DC Special

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Not to be confused with DC Special Series.
DC Special
Cover of DC Special #1 (December 1968), art by Carmine Infantino.
Publication information
PublisherDC Comics
ScheduleQuarterly, then bimonthly
FormatOngoing
Publication dateDecember 1968–November – December 1971
Spring 1975 – August–September 1977
No. of issues29
Creative team
Written by
List
Penciller(s)
List
Inker(s)
List
Colorist(s)
List
Editor(s)
List

DC Special was a comic book anthology series published by DC Comics originally from 1968 to 1971; it resumed publication from 1975 to 1977. For the most part, DC Special was a theme-based reprint title, mostly focusing on stories from DC's Golden Age; at the end of its run it published a few original stories.

Publication history[edit]

DC Special began publication with an issue focusing on the work of artist Carmine Infantino and cover dated October–December 1968.[1] Some of the themes the title covered were special issues devoted to individual artists such as Infantino and Joe Kubert, strange sports stories, origins of super-villains, and stories of historical literary adventure characters such as Robin Hood and The Three Musketeers. Issue #4 featured many supernatural characters and writer Mark Hanerfeld and artist Bill Draut crafted the first appearance of Abel,[2] who later became (along with his brother Cain) a major character in Neil Gaiman's The Sandman. The series was cancelled with issue #15 (November–December 1971).[3]

The book was revived four years later and continued the numbering of the original series.[1] The final three issues featured all-new stories. Issue #27 was a book-length Captain Comet and Tommy Tomorrow story by Bob Rozakis and Rich Buckler. Artist Don Newton began his career at DC Comics with an Aquaman story in DC Special #28 (July 1977).[4] That same issue introduced the Quakemaster, an enemy of the Batman co-created by writer Bob Rozakis and artist John Calnan.[5] Paul Levitz and Joe Staton finished the series with a Justice Society of America story which revealed the team's origin.[6]

With DC Special's cancellation following issue #29 (Aug.–Sept. 1977),[1] DC immediately begin publishing the umbrella one-shot title DC Special Series, which lasted until Fall 1981.

The issues[edit]

