First Comics

Infobox Company
company_name = First Comics
company_
company_type = Comic publisher
company_slogan =
foundation = 1983
founder =
key_people =
location =
industry = Comics
homepage =

First Comics was an American comic-book publisher.

History

First Comics launched in 1983 with a line-up of creators including Frank Brunner, Mike Grell, Howard Chaykin, Joe Staton, Steven Grant, Mike Baron, Steve Rude, Tim Truman, and Jim Starlin. Its titles met with variable success and the company eventually went under in 1991.

Among its best-known titles were Chaykin's satirical futuristic cop series "American Flagg"; John Ostrander and Tim Truman's "GrimJack"; the space-superhero series "Nexus", by Mike Baron and Steve Rude; an action/superhero/fantasy/comedy series called "Badger", also by Baron; Jim Starlin's space opera series "Dreadstar" and Mike Grell's "Jon Sable", which was briefly adapted for TV. First also published a series of comic adaptations of the "Eternal Champion" books by Michael Moorcock and English translations of the Japanese manga series "Lone Wolf and Cub". The company's final major project was a revival of "Classics Illustrated".

Dark Horse Comics would later reprint the Lone Wolf and Cub series, and finally complete it. In 2005, IDW Publishing revived "Jon Sable" and "GrimJack" with new miniseries and reprint collections of the First Comics issues, and would also publish a complete collection of "Mars". In 2007 IDW also started reprinting "Badger" as well as starting a new series. [ [http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=11727 Mike Baron’s “Badger” is Back] , Comic Book Resources, August 29, 2007] IDW also reprinted the four Oz stories by Eric Shanower originally published as issues "First Graphic Novel" as "Adventures in Oz". "First Graphic Novel" also featured colorized reprints of early issues of the original "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" series, which artist Kevin Eastman loathed.

Titles

*"American Flagg!" (50 issues, plus special, then 12 issues mini)
*"Badger" (66 issues)

*"Corum:
**"The Chronicles of Corum" (12 issues, 1987-1988)
**"The Bull and the Spear" (4 issues, 1989)

*"Classics Illustrated" (27 issues)
*"Crossroads" (5 issues)
*"Dreadstar" (from Epic Comics, 38 issues)
*"Dynamo Joe" (15 issues, plus 1 special)

*"Elric":
**"Sailor on the Seas of Fate" (7 issues, 1985-1986)
**"Elric of Melnibone" (1 issue, 1986)
**"Weird of the White Wolf" (5 issues, 1986-1987)
**"The Vanishing Tower" (6 issues, 1987-1988)
**"The Bane of the Black Sword" (6 issues, 1988)
*"E-Man" (25 issues, goes to Comico)
*"Evangeline" (12 issues, goes to Comico)
*"First Adventures" (5 issues, anthology series featuring Whisper, Blaze Barlow, and Dynamo Joe)
*"First Graphic Novel", anthology series featuring Nexus, Oz, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and others
*"The Gift" (one-shot)
*"GrimJack" (81 issues)
*"Hammer of God: Sword of Justice" (2 issue mini-series, tie-in with Nexus)
*"Hawkmoon: The Sword of Dawn" (4 issue mini-series, Michael Moorcock adaptation, 1986)
*"Jon Sable" (56 issues)
*"Lone Wolf and Cub" (45 issues)
*"Mars" (12 issues)
*"Meta-4" (3 issues)
*"Munden's Bar" (2 specials)
*"Nexus" (74 issues)
*"Shatter" (14 issues)
*"Starslayer" (28 issues)
*"Time Squared" (two graphic novels)
*"Warp" (19 issues, plus 3 specials)
*"Whisper" (37 issues)

Footnotes

References

* [http://www.internationalhero.co.uk/f/first.htm First Comics at International Superheroes]
* [http://home.hiwaay.net/~tfharris/pulpculture/columns/050217.shtml First Comics history]