January 1986 - February 1986

American Flagg! #29.

Edited by Laurel Fitch. The comic features the story “The Fire This Time!, Part 2,” by Howard Chaykin & Joe Staton, with Hilary Barta. Cover illustration by Howard Chaykin. Standard-format comic book. Color interiors. 36 pages. Chicago: First. Cover/indicia date: May 1986. Cover price: $1.25.

Note

The exact publication date is unknown. No copyright registration was filed. First Comics cover-dated their color comics four months ahead of publication.

B. C.: …Why Me?, Johnny Hart.

The book features material originally published in Johnny Hart’s B. C. daily newspaper strip. Cover illustration by Johnny Hart. Mass-market paperback book. 132 pages. Greenwich, CT: Fawcett Gold Medal. Cover/indicia date: January 1986. Cover price: $2.50.

Note

The exact publication is unknown. No copyright registration was filed.

Cerebus #82.

The comic features the story Church & State (Chapter 31): “Talking Heads,” by Dave Sim & Gerhard. Cover illustration by Dave Sim. Standard-format comic book. Black-and-white interiors. 28 pages. Kitchener, Ontario, Canada: Aardvark-Vanaheim. Cover/indicia date: January 1986. Cover price: $1.70.

Note

The exact publication date is unknown. This is a Canadian publication. No copyright registration has been filed in the United States.

The Complete E. C. Segar Popeye, Vol. 4.

Edited by Bill Blackbeard & Rick Marschall. The book features the Sunday episodes originally published between 1936 and 1938 from E. C. Segar’s Thimble Theatre daily-newspaper strip. Foreword by Dik Browne.Introductions by Rick Marschall and Bill Blackbeard. Cover illustration by E. C. Segar. Trade-paperback book. Black-and-white interiors. 128 pages. Agoura, CA: Fantagraphics. Cover/indicia date: July 1985. Cover price: $14.95.

Notes

The exact publication date is unknown. No copyright registration was filed.

The trade-paperback edition was published simultaneously with a limited-print-run hardcover edition.

Miracleman #5.

Edited by Dez Skinn. The comic features material originally published in England’s Warrior magazine. The stories are “The Approaching Light (Book Two, Chapter 5),” “I Heard Woodrow Wilson’s Guns… (Book Two, Chapter 6),” and “A Little Piece of Heaven (Book Two, Chapter 7),” all by Alan Moore & Alan Davis. Cover illustration by Paul Gulacy. Standard-format comic book. Color interiors. 36 pages. Guerneville, CA: Eclipse. Cover/indicia date: January 1986. Cover price: 95¢.

Notes

The exact publication date is unknown. No copyright registration was filed.

The feature was originally titled Marvelman in its run in Warrior magazine. It was changed to Miracleman to placate trademark-infringement concerns from Marvel Comics.

Mad’s Don Martin Sails Ahead.

Published on January 2, 1986. The book features new material by cartoonist Don Martin, with some scriptwriting assistance from Don “Duck” Edwing and Dick DeBartolo. Cover illustration by Don Martin. Mass-market paperback book. Black-and-white interiors. 196 pages. New York: Warner. Cover/indicia date: January 1986. Cover price: $2.95.

Steve Canyon #12.

Published on January 6, 1986. Edited by Peter Poplaski & Dave Schreiner. The magazine features the material published between October 9, 1950 and January 27, 1951 in Milton Caniff’s Steve Canyon daily-newspaper strip. It also includes the material published between May 9 and June 16, 1934 in Noel Sickles’ Scorchy Smith daily-newspaper strip. Cover illustration by Milton Caniff. Magazine-format. Black-and-white interiors. 76 pages. Princeton, WI: Kitchen Sink. Cover/indicia date: September 1985. Cover price: $4.95.

Daredevil #230.

Published on January 7, 1986. Edited by Ralph Macchio. The comic features the story “Born Again” (Daredevil: Born Again, Chapter 4), by Frank Miller & David Mazzucchelli. Cover illustration by David Mazzucchelli. Standard-format comic book. Color interiors. 36 pages. New York: Marvel. Cover/indicia date: May 1986. Cover price: 75¢.

Sergio Aragonés’ Groo the Wanderer #15.

