Men in Black (comics)

Supercbbox
title= The Men in Black


caption="The Men in Black" - first issue. Cover art by Max S Fellwalker
schedule= Monthly
format=Mini-series
One-shots
publisher= Aircel Comics
Malibu Comics
Marvel Comics
date= January-March 1990
May-July 1991
1997
issues=3
3
4
main_char_team=
writers= Lowell Cunningham
artists= Sandy Carruthers
pencillers=
inkers=
colorists=
creative_team_month=
creative_team_year=
creators= Lowell Cunningham
TPB=The Men in Black
ISBN= 0944735606

"The Men in Black" was a comic book created and written by Lowell Cunningham, illustrated by Sandy Carruthers, and published by Aircel Comics. Aircel would later be bought out by Malibu Comics, which itself was bought out by Marvel Comics. Three issues were published in 1990, with another three the following year.

It was adapted into a film which resulted in a sequel and various spin-offs, as well as a number of tie-in one-shot comics from Marvel.

Publication history

The first series consisted of three issues and was published in 1990 by Aircel Comics. After being acquired by Malibu Comics a second series appeared in 1991.

Malibu was bought by Marvel in 1994 and "Men in Black" was one of the properties they developed. So when the first film appeared Marvel published a number of one-shots in 1997, including two prequels, [comicbookdb|type=issue|id=29889|title="Men in Black: Initiation"] [comicbookdb|type=issue|id=2458|title="Men in Black: Far Cry"] a sequel [comicbookdb|type=issue|id=2470|title="Men in Black: Retribuition"] and a movie adaptation [comicbookdb|type=issue|id=92797|title="Men in Black: Movie Adaptation"]

Fictional history

The Men in Black are a secret organization that monitors and suppresses paranormal activity on Earth (which includes aliens, demons, mutants, and other such beings), while keeping the populace ignorant of its happenings. Notable members include Zed, Jay, and Kay. An agent named Ecks went rogue after learning the truth behind the MiB: they seek to manipulate and reshape the world in their own image by keeping the supernatural hidden.

An agent will use any means necessary, including murder and destruction, to accomplish a mission. All agents sever every tie with their former lives, and as far as the world is concerned, they do not exist. Agents who go rogue, such as Ecks did, are hunted down and eliminated.

Adaptations

They inspired the 1997 film "Men in Black" and its sequel and spin-offs, including a soundtrack with an award-winning song, the TV show "", a novelization of each film, video games, and an .

A major difference in the film version is that the secret organization was created only to police and monitor "extraterrestrial" activity on Earth.

Collected editions

The first series has been collected into a trade paperback (June 1990, ISBN 0944735606).

Notes

References

*gcdb series|id=26170|title="Men in Black"
*comicbookdb|type=title|id=12129|title="Men in Black"
*gcdb series|id=30715|title="Men in Black II"
*comicbookdb|type=title|id=15214|title="Men in Black II"
* [http://www.toonopedia.com/meninblk.htm Men in Black] at Don Markstein's Toonopedia