximately 300 subscribers
Diana has the distinction of being the first person in the United States to be convicted of 'artistic obscenity' for the graphic content of the Boiled Angel series which included extreme violence, sexual assault and murder of men, women and children
Diana was fined $3,000, ordered to stay away from minors and given three years probation with one of the conditions being to cease creating art
In addition to police viewing Diana's work as illegal, they also supposedly identified the creator as a suspect in the 1990 Gainseville Ripper slayings, of which he was cleared
A documentary about the case titled 'Boiled Angels: The Trial of Mike Diana' was released in 2018
Value unknown
Key Facts
100-page, black and white, independently published comic book written and illustrated by Mike Diana then distributed to approximately 300 subscribers
Diana has the distinction of being the first person in the United States to be convicted of 'artistic obscenity' for the graphic content of the Boiled Angel series which included extreme violence, sexual assault and murder of men, women and children
Diana was fined $3,000, ordered to stay away from minors and given three years probation with one of the conditions being to cease creating art
In addition to police viewing Diana's work as illegal, they also supposedly identified the creator as a suspect in the 1990 Gainseville Ripper slayings, of which he was cleared
A documentary about the case titled 'Boiled Angels: The Trial of Mike Diana' was released in 2018
Value unknown
Key Facts
First cover art by Alex Ross
Key Facts
1st team appearance of the X-Men Gold (team): Storm, Archangel, Colossus, Iceman and Jean Grey
1st team appearance of the X-Men Blue (team): Cyclops, Wolverine, Gambit, Rogue, Psylocke and Beast
1st team appearance of The Acolytes: Fabian Cortez, Annie-Marie Cortez, Chrome, Nance Winters, Delgado
Best-selling comic of all-time with sales of 8.1 million copies
Interior pin-up by Jim Lee, 'A Villains Gallery'
Key Facts
1st team appearance of the X-Men Gold (team): Storm, Archangel, Colossus, Iceman and Jean Grey
1st team appearance of the X-Men Blue (team): Cyclops, Wolverine, Gambit, Rogue, Psylocke and Beast
1st team appearance of The Acolytes: Fabian Cortez, Annie-Marie Cortez, Chrome, Nance Winters, Delgado
Best-selling comic of all-time with sales of 8.1 million copies
Interior pin-up by Jim Lee, 'A Villains Gallery'
Key Facts
First comic book published by Image
1st appearance of Shaft
1st appearance of Chapel
1st appearance of Badrock
1st appearance of Vogue, Link and Diehard
Key Facts
First comic book published by Image
1st appearance of Shaft
1st appearance of Chapel
1st appearance of Badrock
1st appearance of Vogue, Link and Diehard
Key Facts
Marriage of Superman and Lois Lane
Interior art depicts a number of past Superman creators attending the wedding which is officiated by Jerry Siegel
Key Facts
Marriage of Superman and Lois Lane
Interior art depicts a number of past Superman creators attending the wedding which is officiated by Jerry Siegel
Key Facts
First comic book published by Boom Studios
One-shot featuring six zombie stories written by Mark Waid and Keith Giffen
Key Facts
First comic book published by Boom Studios
One-shot featuring six zombie stories written by Mark Waid and Keith Giffen
Key Facts
Final comic to bear the Comics Code Authority logo
Archie was the last publisher to stop submitting books to the CCA following the lead of DC and Marvel
The Comics Code symbol had been in continuous use on Newsstand comics since its inception in 1954
Key Facts
Final comic to bear the Comics Code Authority logo
Archie was the last publisher to stop submitting books to the CCA following the lead of DC and Marvel
The Comics Code symbol had been in continuous use on Newsstand comics since its inception in 1954
Key Facts
Currently holds the Guinness World Record for the most comic characters on the cover of a single issue with 224
1st appearance of Shiklah, Deadpool's betrothed, in printed comics
Shiklah previously appeared in a digital comic only series called Deadpool: The Gauntlet
Key Facts
Currently holds the Guinness World Record for the most comic characters on the cover of a single issue with 224
1st appearance of Shiklah, Deadpool's betrothed, in printed comics
Shiklah previously appeared in a digital comic only series called Deadpool: The Gauntlet
Key Facts
Variant cover art by Ed Piskor featuring Stan Lee
Key Facts
Milestone issue #1000
1st cameo appearance of Arkham Knight in DC continuity
1st appearance of Knute Brody
1st appearance of Echo, the daughter of Batman and Catwoman in an alternate reality
1st appearance of April Fool, the son of Joker in an alternate reality
Key Facts
Milestone issue #1000
1st cameo appearance of Arkham Knight in DC continuity
1st appearance of Knute Brody
1st appearance of Echo, the daughter of Batman and Catwoman in an alternate reality
1st appearance of April Fool, the son of Joker in an alternate reality
Key Facts
Death of Rick Grimes
Key Facts
64-page one-shot
A comprehensive timeline of Image's publishing history in celebration of the company's 30th anniversary
Key Facts
64-page one-shot
A comprehensive timeline of Image's publishing history in celebration of the company's 30th anniversary
Key Facts
Final Previews catalog following the January 2025 bankruptcy announcement of Diamond Comics Distributors
Launched in 1989, the Previews catalog served the 'Direct Market' aka comic book shops with thousands of products listed in this catalog
Key Facts
Final Previews catalog following the January 2025 bankruptcy announcement of Diamond Comics Distributors
Launched in 1989, the Previews catalog served the 'Direct Market' aka comic book shops with thousands of products listed in this catalog
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