What was your favorite try-out character that never got its own series?

[Brian Cronin]

In Greg Hatcher's latest piece (http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2006/08/11/friday-at-the-audition/), Greg talked about try-out comics, like Showcase, Marvel Premiere and Marvel Spotlight.

Well, my question here is - what character that was given an audition in a title like those, yet never awarded their own series, was your favorite?

Any Monark Starstalker fans out there?

Seeker 3000?

The Maniaks?

What say you, folks?

-Brian

[Jeremy A. Patterson]

In Greg Hatcher's latest piece (http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2006/08/11/friday-at-the-audition/), Greg talked about try-out comics, like Showcase, Marvel Premiere and Marvel Spotlight.

Well, my question here is - what character that was given an audition in a title like those, yet never awarded their own series, was your favorite?

Any Monark Starstalker fans out there?

Seeker 3000?

The Maniaks?

What say you, folks?

-Brian


The guy forgot three notable try-out books:

* Dell's Four Color: It not only scored tons of hits (Uncle Scrooge, Turok, Son of Stone, & I Love Lucy), but also tons of oddities (Anyone remember Brain Boy, Yak Yak, & Winky Dink?)

*Harvey Comics Hits/Harvey Hits: It spawned solo Harvey Books for Casper, Richie Rich, & Wendy, as well as a few oddities like:Love Stories of Mary Worth, Girls In White, Tales of the Invisible, Rags Rabbit, Stevie, Gabby Gob, & G.I. Juniors!)

* Marvel Super-Heroes (The 1967 series): This was Marvel's first try-out book. It spawned Captain Mar-Vell, & it had minor features: The Phantom Eagle & Medusa!

We could have a Top Five list of failed try-out featues!

J.A.P.

[suedenim]

Lady Cop!
http://sevenhells.blogspot.com/2006/06/lady-cop-week-day-one.html

For all the cheesiness, it wasn't a bad idea. And Liza Warner was one tough cookie, too, especially when you realize she's actually (apparently) unarmed in the story!

[scratchie]

* Marvel Super-Heroes (The 1967 series): This was Marvel's first try-out book. It spawned Captain Mar-Vell, And the Guardians of the Galaxy! Back when the guy with the bow and arrow had bright red skin! (Ouch!)

[scratchie]

Any Monark Starstalker fans out there?I recently got this in a lot of miscellaneous space opera books from the 70s. Fun stuff, but so similar to so much of Chaykin's work that it's hard to imagine longing for more. He's done the same thing better, more than once.

Seeker 3000?This was probably my biggest disappointment as a kid. I really enjoyed this sort of thing, derivative as it was.

I was also disappointed not to get another ongoing "Deathlok" series after his appearance in Marvel Spotlight (a couple of years after his famous run in Astonishing Tales).

I probably would have bought a monthly comic about that guy with jet engines on his wrist (Torpedo? Tornado?) but I was buying just about any new series Marvel was putting out at that point (The Human Fly, Godzilla, Champions, etc.).

[dan bailey]

the "warriors three" -- hogun, fandral & volstagg -- issue of marvel spotlight (ish #30, oct '76) was one of the first fondly remembered comics from the '70s that i made a point of looking for when i started getting back into comics a couple of years ago (i was lucky enough to come across it in the $1 box the next time i dropped by my nearest lcs, which at that time was a fairly rare event for me). i would've loved to have seen those guys get their own title.

[Reptisaurus!]

The guy forgot three notable try-out books:

* Dell's Four Color: It not only scored tons of hits (Uncle Scrooge, Turok, Son of Stone, & I Love Lucy), but also tons of oddities (Anyone remember Brain Boy, Yak Yak, & Winky Dink[I]?)



Brain Boy's inelligible, oddly enough. He actually went on to get his own book for a couple issues. I've been looking for them cheap on E-bay.

