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Post by MacNimon on Aug 9, 2011 20:10:44 GMT
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Post by Silver Age Fan on Aug 9, 2011 21:54:39 GMT
Yes, they are hard to find. I was hoping to write a book about DC in the UK, but research has been very hard.
Starting with the bottom images, Superman, which made it's debut in 1988, (published by London Editions Magazines, an Egmont company) was fortnightly and, if memory serves me right, reprinted John Byrne's Man of Steel mini-series. Around the 20th issue, it became monthly and Green Lantern and Justice League of America were the back-up strips.
It became bi-monthly around 1991/92, at this point it was a Superman and JLA strip.
Let me backtrack for a moment. Batman Monthly, also published by London Editions Magazines, started in 1988 and initially reprinted two Batman tales per issue, from the 70s. Around the 19th/20th issues, it started reprinting 80s tales.
At some point, possibly late 1992/early 1993, the Superman and Batman titles were revamped. Eventually, around late 1993 (I think), they merged and continued until 1994. So London Editions Magazines/Fleetway published DC titles for a UK audience for a six-year period from 1988-1994.
The magazines also had articles on various things such as kryptonite, the Superman radio show, various incarnations of Batman. They also had lively letters pages. I met the editor, Brian M. Clarke, a few years back, he clearly had a passion for the comics he edited and always tried to give value for money. It's that passion I feel is lacking in Titan Comics' DC reprints.
Briefly, DC Action, which started in 1990, initially reprinted The New Teen Titans, Animal Man and an origin tale (for The Creeper). It ran for about six issues. Zones was a more esoteric title, focusing on the darker DC stories. Neither title lasted long, but the passion was there.
There was also a title, published in 1991, which I think was called Heroes and it reprinted pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths tales such as The Legion of Super-Heroes and The Brave and The Bold. It also featured fact files in every issue.
Truly, LEM/Fleetway had a passion for the DC material they reprinted, it's a shame DC hasn't had the same longevity in the UK that Marvel has. I really wish I could gather all the information together to release a book or a website at the very least, but as you know, information is hard to come by.
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Post by MacNimon on Nov 20, 2011 21:39:14 GMT
The Flash had his own UK reprint title at one time, possibly in the late 60s(?). Published by Top Sellers, it lasted a whole one issue. You'll find the entire run below...  |
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Post by bigwords on Mar 15, 2013 9:36:43 GMT
Yes, they are hard to find. I was hoping to write a book about DC in the UK, but research has been very hard. If you want anything specific looked up, I can dig out the facts for you - plenty of stuff I haven't got around to indexing. The Flash had his own UK reprint title at one time, possibly in the late 60s(?). Published by Top Sellers, it lasted a whole one issue. You'll find the entire run below... I think you're missing a couple of issues. I know it is difficult to find clear information about Thorpe & Porter / Top Sellers / whatever they were calling themselves in a particular week, but there is at least three issues, possibly more. |
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Post by MacNimon on Mar 21, 2013 6:48:17 GMT
Yes, they are hard to find. I was hoping to write a book about DC in the UK, but research has been very hard. If you want anything specific looked up, I can dig out the facts for you - plenty of stuff I haven't got around to indexing. The Flash had his own UK reprint title at one time, possibly in the late 60s(?). Published by Top Sellers, it lasted a whole one issue. You'll find the entire run below... I think you're missing a couple of issues. I know it is difficult to find clear information about Thorpe & Porter / Top Sellers / whatever they were calling themselves in a particular week, but there is at least three issues, possibly more. Interesting. Thanks for that information, bigwords. As we've already commented on, any such information seems to be very hard to come by regarding such publications as these. I've got no doubt that there are many people around the country with a little bit of information, which if all collated together, could come together like the many pieces of a jigsaw. At the moment, I think SAF's dream of writing a book will remain just that... Something I've thought about over the past couple of years is creating a website dedicated to simply cataloguing UK reprint comics, particularly those hard to find/'forgotten' publishers, inviting anyone with information to help fill in gaps. Of course Marvel UK should have a section, but there it's really only the early 80s which is hard to find details/covers for. Some sort of website where anyone can contribute to, and build up, a database. Even if such a site was created though, the problem would be reaching any people with the relevant information who would be interested in helping out... |
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