Category: Independent

Wizard: The Guide to Comics (1991)

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Wizard launched in July 1991. With issue #7, the magazine switched to glossy paper and color printing. Wizard strongly supported new publishers Valiant Comics and Image Comics, heavily promoting their new releases.

With its high-end production values and embodiment of the comic speculator boom, Wizard was an instant hit, with a monthly circulation of more than 100,000 copies.

The magazine also spawned several ongoing magazines dedicated to similar interests such as ToyFare for toys and action figures, Inquest Gamer for collectible game cards, Anime Insider for anime and manga, and Toy Wishes for mainstream toy enthusiasts.

Promethea (1999)

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Promethea is created by Alan Moore, J. H. Williams III and Mick Gray, published by America’s Best Comics/WildStorm.

It tells the story of Sophie Bangs, a college student from an alternate futuristic New York City in 1999, who embodies the powerful entity known as Promethea whose task it is to bring the Apocalypse.

Originally published as 32 issues from 1999 to 2005, the series has been re-published into five graphic novels and one hard-back issue. Moore weaves in elements of magic and mysticism along with superhero mythology and action, spirituality and the afterlife (in particular the Tree of Life) and science-fiction. Promethea includes wide-ranging experimentation with visual styles and art.

Mage – The Hero Discovered (1984)

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The Hero Discovered follows Kevin Matchstick, an alienated young man who meets a wizard called Mirth and discovers that he, among other things, possesses both a magic baseball bat and superhuman abilities. In the course of the comic, he defeats the nefarious plans of a being called the Umbra Sprite. He ultimately discovers that Mirth is Merlin, the baseball bat is Excalibur, and he is, in some ambiguous way, King Arthur. All the chapter titles are lines from Shakespeare’s Hamlet.

Evil Ernie – Revenge (1994)

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Evil Ernie, an undead psychotic killer, is a fictional comic-book character created by writer Brian Pulido and artist Steven Hughes in 1991 and originally published by Eternity Comics. Evil Ernie is currently published by Chaos! Comics and Devil’s Due Publishing.

In this series, Evil has cleared the Eastern Seaboard of human life and now is turning his attention inland. Meanwhile Dr Price and Dr Young are now charged with putting a stop to the undead maniac. They explore the very beginnings of Ernie’s undead rampage and come up with a plan to take him down and sever him from the power that keeps him going once and for all. Smiley button’s personality starts to come to the front as he advises Ernie on tactics and the special relationship between them is explored. Meanwhile in Hell Lady Death is tormented by visions and is unable to control her own kingdom as a winged tormentor haunted her every move.

Fish Police V1 (1985)

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A series by American cartoonist Steve Moncuse. The plot centers on law and crime in a fictional underwater metropolis with the protagonist, Inspector Gill, trying to solve various crimes, often Mafia-related, while avoiding being seduced by the buxom Angel Jones. The comic featured several marine species as its characters, while the plots and dialogue were reminiscent of film noir.

Original Fish Police stories were published from 1985 to 1991. Sam Kieth (The Maxx) inked “a single panel and drew a ‘Next Issue’ pin-up”

Dawn (1995)

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Dawn is the goddess of birth and rebirth. While her appearance depends on who is viewing her, she is generally depicted as a young, red-haired woman with three “tears” running from her left eye (and two running from her right eye, on the few occasions that it has been shown); during the witch hunt, witches were discovered to only cry from their left eyes. She also has a rose on one wrist and a chain on the other. The rose represents Hell, and although it has beauty, it only pricks and hurts a person; the chain represents Heaven because a person can only go so far before they are stopped short by its restrictions. Dawn is the guardian of all the witches on Earth, and the goddess to whom they pray.

Dawn is shown in many different facets, shapes, sizes, and colors. She is generally depicted as a woman; Joseph Michael Linsner stresses that all women are goddesses. Dawn takes many shapes since all shapes are beautiful, and so are all women.

Dark Shadows V1 (1968)

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The forerunner to today’s immensely popular, vampire-themed television programs and theatrical films, Dark Shadows still garners serious attention as one of the most memorable TV shows of the last forty years. First published from 1968 to 1976, the 35 Gold Key comic books featured archetypal tales of vampires, werewolves, and the supernatural.

The Adventurers (1986)

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The Adventurers was a well-produced sword and sorcery title from writer Scott Behnke and Peter Hsu. It draws heavily on fantasy/role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons in creating its world of fearless adventurers, strange magics, horrible monsters, and lost treasures.

The tale begins when eight adventurers are recruited by Tarrus the One-Eyed to recover a magical key from the lost city of Tecumeth. This city had been considered the home of great evil for generations—and with good cause. The adventurers’ quest would be one of constant peril, with the party facing dangers both living and mystical. Although the adventurers have more than their share of differences, they would need all their skills if they were to have any hope of survival.

Ripley’s Believe It or Not!

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For generations, Ripley’s Believe It or Not! told tales of the bizarre and uncanny, but which “were absolutely true—believe it or not!” In doing so, Ripley has introduced readers to everything from child prodigies who composed masterpieces before they turned 12, to great islands built by people throwing pebbles off into the water over a period of several generations.

In this series, previously entitled “True War Stories,” Ripley tends to stretch the bounds of credibility. Readers who do not dispute the existence of spirits may have trouble believing these thrilling tales of ghost ships, hauntings, and other supernatural phenomena. Then again, Ripley has always known how to tell a good yarn—whether you believe it or not!

Scud: The Disposable Assassin (1994)

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In this future, it is possible to obtain robot assassins out of vending machines at the cost of 3 Franks. After terminating their target, the robot self-destructs for easy clean-up. During his first mission, the Scud we follow sees his self-destruct warning in a mirror during an 18-page fight scene. Programmed for self-preservation for the sake of winning fights, Scud doesn’t want to die, so only wounds Jeff bad enough to be put on life support at a nearby hospital, ensuring their mutual survival.

The main plot of Scud: The Disposable Assassin follows Scud’s career as a freelance mercenary and assassin, working to pay off Jeff’s medical bills.