DC Comics Presents

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DC Comics Presents
Cover of DC Comics Presents #1 (July–August 1978), art by José Luis García-López and Dan Adkins.
Publication information
PublisherDC Comics
ScheduleBi-monthly (#1–2)
Monthly (#3–97)
FormatOngoing series
Publication dateJuly/August 1978 – September 1986
No. of issues97, plus 4 Annuals
Main character(s)Superman
Creative team
Written by
Penciller(s)
Inker(s)
Colorist(s)Gene D'Angelo

DC Comics Presents is a comic book series published by DC Comics from 1978 to 1986 which ran for 97 issues and four Annuals. It featured team-ups between Superman and a wide variety of other characters in the DC Universe. A recurring back-up feature "Whatever Happened to...?" had stories revealing the status of various minor and little-used characters.

Publication history

DC Comics Presents debuted with a July/August 1978

Eternia and met the Masters of the Universe.[11] Ambush Bug made his first appearance in issue #52 (Dec. 1982)[12] and made additional appearances in issues #59[13] and 81.[14] The Superman/Challengers of the Unknown tale in issue #84 was drawn by Jack Kirby and Alex Toth.[15] The series also contained the Alan Moore Superman/Swamp Thing story "The Jungle Line" in DC Comics Presents #85 (Sept. 1985), pencilled by Rick Veitch and inked by Al Williamson. Issue #87 featured the first appearance and origin of the divergent Kal-El of the Earth Prime reality, who would become known as Superboy-Prime.[16] The last issue is an exception to the team-up format, instead featuring Superman in an "Untold Tale" involving the Phantom Zone by Steve Gerber,[17] following up as the conclusion to Gerber's previous limited series of the same title
.

In 2004, the title DC Comics Presents was revived for eight one-shot issues, each a tribute to DC editor Julius Schwartz who had recently died. Each issue featured two stories based on a classic DC Comics cover of the past, reflecting Schwartz's frequent practice of commissioning a cover concept, then telling the writers to create a story about that cover.

In 2010, DC launched a new DC Comics Presents, a line of 100-page reprint issues reprinting stories that have not seen print since their original publication.

Featured team-ups

Issue Character(s)
#1 The Flash[2]
#2 The Flash
#3 Adam Strange
#4 The Metal Men
#5 Aquaman
#6 Green Lantern
#7 The Red Tornado
#8 The Swamp Thing
#9 Wonder Woman
#10 Sgt. Rock
#11 Hawkman
#12 Mister Miracle
#13 The Legion of Super-Heroes
#14 Superboy
#15 The Atom
#16 Black Lightning[Note 1]
#17
Firestorm
#18 Zatanna
#19 Batgirl
#20 The Green Arrow
#21 The Elongated Man[Note 2]
#22 Captain Comet
#23 Doctor Fate
#24
Deadman
#25 The Phantom Stranger
#26 Green Lantern
#27 The Martian Manhunter[6]
#28 Supergirl
#29 The Spectre
#30 The Black Canary
#31 Robin
#32 Wonder Woman
#33 Captain Marvel
#34 The Marvel Family
#35 The Man-Bat
#36
Starman
#37 Hawkgirl
#38 The Flash
#39 Plastic Man[Note 2]
#40 Metamorpho[Note 1]
#41 The Joker
#42 The Unknown Soldier
#43 The Legion of Super-Heroes
#44 Dial H for Hero
#45 Firestorm
#46 The Global Guardians
#47 The Masters of the Universe
#48 Aquaman
#49 Captain Marvel
#50
Clark Kent
#51 The Atom
#52 The Doom Patrol[12]
#53 The House of Mystery
#54 The Green Arrow
#55 Air Wave
#56 Power Girl
#57 The Atomic Knights
#58 The Elongated Man
#58 Robin
#59 The Legion of Substitute Heroes
#60 The Guardians of the Universe
#61 OMAC
#62 The Freedom Fighters
#63 Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld
#64 Kamandi
#65 Madame Xanadu
#66 The Demon
#67 Santa Claus
#68 Vixen
#69 Blackhawk
#70 The Metal Men
#71 Bizarro
#72 The Phantom Stranger and the Joker
#73 The Flash
#74 Hawkman
#75
Arion
#76 Wonder Woman
#77 The Forgotten Heroes
#78 The Forgotten Villains
#79 Clark Kent
#80 The Legion of Super-Heroes
#81 Ambush Bug
#82 Adam Strange
#83 Batman and the Outsiders
#84 The Challengers of the Unknown
#85 The Swamp Thing
#86 Supergirl
#87 Superboy-Prime[16]
#88 The
Creeper
#89 The Omega Men
#90 Firestorm
#90 Captain Atom
#91 Captain Comet
#92 The
Vigilante
#93 The Elastic Four [Note 3]
#94 The
Pariah
#95 Hawkman
#96 Blue Devil
#97 The Phantom Zone villains
Annual #1 Superman of Earth-Two
Annual #2 Superwoman
Annual #3 Captain Marvel
Annual #4 Superwoman
  1. ^ a b Also appeared as a member of the Outsiders in issue #83.
  2. ^ a b Also appeared as a member of the Elastic Four in issue #93.
  3. ^ The Elastic Four was a one-time unofficial team made up of Plastic Man, the Elongated Man, Elastic Lad and the Malleable Man.

