Star Comics
| Status | defunct (1991) |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1984 |
| Headquarters location | New York City |
| Key people |
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| Publication types | comic books |
| Fiction genres | children |
| Owner(s) | Marvel Entertainment Group, Inc. |
Star Comics was an imprint of Marvel Comics that began in 1984 and continued to publish comic books until 1991. Titles published by the imprint were aimed at child readers and were often adaptations of children's television series, animated series or toys. Several of the original titles consciously emulated the house writing and visual style of then recently defunct Harvey Comics titles such as Richie Rich.
The imprint's signature titles were Peter Porker, The Spectacular Spider-Ham and Heathcliff, its longest running title. The imprint was also known for its Star Wars titles, Droids and Ewoks. Artists working on the line include Warren Kremer and Howard Post.
For a number of years the industry had benefited from an "age stepladder" whereby comics readers could ascend naturally from children's titles by Gold Key Comics (Disney and Looney Tunes licensee) and Harvey, upward to the Archie Comics titles for preteens, and finally graduating to the Marvel and DC titles for teens and older readers or to independent comics. So when Gold Key and other children's comic publishers went out of business, both Marvel and DC began exploring ways to fill that missing step on the reading ladder. In a one shot, Marvel Tails No. 1, published in 1983 under the Marvel imprint, Spider-Ham debuted. Also, that year Gold Key ended its licensed kids' lines.
By the early 1980s, Marvel Comics was in negotiations with Harvey Comics to assume publication of some of their characters. Harvey editor Sid Jacobson, along with the other Harvey staff, were interviewed by Mike Hobson, Marvel's group vice-president of publishing (de facto publisher). As part of the process, Jacobson created several new characters which were well received by Hobson and effectively sealed the deal. Marvel Editor-in-Chief Jim Shooter appointed editor Tom DeFalco as Executive Editor to coordinate with the Harvey staff, who were hired by Marvel. On the day Marvel was set to take over the Harvey publications, Harvey Comics pulled out of the deal due to an internal disagreement among the Harvey brothers. Harvey would cease publishing their comics in 1982.
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