Tag: Independent

Archie’s Mad House (1959)

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The first 18 issues featured the “Archie gang” in stories that were a bit more “off the wall” than the normal Archie series. The idea was to produce stories that made no sense. The title Mad House was written as two words instead of one to suggest a false connection to MAD Magazine and recapture its success. Beginning with issue 19, the Archie gang was dropped (though it was still called Archie’s Mad House), and the title began featuring monsters, space stories and other wacky short stories. The gags in the comics often parodied the latest fads and popular culture. For a time, it would focus on stories with what were intended to be one-off characters. There were, however, exceptions to this rule. Characters becoming popular enough would appear again.

Terminator – The Burning Earth (1990)

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The story is set as part of the background history of John Connor‘s future war with the machines. It is also set after the events of the 17 part The Terminator (1988–1989) series also penned by Fortier. The story starts with members of the resistance fighting against the machines with John (nicknamed Bear) giving a commentary on how the war has been. Later he is seen having what could only be described as a loss of faith as he is shown putting a pistol to his mouth. However, after watching two lone fighters (one injured) firing on an oncoming Hunter Killer tank only to be run over, John regains his resolve to never stop and never give up.

E-Man (1983) First Comics

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When Staton became art director at First Comics, the publisher acquired the rights to the character from Charlton and launched a series. Cuti was asked to write the title, but his obligations to DC Comics prevented him from accepting. The series was initially written by Martin Pasko, who had previously worked with Staton on Plastic Man and Metal Men. After Pasko’s run, Staton and Paul Kupperberg wrote the series until Cuti took over as writer with issue #24.

As a direct-market publisher not distributed to newsstands, the First series was not obligated to seek Comics Code Authority approval and could address more mature topics than Code-approved comics. Where the Charlton series featured broad whimsical themes, the First Comics series engaged in more specific satire directed at targets including the X-Men, Steven Spielberg, and Scientology.

The first 10 issues each contained a one-page parody of the Hostess snack advertisements that ran in comics through the 1970s and 1980s. These parodies were written and drawn by different creators and featured characters from across the independent comics industry.

Archer and Armstrong – Valiant (1992)

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Murdered by his sadistic parents, Obadiah Archer returns from the dead with uncanny physical abilities and a mission: to punish all evil-doers like his parents; Learning martial arts in the Orient, Archer soon becomes the world’s greatest fighter!; He soon encounters Armstrong, a free-spirited immortal with the strength of ten men!; They have just met when they are attacked by Armstrong’s foes, the Sect.; Can they survive their crazy friendship?

Tales from the Crypt (1950)

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Tales from the Crypt was an American bi-monthly horror comic anthology series published by EC Comics from 1950 to 1955, producing 27 issues (the first issue with the title was #20, previously having been International Comics (#1–5); International Crime Patrol (#6); Crime Patrol (#7–16) and The Crypt of Terror (#17–19) for a total of 46 issues in the series). Along with its sister titles, The Haunt of Fear and The Vault of Horror, Tales from the Crypt was popular, but in the late 1940s and early 1950s comic books came under attack from parents, clergymen, schoolteachers and others who believed the books contributed to illiteracy and juvenile delinquency. In April and June 1954, highly publicized congressional subcommittee hearings on the effects of comic books upon children left the industry shaken. With the subsequent imposition of a highly restrictive Comics Code, EC Comics publisher Bill Gaines cancelled Tales from the Crypt and its two companion horror titles, along with the company’s remaining crime and science fiction series in September 1954.

The Realm (1986)

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Four normal modern day teenagers are plunged into a world they thought only existed in novels and film. They are whisked away to a magical land where dragons roam the skies, orcs and hobgoblins terrorize travelers, and kingdoms wage war for dominance. It is a world where man is just one race, joining other races such as elves, trolls, dwarves, changelings, and the dreaded night creatures who steal the night. Not a typical “dungeons and dragons” world, for this story follows the adventures of these teens into the unknown as we watch the world unfold with their eyes. It is a world that is foreign to them. We learn as they learn. And what hope do these teens have in this strange Middle Earth world? How can they survive against wizards, dwarves, halflings, dragons, and trolls if they had a hard time making it in high school?

 

Joker V1 – Timely Comics (1941)

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Stan Lee makes an appearance in the one-shot digest Joker, on three separate pages. (The only person to sign their text material.) This title would re-start shortly after as a large bedsheet (Life Magazine size) and run 4 more issues as Volume #1-4 on a quarterly basis.  It will also concurrently become a comic book at the same time.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin (2020)

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In a future NYC far different than the one we know today, a lone surviving Turtle goes on a seemingly hopeless mission to obtain justice for his fallen family and friends. Kinetic layouts from Eastman, moody inks from Andy Kuhn and a thrilling script full of surprises from longtime TMNT scribe Tom Waltz all combine to make this one of the most memorable TMNT stories you will ever read! This is a perennial TMNT tale that can’t be missed!

Deadline USA (1992)

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You’ve seen him on MTVs Liquid Television–Richard Sala continues his all-new, ultraterrifying 13 O’clock! He’s harder than hard-boiled, he’s Johnny Nemo by the ultrascientific Peter Milligan and Brett Ewins! It’s sex, it’s rock n’ roll, but is it drugs? It’s Doe, the latest graphic vortex from Harvey Award ultranominee Ho Che Anderson! They play the game, God makes the rules! They’re the A-Men by the ultraconservative Shaky Kane! Plus work by Julie Hollings, Philip Bond, Alec Stevens, D’Israeli and never forget GWAR, puny human! And an ultraspecial music feature! And another ultraschizophrenic cover painting from the corkscrewed psyche of Mitch O’Connell!

Mystic – Atlas (1951)

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Titled simply Mystic and published by Marvel’s 1950s iteration, Atlas Comics, this was a 61-issue horror-suspense anthology (March 1951-Aug. 1957).

Mystic debuted shortly before Atlas’ Strange Tales, increasing the company’s science fiction/fantasy/horror line from four titles to six. Begun prior to the creation of the comic-book industry’s self-censorship board, the Comics Code Authority, Mystic softened its horror when it went under the auspices of the Comics Code beginning with issue #37 (May 1955). The series’ contributors included artists Bill Everett and John Severin.