Characters featured in the "Whatever Happened to...?" back-up series

Issue Character(s)
#25 The Golden Age Hourman
#26 Sargon the Sorcerer
#27 Congorilla
#28 The Western Johnny Thunder (John Tane) and Madame .44
#29 The Golden Age Doctor Mid-Nite
#30 The Golden Age Atom
#31 The Golden Age Robotman
#32 Mark Merlin and Prince Ra-Man
#33 Star Hawkins
#35 Rex the Wonder Dog
#37 Rip Hunter, Time Master
#38 The Crimson Avenger
#39 Richard Dragon
#40 The Golden Age Air Wave
#42 The Golden Age Sandman
#47 Sandy the Golden Boy
#48 The Black Pirate

Writer

Ragman, the Sea Devils, the Silent Knight, and Wildcat.[4]

Julius Schwartz tribute

In September and October 2004, the title DC Comics Presents was revived for a series of eight one-shot issues, each a tribute to DC

editor Julius Schwartz, who had died the previous February.[18]
Each issue featured two stories based on a classic DC Comics cover of the past, reflecting Schwartz's frequent practice of commissioning a cover concept, then telling the writers to create a story about that cover.

DC Comics Presents: Date Notes
DC Comics Presents: Batman #1 September 2004 Cover art by Adam Hughes is a homage to the cover of Batman #183 (August 1966).
DC Comics Presents: Green Lantern #1 Cover art by Brian Bolland is a homage to the cover of Green Lantern #31 (September 1964).
DC Comics Presents: Hawkman #1 Cover art by José Luis García-López and Kevin Nowlan is a homage to the cover of Hawkman #6 (February–March 1965).
DC Comics Presents: Mystery in Space #1 Cover art by Alex Ross is a homage to the cover of Mystery in Space #82 (March 1963).
DC Comics Presents: Flash #1 October 2004 Cover art by Alex Ross is a homage to The Flash #163 (August 1966).
DC Comics Presents: Justice League of America #1 Cover art by José Luis García-López is a homage to Justice League of America #53 (May 1967).
DC Comics Presents: Superman #1 Cover art by Adam Hughes is a homage to the cover of Superman #264 (June 1973).
DC Comics Presents: The Atom #1 Cover art by Brian Bolland is a homage to the cover of The Atom #10 (December 1963 – January 1964).

2010 revival

In 2010, DC launched a new DC Comics Presents series featuring stories that have not seen print since their original publication. The issues are:[19][20]

