1st Issue Special | |
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1st Issue Special #1 (April 1975).
Art by Jack Kirby and D. Bruce Berry |
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Publication information | |
Publisher | DC Comics |
Schedule | Monthly |
Format | Ongoing series |
Publication date(s) | April 1975–April 1976 |
No. of issues | 13 |
Creative team | |
Written by | |
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1st Issue Special was an anthology series from DC Comics, done in a similar style to their Showcase series. It ran from April 1975 to April 1976.
Writer Gerry Conway explained the series' origin: "1st Issue Special was a peculiar book concept based on [publisher] Carmine Infantino’s observation that first issues of titles often sold better than subsequent issues. Carmine’s brainstorm: a monthly series of nothing but first issues. It sounds like a joke, but he was dead serious."
Only one of the characters received an ongoing series, Mike Grell's The Warlord which first appeared in issue #8 (November 1975). Issues #1 featuring Atlas, #5 Manhunter, and #6 (Dingbats of Danger Street) featured art and story by Jack Kirby.
A number of issues featured existing DC characters: issue #3, Metamorpho, written by the character's creator Bob Haney, issue #7, the Creeper, illustrated by the character's creator Steve Ditko, issue #9, the Golden Age character Doctor Fate, and issue #13, the New Gods.
Issue #12 featured a new Starman character which would later be used in James Robinson's 1990s series focused on the character Jack Knight. The character was a supporting player in Justice League: Cry for Justice in 2010.
Some stories which had been intended for publication in 1st Issue Special appeared in other titles instead. A Batgirl and Robin team-up was published in Batman Family #1 (September–October 1975) and a Green Arrow and Black Canary story was kept in inventory until it was published as a backup feature in Green Lantern #100 (January 1978).