1980
-Untold Legend of the Batman
Origin and world of the Dark Knight retold. These comics were later reprinted in black-and-white paperback book format that was one of my first experiences with comics.
1981
- Masters of the Universe
He-Man action figures come packaged with miniature comic books. These are some of my first comics.
1982
- The Death of Captain Marvel
This seminal graphic novel from Jim Starlin was among the first real comics I read, many years later, although I have no real date for this event.
1983
-Mister X
Dean Motter introduces this character to launch his vision of retrofuturism.
1984
- Super Powers
DC action figures that included miniature comic books. This is my first real exposure to Green Lantern.
1985
-Crisis on Infinite Earths
Historic crossover event begins.
1986
-Man of Steel
John Byrne's reboot of Superman.
1987
-The Shadow
Series that closely resembles Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale's later work with the Challengers of the Unknown.
1988
-A Death in the Family
DC makes the controversial decision to offer the fate of Jason Todd, the second Boy Wonder, as the result of a phone vote. It makes the papers and this is my first real exposure to Robin outside of the 1960s Batman TV show.
1989
-Tim Drake
The third Robin makes his debut.
1990
-Green Lantern
A new era and series launches.
1991
-Challengers of the Unknown Must Die!
Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale collaborate for the first time.
1992
-Green Lantern: Mosaic
Spinoff featuring John Stewart's solo adventures.
-Bloodwynd
Dan Jurgens introducing this enigmatic new character in the pages of Justice League America.
-Death of Superman
My comics experience effectively begins here. Also, the last of the big three deaths.
1993
-Bloodlines
DC's annuals this year feature the debut of dozens of new heroes including Sparx, Argus, Loose Cannon, Anima, and others.
-Knightfall
Bane runs Batman through a gauntlet, and Bruce Wayne is temporarily replaced by erstwhile Azrael Jean-Paul Valley.
-Robin #1
Tim Drake becomes the first Robin to have his own ongoing series.
-"Return of Barry Allen"
The genius of Mark Waid's run on The Flash at its height, with the introduction of Max Mercury.
-X-Men 2099
The most coherent version of X-Men comics in the '90s.
1994
-Emerald Twilight
Hal Jordan goes crazy, obliterates the Green Lantern corps, and becomes Parallax. And then alley rat Kyle Rayner becomes the last Green Lantern. For a while.
-Zero Hour
I had the opportunity for Golden Age Green Lantern creator Mart Nodell to not only sign Zero Hour #0, but actually sketch the Alan Scott lantern on the cover.
1995
-Alpha Centurion
After an alternate incarnation debuts the previous year, one of the more distinctive supporting characters of '90s Superman comics makes his first appearance.
-Sovereign Seven
Chris Claremont introduces his creator-owned team to DC.
-Bone
Image begins publishing Jeff Smith's epic fantasy. Smith published most of the issues through his own Cartoon Books, but for a brief period, new and reprint issues ran through Image. This was the period where I actively read the series before reading the complete story in the One Volume Edition.
-Impulse
Mark Waid launches the even more brilliant spinoff from his already spectular run on The Flash.
1996
-Superboy and the Ravers
Karl Kesel, Steve Mattsson and Paul Pelletier launch a spinoff of Superboy's main book featuring a host of inspired characters.
-JLA
Grant Morrison launches his pantheon version of the Justice League, thereby introducing me to his visionary superhero approach.
-Nightwing
Chuck Dixon launches Dick Grayson's first ongoing series.
-The Final Night
Stuart Immonen in his most notable work for DC, as artist in this innovative event book that allows superheroes (and villains!) to be introspective.
-Kingdom Come
Mark Waid and Alex Ross collaborate on one of the most literary superhero stories ever.
-X-Nation 2099
2099's answer to Generation X was for the first few issues extremely brilliant, and featured the art of Humberto Ramos. But creative disputes quickly left the series neutered and forgettable.
-Joe Psycho and Moo Frog
One of my favorite personal discoveries.
1997
-Kaboom
The best series from this version of Rob Liefeld's own publishing label (Awesome Entertainment), featuring the work of Jeph Loeb and Jeff Matsuda (the main character's name is also Geoff.)
1998
-Electric Superman
This radical (and temporary) reinvention of Superman remains controversial to this day, though it remains one of my favorite stories for the Man of (Eel).
1999
-Stars and STRIPE
Geoff Johns makes his first mark in comics.
2000
-Ultimate Spider-Man
Brian Michael Bendis enters the mainstream and begins a new Marvel Age.
2001
-New X-Men
Grant Morrison begins his revision of Marvel's mutants.
2002
-Hush
Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee begin a wildly popular run on Batman.
2003
-Superman/Batman
Jeph Loeb begins his last popular success.
2004
-Green Lantern: Rebirth
Geoff Johns begins his epic work in the franchise.
-Identity Crisis
Brad Meltzer revamps DC into a darker and more personal realm.
-Top Cow Talent Search
The company holds its original contest for new creators.