Published on January 14, 1986. Edited by Archie Goodwin. The comic features the stories “Groo and the Monks” and “The Minstrel’s Song,” by Sergio Aragonés, with Mark Evanier. Cover illustration by Sergio Aragonés. Standard-format comic book. Color interiors. 36 pages. New York: Epic (Marvel). Cover/indicia date: May 1986. Cover price: 75¢.

The Spirit #15.

Published on January 17, 1986. Edited by Denis Kitchen. The comic features stories first published in 1947 in Will Eisner’s The Spirit Sunday-newspaper comic-book insert. The stories include “Heel Scalopini” (02-23-1947), “A Granule of Time” (03-02-1947), “Silken Floss, M. D.” (03-09-1947), and “Hoagy the Yogi” (03-16-1947). Introduction by Dave Schreiner. Cover illustration by Will Eisner. Standard-format comic book. Black-and-white interiors. 36 pages. Princeton, WI: Kitchen Sink. Cover/indicia date: January 1986. Cover price: $1.95.

Swamp Thing #48.

Published on January 28, 1986. Edited by Karen Berger. The comic features the story “A Murder of Crows,” by Alan Moore & John Totleben. Cover illustration by Stephen R. Bissette, with John Totleben. Standard-format comic book. Color interiors. 36 pages. New York: DC. Cover/indicia date: May 1986. Cover price: 75¢.

American Flagg! #30.

Edited by Laurel Fitch. The comic features the story “The Fire This Time!, Conclusion,” by Howard Chaykin & Joe Staton, with Hilary Barta. Cover illustration by Howard Chaykin. Standard-format comic book. Color interiors. 36 pages. Chicago: First. Cover/indicia date: June 1986. Cover price: $1.25.

Note

The exact publication date is unknown. No copyright registration was filed. First Comics cover-dated their color comics four months ahead of publication.

This issue was the end of Howard Chaykin's original run on the series.

Cerebus #83.

The comic features the story Church & State (Chapter 32): “Touch Not the Priestess,” by Dave Sim & Gerhard. Cover illustration by Dave Sim. Standard-format comic book. Black-and-white interiors. 28 pages. Kitchener, Ontario, Canada: Aardvark-Vanaheim. Cover/indicia date: February 1986. Cover price: $1.70.

Note

The exact publication date is unknown. This is a Canadian publication. No copyright registration has been filed in the United States.

Love and Rockets #16.

Edited by Gary Groth. The magazine includes the Locas story “House of Raging Women,” by Jaime Hernandez, and the Palomar story “Love Bites,” by Gilbert Hernandez. Cover illustration by Jaime Hernandez. Magazine format. Black-and-white interiors. 44 pages. Agoura, CA: Fantagraphics. Cover/indicia date: March 1986 (February 1986). Cover price: $2.25.

Note

The exact publication date is unknown. No copyright registration has been filed.

Miracleman #6.

Edited by Dez Skinn. The comic includes material originally published in England’s Warrior magazine. The stories are “And Every Dog His Day (Book Two, Chapter 8),” by Alan Moore & Alan Davis, and “All Heads Turn as the Hunt Goes By (Book Two, Chapter 9),” by Alan Moore & Chuck Beckum (Chuck Austen). Cover illustration by Timothy Truman. Standard-format comic book. Color interiors. 36 pages. Guerneville, CA: Eclipse. Cover/indicia date: February 1986. Cover price: 95¢.

Notes

The exact publication date is unknown. No copyright registration was filed.

The feature was originally titled Marvelman in its run in Warrior magazine. It was changed to Miracleman to placate trademark-infringement concerns from Marvel Comics.

The Qwerty Mad.

Published on February 3, 1986. The book features selections first published in Mad #188-192 and 194-201. The contributors include Sergio Aragonés, Armanli, Dave Berg, Bob Clarke, Paul Coker, Jr., Jack Davis, Dick DeBartolo, Mort Drucker, Don “Duck” Edwing, Stan Hart, Frank Jacobs, Bob Jones, Tom Koch, Don Martin, Harry North, Esq., Antonio Prohias, Paul Peter Porges, Jack Rickard, Larry Siegel, Lou Silverstone, Dennis Snee, and Angelo Torres. Cover illustration by Armanli. Mass-market paperback book. Black-and-white interiors. 196 pages. New York: Warner. Cover/indicia date: February 1985. Cover price: $2.95.

Daredevil #231.

