Eclipse Comics

Eclipse Comics was an American comic book publisher, one of several influential independent publishers during the 1980s. It was the first comics company to publish trading cards, and one of the first to offer royalties and creator ownership of rights. Its precursor, Eclipse Enterprises, published one of the first graphic novels, in 1978.

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, Dan Brereton, Chuck Dixon, Mark Evanier, James Hudnall, Scott McCloud, Peter Milligan, Tim Truman, and Chris Ware. Veterans published by Eclipse include Steve Englehart and Don McGregor.

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), Sabre: Slow Fade of an Endangered Species by Don McGregor and Paul Gulacy. Published in August 1978 â€" two months before Will Eisner's more famous, graphic short-story collection A Contract with God â€" 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: Detectives, Inc.: A Rememembrance of Threatening Green (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.

Eclipse moved from 81 Delaware Street, Staten Island, New York, to Sonoma County, California, in the early 1980s. There it expanded operations under editor cat yronwode. In 1988, in partnership with Viz Communications and Studio Proteus, it began publication of manga translated into English. In 1989, Eclipse lost most of its back-issue stock in a flood. The company ceased operations in the early 1990s, 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.

Eclipse titles (incomplete)

Sabre (1978), one of the first graphic novels. Cover art by Paul Gulacy.

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
Clive Barker: Dread (1992) by Fred Burke and Dan Brereton
Clive Barker: The Life of Death (1993) by Fred Burke, Steve Niles, Stewart Stanyard and Hector Gomez
Clive Barker: Son of Celluloid (1991) by Steve Niles and Les Edwards
Clive Barker: Rawhead Rex (1994) by Steve Niles and Lionel Talaro
Clive Barker: Revelations (1992) by Steve Niles and Lionel Talaro
Clive Barker: Tapping the Vein 1989-92 anthology series, edited by Fred Burke (and Valerie Jones, Book 5)
Clive Barker: The Yattering and Jack (1991) by Steve Niles and John Bolton
Crossfire by Mark Evanier and Dan Spiegle
Cynicalman by Matt Feazell
Detectives, Inc.: A Rememembrance of Threatening Green (1980 graphic novel) by Don McGregor and Marshall Rogers
Detectives, Inc.: A Terror Of Dying Dreams (1985 graphic novel) by Don McGregor and Gene Colan
Destroyer Duck by Steve Gerber, Jack Kirby, and Buzz Dixon
The DNAgents by Mark Evanier and Will Meugniot
Espers by James Hudnall
Eclipse Magazine
Eclipse Monthly
Giant Sized Mini Comics
Guerilla Groundhog
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien adapted by Charles Dixon with art by David Wenzel
Hotspur
*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
*Masked Man
*Mai the Psychic Girl
*Miracleman by Alan Moore, Neil Gaiman, and others
*Modesty Blaise: First American Editions - 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
Sabre: Slow Fade of an Endangered Species (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
The Three Stooges in 3-D
Twisted Tales
Valkyrie
Villains and Vigilantes
Weasel Patrol
Winterworld
Zooniverse
Zot! by Scott McCloud

External links

* Eclipse Official Eclipse Website
* Eclipse Comics Index by cat yronwode