Category: DC Bronze Age

The Brave and the Bold (1980’s)

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The character Nemesis, also known as Thomas Tresser, debuted in an eight-page backup story in issue #166 (September 1980) written by Cary Burkett and drawn by Dan Spiegle. The Tresser character was created by Burkett in 1979, and named for an actor with whom Burkett was rooming in New Hampshire.

Alan Brennert wrote four issues of The Brave and the Bold featuring Batman teaming with the Creeper, Hawk and Dove, the Robin of Earth-Two, and the Catwoman.

The title’s final issue featured a team-up of the Batmen of Earth-One and Earth-Two and included a preview of Batman and the Outsiders, the title that replaced The Brave and the Bold on DC’s schedule and became Aparo’s next regular assignment.

Tor (1974)

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After his debut in 1,000,000 Years Ago (St. John, September 1953), Tor immediately went on to become one of the first comic book characters to star in 3-D comic books. The second issue of that series was renamed 3-D Comics before being renamed Tor with issue #3 in May 1954. At this point the series was once again in the traditional two-dimensional format. This series lasted until issue #5 (October 1954).

In 1959, Kubert and inker Carmine Infantino unsuccessfully attempted to sell Tor as a newspaper comic strip. The samples consisted of 12 daily strips, reprinted in six pages in Alter Ego #10 (1969) and later expanded to 16 pages in DC Comics‘ Tor #1. DC Comics would publish the Tor series for 6 issues from 1974-1975.

Doorway to Nightmare (1978)

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Doorway to Nightmare, introduced in 1978, was the last of the DC “Mystery” line of titles in the 1970s that became the forerunner of Vertigo. It did not have a consistent creative team—the intent was to create writer-artist pairings that had never occurred before, except for the cover art of Michael William Kaluta. Madame Xanadu, the star of the series, was not a host but an active participant, albeit never the main character in her stories.

1st Issue Special (1975)

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1st Issue Special was a comics anthology series from DC Comics, done in a similar style to their Showcase series. It was published from April 1975 to April 1976. The goal was to showcase a new possible first issue of an ongoing series each month, with some issues debuting new characters and others reviving dormant series from DC’s past. No series were actually launched from 1st Issue Special but the Warlord made his first appearance in the title and the character’s ongoing series was already slated to debut a few months later.

Secrets of Haunted House (1975)

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The series began in April–May 1975. Like its predecessor Secrets of Sinister House, Secrets of Haunted House was originally “hosted” by Cain, Abel, Eve, and Destiny who had moved over from Weird Mystery Tales. By issue #10 (Feb.–March 1978), Destiny was the only one of these who remained a regular. In issue #40 (Sept. 1981), Abel returned with no further mention of Destiny.

A Secrets of Haunted House Special was published in 1978 as part of the DC Special Series umbrella title. Secrets of Haunted House was a temporary victim of the “DC Implosion.” With issue #14 (Oct.–Nov. 1978), it was cancelled but revived a year later with issue #15 (Aug. 1979). The title continued until issue #46 (March 1982).

DC Comics Presents V1 (1978)

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DC Comics Presents debuted with a July/August 1978 cover date . The series was launched with a team-up of Superman and the Flash by writer Martin Pasko and artist José Luis García-López.  Issue #26 included an insert introduction story to the then-upcoming New Teen Titans series by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez. Len Wein and Jim Starlin co-created the supervillain Mongul in issue #27 (Nov. 1980) as part of a three-issue storyline. Another insert in issue #41 previewed the “new direction” Wonder Woman. In issue #47, Superman traveled to Eternia and met the Masters of the Universe. Ambush Bug made his first appearance in issue #52 (Dec. 1982)  and made additional appearances in issue #59 and #81. The Superman/Challengers of the Unknown tale in issue #84 was drawn by Jack Kirby and Alex Toth. The series also contained the Alan Moore Superman/Swamp Thing story “The Jungle Line” in DC Comics Presents #85 (Sept. 1985), pencilled by Rick Veitch and inked by Al Williamson. Issue #87 featured the first appearance and origin of the divergent Kal-El of the Earth Prime reality, who would become known as Superboy-Prime. The final issue is an exception to the team-up format, instead featuring Superman in an “Untold Tale” involving the Phantom Zone, by Steve Gerber, following up in his limited series of the same title.

Challengers of the Unknown (1977)

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In 1977, the group returned to its own title continuing the number with #81. During this period, they were joined by Deadman and Swamp Thing, and June Robbins got a uniform and official status. No explanation was given for Corinna Stark’s departure, nor June’s joining the team. The revived series was canceled with issue #87 in 1978.

The Unexpected (1970’s)

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In 1979, The Unexpected converted to the Dollar Comics format and incorporated House of Secrets and The Witching Hour. Each “Unexpected” story would always include the word in its last panel. After the merge, this was only true of the Unexpected section; there would then be complete, ad-free issues of The Witching Hour, hosted by its witches, and The House of Secrets, hosted by Abel. The Witching Hour feature was alternated with Doorway to Nightmare starring Madame Xanadu, which appeared in issues #190, 192, 194, and 195.

New Adventures of Superboy (1980)

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his series was published by DC Comics from January of 1980, until June of 1984, branching off from Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes, which also split into Legion of Super-Heroes (Volume 2) and from the Superman Family Vol 1. Like its predecessor, Volume 1, this title focused on the adventures of young Clark Kent before he became Superman. The majority of his adventures took place in his home town of Smallville, Kansas. The title contains the final appearances of the Earth-One Superboy prior to the eradication of the Earth-One continuity during the Crisis on Infinite Earths. Between 1984 and the 1986 Post-Crisis continuity relaunch, the only Superboy to appear in DC Comics was Superboy-Prime.

Green Lantern V1 (1970’s)

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Green Lantern is the name of a number of superheroes appearing comic books published by DC Comics. They fight evil with the aid of rings that grant them a variety of extraordinary powers.

The first Green Lantern character, Alan Scott, was created in 1940 during the initial popularity of superheroes. Alan Scott usually fought common criminals in New York City with the aid of his magic ring. The publication of this character ceased in 1949 during a general decline in the popularity of superhero comics, but the character saw a limited revival in later decades.

In 1959, to capitalize on the booming popularity of science fiction, the Green Lantern character was reinvented as Hal Jordan, an officer for an interstellar law enforcement agency known as the Green Lantern Corps. Additional members of this agency, all of whom call themselves Green Lanterns, were introduced over time. Prominent Green Lanterns who also have had starring roles in the books include Guy Gardner, John Stewart, Kyle Rayner, and Simon Baz.