Issue Title Date Notes
1 All-Infantino Issue Fall 1968 Reprints The Adventures of Rex the Wonder Dog #29, The Brave and the Bold #45, Detective Comics #327, The Flash #148, and Mystery in Space #57
2 Top Teen Favorites Winter 1969 Reprints Everything Happens to Harvey #4
3 All-Girl Issue Spring 1969 Reprints stories from Action Comics #304, Green Lantern #16, and Strange Adventures #18. Also includes previously unpublished Black Canary and Wonder Woman stories.[7]
4 13 Shock-Ending Stories July–Sept. 1969 Original framing story followed by reprints from House of Mystery #2, 5, 15, 19, 26, 30, 62–63, 68; Sensation Comics #114; and Tales of the Unexpected #1, 16–17.
First appearance of Abel (of Cain and Abel).
5 The Secret Lives of Joe Kubert Fall 1969 Reprints stories from The Brave and the Bold #18, 35; Our Army at War #113; and Showcase #2
6 The Wild Frontier! Winter 1970 Reprints stories from Detective Comics #178; Frontier Fighters #4, 6; The Legends of Daniel Boone #1; and World's Finest Comics #69
7 Strangest Sports Stories Ever Told! Spring 1970 Reprints stories from The Brave and the Bold #45–46, 48–49; and Mystery in Space #39
8 Wanted! The World's Most Dangerous Villains Summer 1970 Reprints stories from The Brave and the Bold #36, The Flash #130, Green Lantern #7, and World's Finest Comics #129
9 Strangest Sports Stories Ever Told! Fall 1970 Reprints stories from The Brave and the Bold #45–48
10 Stop!... You Can't Beat The Law! Jan.–Feb. 1971 Reprints stories from Gang Busters #33, 40, 58, 61, 65; and Showcase #1, 5
11 Beware... The Monsters Are Here! March–April 1971 Reprints House of Mystery #70, 85, 97, 113, 116, and 175
12 The Viking Prince May–June 1971 Also featuring the Silent Knight, Robin Hood, and the Golden Gladiator.
Reprints The Brave and the Bold #1, 5, 9, and 16
13 Strangest Sports Stories Ever Told! July–Aug. 1971 Reprints The Brave and the Bold #47, 49; Mystery in Space #7, 9; and Strange Adventures #94, 125
14 Wanted! The World's Most Dangerous Villains! Sept.–Oct. 1971 Reprints The Flash #140, Superman #47, and World's Finest Comics #55
15 Plastic Man Nov.–Dec. 1971 Reprints Plastic Man #17, 25-26; and Police Comics #1, 13
16 Super-Heroes Battle Super-Gorillas Spring 1975 Reprints Detective Comics #339, The Flash #127, Superman #138, and Wonder Woman #170
17 Presents Green Lantern Summer 1975 Reprints Green Lantern #2, 6, and 26
18 Presents... Earth Shaking Stories Oct.–Nov. 1975 Reprints Action Comics #342, Captain Marvel Adventures #122, and Green Lantern #43
19 War Against the Giants Dec. 1975–Jan. 1976 Reprints Action Comics #343, Green Lantern #53, Strange Adventures #28, and Wonder Woman #106
20 Green Lantern Feb.–March 1976 Reprints Green Lantern #2, 8, and 30
21 Super-Heroes' War Against the Monsters April–May 1976 Reprints Action Comics #326, Green Lantern #3, Marvel Family #7, and Star Spangled War Stories #132
22 The 3 Musketeers and Robin Hood June–July 1976 Reprints The Brave and the Bold #6, and Robin Hood Tales #14
23 The 3 Musketeers and Robin Hood Aug.–Sept. 1976 Reprints The Brave and the Bold #9, and Robin Hood Tales #7
24 The 3 Musketeers and Robin Hood Oct.–Nov. 1976 Reprints The Brave and the Bold #11 and 15
25 The 3 Musketeers and Robin Hood Dec. 1976–Jan. 1977 Reprints The Brave and the Bold #7-8, and 15
26 Enemy Ace Feb.–March 1977 Reprints Our Army at War #151, and Star Spangled War Stories #143
27 Danger: Dinosaurs at Large! April–May 1977 Original Captain Comet and Tommy Tomorrow story
28 Earth Shattering Disasters June–July 1977 Original stories featuring Batman, Aquaman, and the Legion of Super-Heroes
29 The Untold Origin of the Justice Society Aug.–Sept. 1977 Original story about the Justice Society of America

Collected editions[edit]

  • Black Canary Archives includes the Black Canary story from DC Special #3, 224 pages, December 2000, ISBN 978-1563897344
  • Secret Society of Super Villains Vol. 2 includes DC Special #27, 328 pages, May 2012, ISBN 978-1401231101
  • Legion of Super-Heroes Archive Vol. 13 includes the Legion of Super-Heroes story from DC Special #28, 240 pages, May 2012, ISBN 978-1401234393
  • Justice Society Vol. 1 includes DC Special #29, 224 pages, August 2006, ISBN 1-4012-0970-X
  • Showcase Presents: All-Star Comics Vol. 1 includes DC Special #29, 448 pages, September 2011, ISBN 978-1401233037

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c DC Special at the Grand Comics Database
  2. ^ McAvennie, Michael; Dolan, Hannah, ed. (2010). "1960s". DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle. London, United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. p. 134. ISBN 978-0-7566-6742-9. Writer Mark Hanerfeld and artist Bill Draut introduced readers to Abel. {{cite book}}: |first2= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. ^ Sacks, Jason; Dallas, Keith (2014). American Comic Book Chronicles: The 1970s. TwoMorrows Publishing. p. 57. ISBN 978-1605490564.
  4. ^ Don Newton at the Grand Comics Database
  5. ^ Manning, Matthew K. (2014). "1970s". In Dougall, Alastair (ed.). Batman: A Visual History. London, United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. p. 125. ISBN 978-1465424563. A lead feature by writer Bob Rozakis and penciller John Calnan starring Batman as Gotham City suffered earthquakes.
  6. ^ McAvennie "1970s" in Dolan, p. 175: "The genesis of comics' first superhero team...had been a mystery since the JSA's debut...Writer Paul Levitz and artist Joe Staton decided to present the definitive origin story".
  7. ^ "DC Special #3". Grand Comics Database.

External links[edit]

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