[Graham Vingoe]

Marvel Premiere 54- Caleb Hammer. single issue story- fantastic. would have read a series without question

[Jeremy A. Patterson]

Lady Cop!
http://sevenhells.blogspot.com/2006/06/lady-cop-week-day-one.html

For all the cheesiness, it wasn't a bad idea. And Liza Warner was one tough cookie, too, especially when you realize she's actually (apparently) unarmed in the story!


Mister Kitty International poked fun at Lady Cop a few weeks back:

www.misterkitty.org/extras/stupidcovers/stupidcomics63.html


J.A.P.

[BillR]

Woodgod, man.

Or Dingbats of Danger Street.

[Jeremy A. Patterson]

Or Dingbats of Danger Street.


Gone & Forgotten has an article about the Dingbats of Danger Street that is very informative: http://ape-law.com/GAF/Page19/


J.A.P.

[Jeremy A. Patterson]

how about the stars of the first three issues of showcase: Fire Fighters, King of the Wild, & The Frogmen!


J.A.P.

[TheTen-EyedMan]

Mister Kitty International poked fun at Lady Cop a few weeks back:

www.misterkitty.org/extras/stupidcovers/stupidcomics63.html


J.A.P.

There's a fine line between poking fun and bitchslapping...Mr Kitty seems to have vomited over that line.

Would he prefer 72 odd issues of drawn out, post modernist Starman-like Angst?

15 pages Mr Kanigher used...15.

Less than half a standard issue of today.

It's story might be hackneyed, it's dialogue stilted but I know which story I'd prefer to read.

[Dan Apodaca]

There's a fine line between poking fun and bitchslapping...Mr Kitty seems to have vomited over that line.

Would he prefer 72 odd issues of drawn out, post modernist Starman-like Angst?

15 pages Mr Kanigher used...15.

Less than half a standard issue of today.

It's story might be hackneyed, it's dialogue stilted but I know which story I'd prefer to read.

Easy there, man. A little defensive of Lady Cop, huh?

[Reptisaurus!]

Oh, an'

http://images.comicbookresources.com/oddball/sinistroboyfiend03.jpg

[howyadoin]

15 pages Mr Kanigher used...15.

Less than half a standard issue of today.Isn't a standard issue 21 or 22 pages these days?

[TheTen-EyedMan]

Easy there, man. A little defensive of Lady Cop, huh?

Dan...Lady Cop...is how I like to imagine things were.

It's hard to reconcile the New York of the 1970s, with the Frank Serpico inspired John Lindsay instigated Knapp Commision into wide-spread corruption with..the naiviety of Lady Cop.

[Bright-Raven]

Too many to think of. Here are a few:

From Marvel:

WEIRDWORLD (aka WARRIORS OF THE SHADOW REALM)

MAN-WOLF ***

STAR-LORD ***

IT, THE LIVING COLOSSUS

DRAGON LORD

BLACKMARK (Gil Kane owned?)

PARADOX

*** = I've pitched projects with these characters, but never heard back from Marvel on them. And yes, I know Star-Lord's had a few one shots and miniseries appearances of his own and was regularly featured in all sorts of Marvel Cast Off series (Marvel Premiere, Marvel Preview, Marvel Spotlight, etc.). The character has never had an ongoing series.

I'll think about DC later

[Jeremy A. Patterson]

Oh, an'

http://images.comicbookresources.com/oddball/sinistroboyfiend03.jpg


Yes, Uncle Cheeks. Charlton did have a few try-out books in their line-up. Some of these have a few hits: Judomaster [Special War Series #4], War [Fightin Marines #122], Neil The Horse [Bullseye #2], & even Thunder Bunny [Bullseye #6, #10].

There are even a few minor characters in their try-out list to go with Sinistro:
Cap'n Catnip
The Vanguards
The Guardian
Warhund
Mitey Buggers
Terry Turtle
Bludd
The Shape
Tyro Team

And..
Spookman!


J.A.P.