Collected editions

  • Showcase Presents DC Comics Presents: Superman Team-Ups Vol. 1 includes DC Comics Presents #1–26, 512 pages, November 2009, 1-4012-2535-7
  • Showcase Presents DC Comics Presents: Superman Team-Ups Vol. 2 includes DC Comics Presents #27–50 and Annual #1, 512 pages, July 2013, 978-1-4012-4048-6
  • Superman vs. Flash includes DC Comics Presents #1–2, 208 pages, May 2005, 978-1401204563
  • Adventures of Superman: José Luis García-López includes DC Comics Presents #1–4, 17, 20, 24, and 31, 360 pages, April 2013, 978-1-4012-3856-8
  • Superman's Greatest Team-Ups includes DC Comics Presents #5, 9–10, 12, 14, 19, 28, 30, 35, 38–39, 45, 50, 58, 63, 67, 71, 97; 400 pages, April 2021, 978-1779504869
  • Superman in the Seventies includes DC Comics Presents #14, 224 pages, November 2000, 1-56389-638-9
  • Deadman Omnibus includes DC Comics Presents #24, 944 pages, December 2020, 978-1779504883
  • The New Teen Titans Archives Vol. 1 includes the New Teen Titans story from DC Comics Presents #26, 240 pages, February 1999, 978-1563894855
  • The New Teen Titans Omnibus Vol. 1 includes the New Teen Titans story from DC Comics Presents #26, 684 pages, September 2011, 978-1401231088
  • Superman in the Eighties includes DC Comics Presents #29, 192 pages, April 2006, 1-4012-0952-1
  • The Spectre: The Wrath of the Spectre Omnibus includes DC Comics Presents #29, 680 pages, September 2020, 978-1779502933
  • Legends of the Dark Knight: José Luis García-López includes DC Comics Presents #31 and 41, 472 pages, November 2021, 978-1779505804
  • Superman vs. Shazam! includes DC Comics Presents #33–34, 49, and Annual #3, 192 pages, March 2013, 978-1-4012-3821-6
  • Superman vs. Shazam! includes DC Comics Presents #33–34, 49, and Annual #3, 256 pages, March 2021, 978-1779509093
  • Joker: The Bronze Age Omnibus includes DC Comics Presents #41, 72; 832 pages, August 2019, 978-1401293406
  • Wonder Woman: 80 Years of the Amazon Warrior - The Deluxe Edition includes DC Comics Presents #41, 416 pages, August 2021, 978-1779511577
  • DC Through the 80s: The End of Eras includes DC Comics Presents Annual #1, 520 pages, December 2020, 978-1779500878
  • Showcase Presents Ambush Bug Vol. 1 includes DC Comics Presents #52, 59, and 81, 488 pages, March 2009, 1-4012-2180-7
  • Shazam! The Greatest Stories Ever Told includes DC Comics Presents Annual #3, 224 pages, February 2008, 978-1401216740
  • Adventures of Superman: Gil Kane includes DC Comics Presents Annual #3, 392 pages, January 2013, 978-1-4012-3674-8
  • Batman and the Outsiders Vol. 3 includes DC Comics Presents #83, 288 pages, April 2019, 978-1401287641
  • The Greatest Team-Up Stories Ever Told includes DC Comics Presents #85, 288 pages, December 1989, 978-0930289515
  • DC Universe by Alan Moore includes DC Comics Presents #85, 464 pages, March 2012, 1-4012-3339-2
  • Superman: Back In Action includes DC Comics Presents # 4, 17 and 24. 143 pages. January 2007. 978-1-4012-1263-6
  • Superman vs Mongul includes DC Comics Presents # 27, 28, 36 and 43. 144 pages. December 2013. 9781401242565
  • Superman: Past And Future includes DC Comics Presents Annual # 2. 192 pages. December 2008. 9781401219345
  • Swamp Thing: The Bronze Age Vol. 2 includes DC Comics Presents # 8. 448 pages. January 2020. 9781401294229
  • The DC Universe by Len Wein includes DC Comics Presents # 27, 28 and 29. 384 pages. February 2019. 9781401287870
  • DC Universe vs The Masters Of The Universe includes DC Comics Presents # 47. 160 pages. August 2014. 9781401247201
  • Shazam!: A Celebration Of 75 Years includes DC Comics Presents # 49. 397 pages. April 2015. 9781401255381
  • Adventures Of Superman: George Perez includes DC Comics Presents # 61. 448 pages. May 2020. 9781779500120
  • Superman: Escape From Bizarro World includes DC Comics Presents # 71. 160 pages. May 2008. 9781401220334
  • Crisis On Infinite Earths Companion: Deluxe Edition Vol. 1 includes DC Comics Presents # 78. 512 pages. November 2018. 9781401274597
  • Crisis On Infinite Earths Companion: Deluxe Edition Vol. 2 includes DC Comics Presents # 86. 560 pages. May 2019. 9781401289218
  • Crisis On Infinite Earths Companion: Deluxe Edition Vol. 3 includes DC Comics Presents # 87, 88, 94 and 95 . 536 pages. October 2019. 9781401294489
  • Superboy: A Celebration Of 75 Years includes DC Comics Presents # 87. 440 pages. July 2020. 9781779503152
  • Superman: Phantom Zone includes DC Comics Presents # 97. 160 pages. July 2013. 9781401240516
  • Robin: The Bronze Age Omnibus includes DC Comics Presents # 31 and 58. 912 pages. March 2020. 9781779500854