2005
-PX!
Web comic launches, introducing me to the talent of Manny Trembley and original collaborator Eric A. Anderson.
-Seven Soldiers
Grant Morrison's ambitious revision of superhero teams launches, and eventually includes the following mini-series: Manhattan Guardian, Shining Knight, Klarion the Witch Boy, Zatanna, Mister Miracle, Bulleteer, and Frankenstein. This marks my rediscovery of Morrison.
-Young Avengers
Allan Heinberg launches this landmark revision of the Avengers franchise, introducing its next generation.
2006
-52
Legendary collaboration between Grant Morrison, Geoff Johns, Mark Waid, and Greg Rucka, a weekly series chronicling the lost year following Infinite Crisis and the heroes who not only filled in for the missing Big Three, but survived astonishing developments, not the least of which being Black Adam thrusting everyone into WWIII.
-Wasteland
This post-apocalyptic book launches from Oni from the mind of Antony Johnston and original series artist Christopher Mitten.
2007
-Atomic Robo
The star of Red 5 Comics debuts.
-Mice Templar
Innovative look at the heroic journey begins.
2008
-Incredible Hercules
Greg Pak and Fred Van Lente rename The Incredible Hulk in the wake of "World War Hulk" with a charismatic new star.
-Batman: R.I.P.
Grant Morrison reaches the zenith of his run with the Dark Knight to this point, leading to the creation of Batman Incorporated.
-Air
G. Willow Wilson launches her masterpiece at Vertigo.
-The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
Eric Shanower and Skottie Young begin their adaptations of L. Frank Baum.
2009
-The Great Ten
Milestone collaboration between Tony Bedard and Scott McDaniel that remains one of my favorite comics.
-Cobra
IDW's brilliant look at the famed G.I. Joe enemy from a psychological standpoint begins.
-RASL
Jeff Smith launches another epic.
2010
-Forty-Five
Andi Ewington begins an innovative look at an entire world of new superheroes.
2011
-Flashpoint
Geoff Johns relates a revised history and tragedy for Barry Allen, with the Reverse Flash's efforts to destroy him involving the premature death of Barry's mother.
-New 52
Relaunch of DC's line including Action Comics from Grant Morrison, Justice League from Geoff Johns, and Batman and Robin from Peter J. Tomasi and Patrick Gleason.
-The Annotated Sandman
The first of four collections is published in the format I finally read the complete story.
2012
-MIND MGMT
Matt Kindt begins a literary epic.
2013
-The Star Wars
Star Wars as originally envisioned by George Lucas, brought to life by Dark Horse in its last great work with the saga.
-The Sandman: Overture
Neil Gaiman returns to his most ambitious creation.
2014
-Annihilator
What I'm currently considering to be Grant Morrison's best work.
-The Multiversity
Morrison's epic vision of superhero comics.
-Supreme: Blue Rose
Warren Ellis revamps a Rob Liefeld creation and makes it legendary.
2012
-MIND MGMT
Matt Kindt begins a literary epic.
2013
-The Star Wars
Star Wars as originally envisioned by George Lucas, brought to life by Dark Horse in its last great work with the saga.
-The Sandman: Overture
Neil Gaiman returns to his most ambitious creation.
2014
-Annihilator
What I'm currently considering to be Grant Morrison's best work.
-The Multiversity
Morrison's epic vision of superhero comics.
-Supreme: Blue Rose
Warren Ellis revamps a Rob Liefeld creation and makes it legendary.
-Zenith
Grant Morrison’s first superhero epic finally returns to print in the first of four hardcover collections.
2015
-Omega Men
Tom King's brilliant re-imagining of the classic space comic features one-time Green Lantern torchbearer Kyle Rayner and one of the most complex depictions of the war between good and evil in comics history.
2015
-Omega Men
Tom King's brilliant re-imagining of the classic space comic features one-time Green Lantern torchbearer Kyle Rayner and one of the most complex depictions of the war between good and evil in comics history.
2016
-Batman
Tom King begins his DC Rebirth run on the title.
2017
-Mister Miracle
Tom King begins a bold reimagining of Jack Kirby’s Fourth World.
2018
-Hawkman
Robert Venditti’s run begins.
-DC 100-Page Giants
Walmart begins carrying these titles, including the Superman Giants serializing Tom King’s Up in the Sky.
-Green Lantern: Earth One
The Gabriel Hardman/Corinne Bechko graphic novels begin.
2019
-November
The Matt Fraction/Elsa Charretier graphic novel series begins.
2020
-Green Lantern: Legacy
A part of the continuing young readers graphic novel line.
2021
-Future State
DC’s ambitious repackaging of its proposed 5G slate sees print.
-Tuki: Fight for Fire
Jeff Smith’s third creation finally publishes the first of two volumes.
-Grass of Parnassus
Stuart & Kathryn Immonen publish their complete online comic.
2022
-Batman: The Knight
Chip Zdarsky’s vision of how Bruce Wayne trained to become Batman.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.