[pennywisdom]

This is sort of on topic (kinda):

Grant Morrison has said he wanted the Seven Soldiers characters (Klarion, Shining Knight, Mr. Miracle, Bulleteer, Frankenstein, Guardian, Zatanna) to be considered viable properties again, and that part of his motivation for doing the project at all was to re-invigorate these often overlooked characters.

What will become of that? Will any of those characters get a monthly book soon?

[TheTen-EyedMan]

Isn't a standard issue 21 or 22 pages these days?

I thought it was upward of 30.

If not more.

[Jeremy A. Patterson]

Too many to think of. Here are a few:

From Marvel:

WEIRDWORLD (aka WARRIORS OF THE SHADOW REALM)

MAN-WOLF ***

STAR-LORD ***

IT, THE LIVING COLOSSUS

DRAGON LORD

BLACKMARK (Gil Kane owned?)

PARADOX

*** = I've pitched projects with these characters, but never heard back from Marvel on them. And yes, I know Star-Lord's had a few one shots and miniseries appearances of his own and was regularly featured in all sorts of Marvel Cast Off series (Marvel Premiere, Marvel Preview, Marvel Spotlight, etc.). The character has never had an ongoing series.

I'll think about DC later

Well, Man-Wolf started out as a Spider-Man villain. By the time that he had his try-outs, he had a failed solo series in 'Creatures on the Loose'. The try-outs tried to make him a barbarian werewolf!

It, the Living Colossus was a revival of one of those old Lee/Kirby pre-hero monster characters!

Dragon Lord was an inventory story intended for the then-cancelled Godzilla book!

Why continue with just DC? Charlton [Special War Series, Charlton Premiere, Charlton Bullseye], Dell [Four Color, Large Feature Book], & even Harvey [Harvey Comics Hits/Harvey Hits] had try-out books that you might have seen!

J.A.P.

[suedenim]

Just remembered one that I really liked, but never went anywhere: the Alpha Centurion, briefly a supporting character in the Superman books:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpha_Centurion

I always thought it was a neat idea for a character, would've liked to see more of him.

[Bright-Raven]

By the time that (Man-Wolf) had his try-outs, he had a failed solo series in 'Creatures on the Loose'. The try-outs tried to make him a barbarian werewolf!

Actually, I think David Kraft was more going for a sort of homage to John Carter, Warlord of Mars when he was writing the character in the various titles the character appeared in other than CREATURES ON THE LOOSE, and that's where I would take the character - more SF oriented.

It, the Living Colossus was a revival of one of those old Lee/Kirby pre-hero monster characters!

So what if IT, THE LIVING COLOSSUS was a revival character? That's the whole point of this thread - which characters do you want revived and done well again?

Dragon Lord was an inventory story intended for the then-cancelled Godzilla book!

Again, so what? You saying that I or any other decent writer couldn't take that concept and turn into something worthwhile? Or are you merely just saying that it doesn't interest you personally?

Why continue with just DC? Charlton [Special War Series, Charlton Premiere, Charlton Bullseye], Dell [Four Color, Large Feature Book], & even Harvey [Harvey Comics Hits/Harvey Hits] had try-out books that you might have seen!

All of those non-DC companies were pretty much dead before I was regularly reading comics, so no I have not seen their try-out books, per se. I have one Charlton Bullseye and it didn't mean much to me. The only reason I even got it was the whole CPL connection and I wanted to see some of Byrne's earliest works at that era.

I'm not an Encyclopedia Comicopia, nor would I ever wish to be.

[howyadoin]

I thought it was upward of 30.

If not more.I'm counting story pages only. Not ads.

[K'Nort]

I'm counting story pages only. Not ads.

It's definitely 22 for story pages. DC/Marvel, that is. Image seems to go longer sometimes.

[Jeremy A. Patterson]

Any more examples?


J.A.P.

[TheTen-EyedMan]

I've always wished that Batman prototype that Bill Finger and Bob Kane created would have taken off.

[Reptisaurus!]

Yes, Uncle Cheeks

No relation. Totally different guy. :)