A1 (comics)

A1
A1
	Cover of A1 vol. 1 (1989 Atomeka Press), art by Garry Leach.
Publication information
Publisher	Atomeka Press (Vol. 1); Epic Comics (Vol. 2)
Schedule	Irregular
Title(s)
	Book 1; Book 2; Book 3; Book 4; Book 5; Book 6
Formats	Ongoing graphic novel anthology
Genre	;
Publication date	October 1989 – April 1992
Number of issues	6 (Vol. 1) ; 4 (Vol. 2)
Editor(s)	Garry Leach; Dave Elliott

A1 is a graphic novel anthology series published by British company Atomeka Press. It was created in 1989 by Garry Leach and Dave Elliott. In 2004 it was restarted, publishing new and old material.

Publication history

The first series (from the late 1980s) comprised six issues, plus the A1 Bikini Confidential. Page-count varied around the 64-128 range. Most stories were one-off showcases, sometimes featuring characters that had publishing history elsewhere (e.g. Concrete, Mr. Monster, Mr. X, the American, Flaming Carrot). "Bricktop" was the one ongoing serialized story, though The Bojeffries Saga by Alan Moore and Steve Parkhouse appeared as self-contained stories in almost every issue. Issue #6 was numbered "6A" and a proposed "6B" never saw print, although most of the stories did see print in other publications, such as Heavy Metal magazine.

In 1992 a second series of A1 appeared under Marvel Comics's Epic Comics imprint, edited by Dave Elliott. These were four 48-page color books featuring work from Dave McKean, Kent Williams, Scott Hampton, George Pratt, P. Craig Russell, Glenn Fabry, Pedro Henry, and many others, including the late Martin Emond.

In 2004 Atomeka started publishing A1 again starting with A1 Big Issue Zero. It featured a Bojeffries Saga story that had originally appeared in two parts in Warrior with an introduction that was produced for the U.S. market to introduce the tone of the material. The new material for that issue was a strip by Steve Pugh called Shark-Man. Shark-Man eventually had a three issue run in full colour in 2008 published by Image Comics.

Titles

Volume 1

Book 1

ISBN 1-871878-05-5

The Big Button, Barry Windsor-Smith
Warpsmith: "Ghostdance", Alan Moore and Garry Leach
Deadface: "The Fall of Angels and Other Misfits", Eddie Campbell and Phil Elliott
Bad Bread, Graham Marks, and John Bolton
The Ear of Seeing, excerpt from Goethe's Faust, illustrated by John Bartlett-Bolton
Survivor, Dave Gibbons and Ted McKeever
The Actress and the Bishop go Boating, Brian Bolland
Wayfarer: "A Taste of Gold", Paul Behrer and Una Fricker
Bojeffries: "Festus: Dawn of the Dead", Alan Moore and Steve Parkhouse
Mr X:
- "Mr X", Bill Sienkiewicz
- "Heartsprings and Watchstops", Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean
- "Prologue Epilogue", Dean Motter
Libretto, Ted McKeever and Dave Gibbons
The Return of the Purple Claw - Blazin' Glory No. 5, Oct 1942
Blazin' Glory: "Ol' Glory, a Tribute", Paris Cullins and Dave Elliott
Brick Top, Glenn Fabry
Flaming Carrot: "The Bandit Moons", Bob Burden
The Hollow Circus, Peter Milligan, Brendan McCarthy and Tom Frame
Morelli-9: "Lobster Rumpus", Dom Regan

Book 2

ISBN 1-871878-11-X

Side A

Big Death, Peter Milligan and David Lloyd
King Pant, Philip Bond and Jamie Hewlett
Mr X: "Windows", panels by Nick Abadzis, Mark Badger, Simon Bisley, Brian Bolland, Philip Bond, Bob Burden, Paul Chadwick, Brett Ewins, Mark Farmer, Dave Gibbons, Paul Grist, Jamie Hewlett, John Higgins, Michael Kaluta, David Lloyd, Ted McKeever, Mike Mignola, Kev O'Neill, Paul Rivoche, William G. Simpson, Bryan Talbot, Charles Vess and Matt Wagner
Bojeffries: "Sex with Ginda Bojeffries", Alan Moore and Steve Parkhouse
This Really Happened!, Bambos
A Death on the Beach, Phil Elliott
Pressbutton: "A Long Time Dead", Pedro Henry and Glenn Fabry
Morelli-9: "Sperm Warfare", Dom Regan
Elephant's Graveyard, Raymond Ward, Dougie Braithwaite, and Rex Ward
Empty Chairs, Graham Marks and John Bolton

