Eclipse Comics

Eclipse Comics was an American comic book publisher, one of several influential independent publishers during the 1980s and early 1990s. In 1978, it published the first graphic novel for the newly-created comic book specialty store market. It was one of the first to offer royalties and creator ownership of rights, and the first comics company to publish trading cards.

Eclipse was known for its eclectic mix of titles and products. Many noteworthy creators got their start or did early work there, including Chuck Austen, Donna Barr, Dan Brereton, Chuck Dixon, James Hudnall, Scott McCloud, Peter Milligan, Tim Truman, and Chris Ware. Veterans published by Eclipse include Steve Englehart, Don McGregor, Gene Colan and Mark Evanier.

The company is also known for its role in the publication history of the acclaimed and contested series "Miracleman".

History

The company was founded as Eclipse Enterprises by brothers Jan and Dean Mullaney in 1977. Eclipse published one of the first original graphic novels (as opposed to collected reprint material), "" by Don McGregor and Paul Gulacy. Published in August 1978—two months before Will Eisner's more famous, graphic short-story collection "A Contract with God"—it led to a 14-issue spin-off series for Eclipse.

McGregor went on to write two additional early graphic novels for Eclipse, each set in contemporary New York City and starring interracial-buddy private eyes Ted Denning and Bob Rainier: "" (1980), with artist Marshall Rogers, and "Detectives, Inc.: A Terror Of Dying Dreams" (1985), with artist Gene Colan, who would become a frequent collaborator.

The company also had early success with the anthology magazine "Eclipse" and color comic "Eclipse Monthly", as well as with the detective series Ms. Tree by Max Allan Collins.

During the early 1980s, Eclipse moved several times: from 81 Delaware Street, Staten Island, New York, to 295 Austin Street, Columbia, Missouri, and then to the small towns of Guerneville and later Forestville in Sonoma County, California. Beginning in Missouri, it expanded operations under editor Cat Yronwode. In 1988, in partnership with Viz Communications, Eclipse published the first Japanese manga translated into English. Fact|date=June 2007It later expanded its manga line in collaboration with Studio Proteus. In 1986, Eclipse lost most of its back-issue stock in a flood. This, along with the mid-Nineties collapse of the direct market distribution system, forced the company to cease operations in 1994, with its intellectual property rights acquired by Todd McFarlane. Its last publication was its Spring 1993 catalog, which was a complete bibliography of its publications.

Titles

*"Adolescent Radioactive Black Belt Hamsters"
*"Airboy" by Chuck Dixon
*"Alien Encounters"
*"Alien Worlds"
*"Area 88"
*"Axel Pressbutton" by Pedro Henry, Steve Dillon, and Brian Bolland
*"Aztec Ace"
*"Bernie Wrightson, Master of the Macabre" by Bernie Wrightson
*"Black Terror"
*"Brought to Light"
*"California Girls" (1987) by Trina Robbins
*"" (1992) by Fred Burke and Dan Brereton
*"" (1993) by Fred Burke, Steve Niles, Stewart Stanyard and Hector Gomez
*"" (1991) by Steve Niles and Les Edwards
*"" (1994) by Steve Niles and Lionel Talaro
*"" (1992) by Steve Niles and Lionel Talaro
*"Tapping the Vein" 1989–92 anthology series, edited by Fred Burke (and Valerie Jones, Book 5)
*"" (1991) by Steve Niles and John Bolton
*"Crossfire by Mark Evanier and Dan Spiegle"
*"Cynicalman" by Matt Feazell
*"" (1980 graphic novel) by Don McGregor and Marshall Rogers
*"" (1985 graphic novel) by Don McGregor and Gene Colan
*"Destroyer Duck" by Steve Gerber, Jack Kirby, and Buzz Dixon
*"Dinosaurs Attack!"
*"The Dirty Pair "Biohazards" by Adam Warren and Toren Smith
*"The Dirty Pair "Dangerous Acquaintances" by Adam Warren and Toren Smith
*"The DNAgents" by Mark Evanier and Will Meugniot
*"The Dreamery", by Donna Barr, Lela Dowling and Lex Nakashima.
*"Espers" by James Hudnall
*"Eclipse Magazine"
*"Eclipse Monthly"
*"Fashion in Action"
*"Fusion", by Steven Barnes, Lela Dowling, Steve Gallacci, Lex Nakashima and many more
*"Giant Sized Mini Comics"
*"Guerilla Groundhog"
* "" (1979) by Fred Hembeck
*"The Hobbit" by J.R.R. Tolkien adapted by Charles Dixon with art by David Wenzel
*"Hotspur
*"Iran-Contra Scandal Trading Cards"
*"Killer" ... Tales by Timothy Truman
*"Kitz n Katz"
*"Krazy & Ignatz", reprints of Sunday "Krazy Kat" strips by George Herriman. This series covered the years 1916 through 1924. The series was revived by Fantagraphics in 2002, beginning with strips dating from 1925.
*"Laser Eraser and Pressbutton"
*"The Liberty Project" by Kurt Busiek and James W. Fry
*"Masked Man"
*"Mai the Psychic Girl"
*"Miracleman" by Alan Moore, Neil Gaiman, and others
*"" - reprints of British comic strips of the 1960s and 1980s by Peter O'Donnell, with art by Jim Holdaway and Neville Colvin.
*"Ms. Tree" by Max Allan Collins and Terry Beatty
*"Mr. Monster"
*"The New Wave
*"Night Music" by P. Craig Russell
*"The Prowler"
*"Radio Boy"
*"Ragamuffins"
*"Real War Stories"
*"Reid Fleming, World's Toughest Milkman"
*"The Rocketeer"
*"" (1978 graphic novel) by Don McGregor and Paul Gulacy
*"Sabre" by Don McGregor and Billy Graham
*"Scout" by Timothy Truman
*"Siegel and Shuster, Dateline 1930s"
*"Skywolf"
*"Spaced"
*"Star Reach Classics"
*"Stewart the Rat" by Steve Gerber, Gene Colan, and Tom Palmer
*"Storm Watcher"
*"Strange Days" by Peter Milligan, Brendan McCarthy, and Brett Ewins
*"Surge" by Mark Evanier, Rick Hoberg, and Al Gordon
*"Tales of the Beanworld" by Larry Marder
*"Tales Of Terror"
*"The Three Stooges in 3-D"
*"Tips From Top Cartoonists"
*"Total Eclipse"
*"Twisted Tales"
*"Valkyrie"
*"Villains and Vigilantes"
*"Weasel Patrol"
*"Winterworld"
*"Zooniverse"
*"Zot!" by Scott McCloud

References

*
* [http://www.luckymojo.com/comicswarehouse.html Eclipse Comics Index] by catherine yronwode

External links

* [http://www.popthought.com/display_column.asp?DAID=244 Eclipse Comics Remembered]