Marvel and DC: Side-by-Side in 1982

1982

Doug: The events of last week's post on 1981 and this one on 1982 are characterized by the rise of the direct market in comic book distribution. No longer were comics to be available only at drug stores and supermarkets. Now specialized "comic shops" sprung up around the country as entrepreneurs sought to capitalize on the hobby's increasing popularity. With that evolution, Marvel and DC not only continued to publish the short "minis", but expanded into what became known as maxi-series. Outside our windows, Argentina invaded the Falkland Islands (what the heck were they thinking?), Disney's EPCOT Center opened in October, the same month Sony's personal CD player and the Double-Stuf Oreos debuted, and in December Michael Jackson's Thriller was released. And if that wasn't enough, a little film called E.T. was in theaters in 1982. And that aggravating Rubik's Cube became a fad.

Karen: Speaking of comic shops, my first job was in a tiny (the term 'shotgun shack' would fit) mom and pop comic store. I think I started working there around 1981 or 1982. So consequently, I was reading a LOT of comics around this time, since I didn't have to pay for them! Still, I don't recall being all that excited by what I was reading.

Doug: In last week's entry on 1981, I lambasted Marvel for sitting on their hands during that year while DC seemed to make most of the innovations, and further the momentum they were gaining through the mini-series and The New Teen Titans. I think we'll find that 1982 saw Marvel rise up and punch DC right in the mouth.

Doug: In January Superman was featured in yet another mini-series, this time brought to readers by Steve Gerber and Gene Colan. Phantom Zone #1 delved into the history of the prison dimension. In the middle of New Teen Titans #16, the 16-page preview promoted Captain Carrot and his Amazing Zoo Crew, a funny-animal strip. Marvel wasn't goofing around with funny animals (although machinations were in place for the start-up of the Star Comics imprint), but instead launched its first direct-only title with Marvel Fanfare #1, featuring Spider-Man and the X-Men in an adventure set in the Savage Land. Yeah -- that would grab anyone's attention. The alien race known as the Brood also debuted in March in X-Men #155 by Chris Claremont and Dave Cockrum. And in case you thought Marvel was done, Cloak and Dagger turned up for the first time in Spectacular Spider-Man #64. With these three items, Marvel brought to the table elements that, at least to me, characterize the company in this particular era.

Karen: At the time I was really excited about Marvel Fanfare. I don't think that enthusiasm lasted very long though. I still have several issues but I can't say I have gone back to read them in the last 25 years. I always felt the Brood were just an Aliens rip-off, and hated that they got used so much in X-Men.

Doug: The spring months at DC saw a flurry of note-worthy activity. The Saga of the Swamp Thing #1 arrived with the intent of generating interest in the now cult-followed feature film, Swamp Thing. This series was received well, but really took off when Alan Moore arrived a couple of years into the run. In June, one of the victims of the DC Implosion returned to his own series in The Fury of Firestorm #1 by Gerry Conway and Pat Broderick. The same month saw the release of Tales of the Teen Titans #1, a four-issue mini-series that featured origin stories for Cyborg, Changeling, Raven, and Starfire.

Karen: I recall getting all of those Teen Titan mini-series. It was such a novel concept then. Little did we know what it would turn into eventually!

Doug: In the spring Marvel countered DC with some major events of its own. April's cover-dated Daredevil #181 saw the brutal murder of Elektra at the hands of Bullseye. The same month Marvel began publication of the Marvel Graphic Novel series. The first release was The Death of Captain Marvel, where Mar-Vell succumbed to cancer. April also saw the first-ever television ads for a comic book when the G.I. Joe cartoon hawked the comic of the same name, cover-dated July. Marvel had licensed the use of the characters from Hasbro, at the request of the toy giant. To close, the Contest of Champions mini-series came out after many delays. Originally imagined as a 64-page tie-in with the Moscow Summer Games, the project had to be totally retooled after the U.S. boycott.

Karen: Lots of memories from those spring releases. The Death of Captain Marvel was especially notable for me, as I had been a fan of his Starlin days. It was so odd to have a hero die in bed -but a very poignant story. If only they could have left it at that! Contest of Champions was, in retrospect, pretty bad, but I've always enjoyed seeing lots of heroes together -this had the bonus of international ones.

Doug: Brother Blood, who would become a major foe for the Teen Titans, first appeared in New Teen Titans #21 in July. In August scribe Paul Levitz and artist Keith Giffen began an epic when the "Great Darkness Saga" engulfed the Legion in LOSH #290. A month later, Starfire met her evil sister Blackfire in NTT #23. The big news from Marvel mid-year was the release of the Wolverine mini-series, by Claremont and Miller. If Logan wasn't already popular, he certainly jetted to the front after this story.

Karen: I never warmed up to the Wolverine/samurai/ninja thing. But I was enjoying Teen Titans a lot around this time.

Doug: In the fall, Marvel launched a new line called Epic. With the success of Epic Illustrated and the graphic novel series, Marvel was looking for a direct-only, creator-owned style that would be published outside the Comics Code Authority. The first title produced with the Epic imprint was Jim Starlin's Dreadstar. December was big, too, as Marvel Graphic Novel #4 featured the debut of the New Mutants. Again, like some of the happenings at the beginning of the year, when I think of the '80's, the New Mutants are there. Avengers fans can reflect on Amazing Spider-Man Annual #16, which featured the first appearance of Monica Rambeau, the new Captain Marvel. She was created by Roger Stern and John Romita, Jr.

Karen: Dreadstar was a title I really liked, and so was New Mutants. It still felt like Marvel was producing a wide variety of books at this point.

Doug: As we close out the year, DC took the annual JLA-JSA team-up and stretched it to a five-issue story that began in Justice League of America #207 and included All-Star Squadron. Supergirl, still sporting the hot pants-look, got her own book in The Daring New Adventures of Supergirl #1. In November, Marvel and DC were at it again with the release of Marvel and DC Present: The Uncanny X-Men and the New Teen Titans #1, by Chris Claremont and Walter Simonson, the book was printed on Baxter paper and priced at $2. I got a copy of this a few years after its publication, and it was pretty good. I don't know where I'd rank it among the other company crossovers, but it was exciting to see these two teams together. In December, DC's first maxi-series began publication with Mike W. Barr's and Brian Bolland's Camelot 3000. I've not read it, but as a fan of Bolland's work I'm not sure why I've never made the effort!

Karen: Unfortunately I never had a complete collection of Camelot 3000. I really enjoyed the artwork by Bolland though. I think this was the first comic I read that had a gay character in it, too. At the time it seemed really progressive, even if it was a woman who hated being a woman and wanted to be a man!

Doug: Karen and I plan to run a follow-up poll to the one we ran toward the end of March, where we asked those following the Side-by-Side series to rank the most impactful year of the first 8 we've reviewed. In my opinion, it will be difficult to not give 1982 your strongest endorsement for "most impactful" of the latter 8 years. We shall see...