Side B

Mr. Monster, by Michael T. Gilbert and Dave Dorman
Bricktop: "Firework Night", Glenn Fabry
Jeepster, by Philip Bond
Cowboys and Indians, by Al Davison
Men and Hats, by Barry Windsor-Smith
Kyrn, by Paul Behrer and Simon Bisley
Obsessional, by Kevin McManus, Steve Moore and Shawn McManus
Comics Are Really Grate, by Gary Pleece and Warren Pleece
Fortean Times, by Steve Moore and Hunt Emerson
The Talk of Creatures, by Ted McKeever
Deadface: "About Hermes, Between You and Me", by Eddie Campbell

Book 3

ISBN 1-871878-90-X

The American, Mark Verheiden, Dougie Braithwaite, and Chris Warner
Deadface: "The Bookkeeper From Atlantis", Eddie Campbell
The Actress and the Bishop throw a Party, Brian Bolland
My Closest Friend, John Kaiine and Dave McKean
Leone Ryder, Gary Pleece and Warren Pleece
Bricktop: "Walton Pig Girls", Chris Smith and Glenn Fabry
Endless Summer, Philip Bond
The House of Hearts Desire, Grant Morrison and Dom Regan
Point of View, Graham Marks and John Bolton
Bojeffries: "A Quiet Christmas With the Family", Alan Moore and Steve Parkhouse
Monsieur Mouche: "Lighter than Air", Jean-Luc Coudray and Moebius

Book 4

ISBN 1-871878-56-X

Grendel: "Devil's Whisper", James Robinson and D'Israeli
Hellcity, Alan Martin and Jamie Hewlett
The Funeral, Andrew Strickland and Richard Barker
Bricktop: "Balls", Chris Smith and Glenn Fabry
The Moebius Portfolio (translated by Jean-Marc Lofficier & Randy Lofficier)
- In the heart of the impregnable meta-bunker, Alejandro Jodorowsky and Moebius (see Incal)
- Carnet 3: the Moebius Sketchbook
- Moebius circa '74
The Last Party on Earth, Jean-Marc Lofficier and Steve Whitaker
The Day the General Came, James Robinson and Phil Elliott
Emily, Almost, Bill Sienkiewicz
Dalgoda: "The Hero of the Tale", Jan Strnad and James Nowlan
A Lot on his Plate, Graham Marks and John Bolton
Bojeffries: "Song of the Terraces", Alan Moore and Steve Parkhouse

Book 5

ISBN 1-871878-39-X

Cover Story, Neil Gaiman and Kelly Jones
Bricktop: "Sunglasses", Chris Smith and Glenn Fabry
In the Penal Colony, Peter Milligan and Brett Ewins (adapted from Franz Kafka)
The Contact, Brett Ewins and Shaky Kane
Tor: "Food Chain", Joe Kubert
Jeff Hawke: "The Devil at Rennes-le-Chateau", Sydney Jordan, Trevor Goring and Thayed Rich
Knuckles the Malevolent Nun, Cornelius Stone and Roger Langridge
Bic: "Party Piece", Ed Hillyer
Reasons, Jeff Jones
The Boy Who Defied Gravity, Nick Abadzis
Take One Capsule Every Million Years, Bruce Jones, Jim Sullivan, and William Stout
Elvistein: "Yin and Yankee", Bambos Georgiu
The Proxy, Ramsey Campbell and David Lloyd
Trypto the Acid-Dog: "Pet Sounds", Miguel Ferrer, Bill Mumy, Steve Leialoha
Kathleen's House, Steve Dillon

Book 6

ISBN 1-871878-80-X

Tank Girl: "She's Fucking Great", Jamie Hewlett
Rescue, Archie Goodwin and D'Israeli
The Competition, Hilary Barta and Doug Rice
The Happy Angel of Death, Martin Hand
'Harlequin Bones: Dada 331, Warren Ellis and Phil Winslade
'Paris is a Ball, Serge Clerc
Alec MacGarry: "Obsession", Eddie Campbell
And They Never Get Drunk But Stay Sober, Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon

Special

ISBN 1-871878-69-1

Mr. Monster's Most Wanted!, Michael T. Gilbert
Parcels of Events, Brian Bolland
Zirk: "Siren of the Stars", Pedro Henry and Brian Bolland
Hell City II, Alan Martin and Jamie Hewlett
Jaremsheela:
- "Chapter I", Steve Moore and David Jackson
- "Chapter II", Steve Moore and David Jackson
- "Chapter III", Steve Moore, Dougie Braithwaite and Dave Elliott
Tales of the Taco Fiend, Bob Burden
Click, Melinda Gebbie and Carol Swain
The Betty Page Portfolio
Better than a Poke in the Eye with a Sharp Stick, Dave Elliott and William Simpson
The Temple of Sweat, Peter Milligan and John Higgins
Bojeffries: "Our Factory Fortnight", Alan Moore and Steve Parkhouse
Zirk: "The Perils of Polizei", Pedro Henry and Garry Leach