See also

References

  1. ^ Kingman, Jim (August 2013). "Men of Steel: Superman and Julius Schwartz in World's Finest Comics and DC Comics Presents". Back Issue! (#66). Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing: 53–64.
  2. ^ . A new ongoing Superman series started to mix things up by teaming the Man of Steel with other heroes in the DC Universe. Writer Martin Pasko and artist José Luis García-López launched the inaugural issue.
  3. ^ DC Comics Presents #11 at the Grand Comics Database
  4. ^ a b Wells, John (May 2013). "Flashback: Whatever Happened to...?". Back Issue! (#64). Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing: 51–61.
  5. Starfire, and Raven
    ".
  6. ^ a b Manning "1980s" in Dolan, p. 188: "Artist Jim Starlin displayed his penchant for portraying powerful cosmic villains with the debut of Mongul, a new threat to plague Superman's life, in a story written by Len Wein".
  7. ^ Wein, Len (w), Starlin, Jim (p), Giordano, Dick; McLaughlin, Frank (i). "The Key That Unlocked Chaos!" DC Comics Presents, no. 27 (November 1980).
  8. ^ Wein, Len (w), Starlin, Jim (p), Tanghal, Romeo (i). "Warworld!" DC Comics Presents, no. 28 (December 1980).
  9. ^ Wein, Len (w), Starlin, Jim (p), Tanghal, Romeo (i). "Where No Superman Has Gone Before" DC Comics Presents, no. 29 (January 1981).
  10. ^ Sanderson, Peter (September–October 1981). "Thomas/Colan Premiere Wonder Woman's New Look". Comics Feature (12/13). New Media Publishing: 23. The hotly-debated new Wonder Woman uniform will be bestowed on the Amazon Princess in her first adventure written and drawn by her new creative team: Roy Thomas and Gene Colan...This story will appear as an insert in DC Comics Presents #41.
  11. ^ Kupperberg, Paul (w), Swan, Curt (p), DeCarlo, Mike (i). "From Eternia—with Death!" DC Comics Presents, no. 47 (July 1982).
  12. ^ a b Manning "1980s" in Dolan, p. 199: "[Ambush Bug] made his debut in the pages of DC Comics Presents #52...[by] writer Paul Kupperberg and artist Keith Giffen".
  13. ^ Giffen, Keith; Levitz, Paul (w), Giffen, Keith; Schaffenberger, Kurt (p), Schaffenberger, Kurt (i). "Ambush Bug II" DC Comics Presents, no. 59 (July 1983).
  14. ^ Giffen, Keith; Fleming, Robert Loren (w), Giffen, Keith (p), Oksner, Bob (i). "All This and Kobra Too!" DC Comics Presents, no. 81 (May 1985).
  15. ^ Rozakis, Bob (w), Kirby, Jack and Toth, Alex (p), Theakston, Greg (i). "Give Me Power... Give Me Your World!" DC Comics Presents, no. 84 (August 1985).
  16. ^ a b Manning "1980s" in Dolan, p. 215: "This issue set into motion the life of Earth-Prime's youngest superhero, a major player in the Crisis on Infinite Earths saga, and the brutal adversary at the heart of 2005-2006's Infinite Crisis limited series".
  17. ^ Gerber, Steve (w), Veitch, Rick (p), Smith, Bob (i). "Phantom Zone: The Final Chapter" DC Comics Presents, no. 97 (September 1986).
  18. ^ Cowsill, Alan "2000s" in Dolan, p. 314: "When DC Comics' icon Julius Schwartz sadly passed away in February 2004, some kind of major tribute was required...To celebrate his life, DC revived the DC Comics Presents series, producing eight one-shots in which DC writers and artists put their own twists on covers inspired by Schwartz and reimagined classic Silver Age stories".
  19. ^ Segura, Alex (July 16, 2010). "And Now...DC Comics Presents". DC Comics.com. Archived from the original on November 29, 2011. Retrieved January 16, 2012.
  20. ^ "DC Comics Solitications for November 2010". Comic Book Resources. August 16, 2010. Archived from the original on June 17, 2011. Retrieved January 16, 2012.

External links