Published on February 4, 1986. Edited by Ralph Macchio. The comic features the story “Saved” (Daredevil: Born Again, Chapter 5), by Frank Miller & David Mazzucchelli. Cover illustration by David Mazzucchelli. Standard-format comic book. Color interiors. 36 pages. New York: Marvel. Cover/indicia date: June 1986. Cover price: 75¢.

Moonshadow #7.

Published on February 4, 1986. Edited by Archie Goodwin. The comic features the story “Counterpane,” by J. M. DeMatteis & Jon J Muth. Cover illustration by Jon J Muth. Standard-format comic book. Color interiors. 36 pages. New York: Epic (Marvel): April 1986. Cover price: $1.50.

The Shadow #1.

Published on February 4, 1986. Edited by Andrew Helfer. The comic features the story "Blood & Judgment (Part 1)," by Howard Chaykin. Cover art by Howard Chaykin. Standard-format comic book. Color interiors. 36 pages. New York: DC. Cover/indicia date: May 1986. Cover price: $1.50.

Steve Canyon #13.

Published on February 10, 1986. Edited by Peter Poplaski & Dave Schreiner. The magazine features the material published between January 29 and August 5, 1951 in Milton Caniff’s Steve Canyon daily-newspaper strip. Cover illustration by Milton Caniff. Magazine-format. Black-and-white interiors. 100 pages. Princeton, WI: Kitchen Sink. Cover/indicia date: November 1985. Cover price: $5.95.

Sergio Aragonés’ Groo the Wanderer #16.

Published on February 11, 1986. Edited by Archie Goodwin. The comic features the story “Groo and the Shipyard,” by Sergio Aragonés, with Mark Evanier. Cover illustration by Sergio Aragonés. Standard-format comic book. Color interiors. 36 pages. New York: Epic (Marvel). Cover/indicia date: June 1986. Cover price: 75¢.

The Spirit #16.

Published on February 12, 1986. Edited by Denis Kitchen. The comic features stories first published in 1947 in Will Eisner’s The Spirit Sunday-newspaper comic-book insert. The stories include “Hoagy the Yogi II” (03-23-1947), “April Fool” (03-30-1947), “Pinhead” (04-06-1947), and “Escape” (04-13-1947). Introduction by Dave Schreiner. Cover illustration by Will Eisner. Standard-format comic book. Black-and-white interiors. 36 pages. Princeton, WI: Kitchen Sink. Cover/indicia date: January 1986. Cover price: $1.95.

Batman: The Dark Knight #1.

Published on February 25, 1986. Edited by Dick Giordano & Denny O’Neil. The comic features the story “The Dark Knight Returns” (Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Book One), by Frank Miller, with Klaus Janson and Lynn Varley. Cover illustration by Frank Miller, with Lynn Varley. Perfect-bound comic-book format. Color interiors. 52 pages. New York: DC. Cover/indicia date: 1986. Cover price: $2.95.

Notes

The comic, the initial issue of a four-issue series, was the first to use the “prestige format,” which meant standard comic-book dimensions but with perfect-bound rather than saddle-stitched binding. The cover and interior paper was generally of a stock that was heavier than with standard comic books.

The series attracted attention from media outside the comics press. Articles about the series and primary author Frank Miller appeared in Rolling Stone and The Atlantic, among other publications. There was also coverage in many local newspapers.

The issue was an enormous sales success. It sold out three printings in three months, and this was a time when periodical comics almost never went back to press. There were four printings altogether.

The sales and non-comics media attention prompted Warner Books, DC's corporate sibling, to publish a book collection of the complete series in September. DC Comics published an edition for the comics-store market in October. A perennial seller, the collection is considered one of the seminal graphic novels in the bookstore market.

Garfield Out to Lunch, Jim Davis.

Published on February 25, 1986. The book features material originally published in Jim Davis’ Garfield daily-newspaper strip. Cover illustration by Jim Davis. Trade-paperback book. Black-and-white interiors. 132 pages. New York: Ballantine. Cover/indicia date: 1986. Cover price: $5.95.

Swamp Thing #49.

Published on February 25, 1986. Edited by Karen Berger. The comic features the story “The Summoning,” by Alan Moore & Stan Woch, with Alfredo Alcala. Cover illustration by Stephen R. Bissette, with John Totleben. Standard-format comic book. Color interiors. 36 pages. New York: DC. Cover/indicia date: June 1986. Cover price: 75¢.

Next: March to May 1986.