DC Comics Bonus Books were 16-page comic book stories inserted into issues of existing DC Comics series to showcase new writers and artists.[1][2] Running from April 1988 to February 1989, they consisted of a front cover, 14 pages of story, and a back cover with a brief biography of the story's creators. The addition of the insert did not entail an increase in the price of the comic book.[3] The Bonus Books featured early work by such comics creators as Mark Askwith, Jim Balent, Randy DuBurke, Dean Haspiel, Rob Liefeld, Gordon Purcell,[4] and Denis Rodier.[3]
The issues
edit| Issue (cover date) | Bonus Book | Writer(s) | Artist(s) | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Action Comics #599 (April 1988) | Superman and Jimmy Olsen | Joe Calchi | Britt Wisenbaker and James Scott | [5] |
| The Flash vol. 2 #12 (May 1988) | Doctor Light | George Broderick | Gordon Purcell and Timothy Dzon | [6] |
| Doom Patrol vol. 2 #9 (June 1988) | Celsius | Steve Miller | Randy DuBurke and Joe Alidetta | [7] |
| Wonder Woman vol. 2 #18 (July 1988) | Amazons | Dan Littleford | Palmer Worley and Brian Thomas | [8] |
| Detective Comics #589 (August 1988) | Batman vs. Poison Ivy | Lewis Klahr and Steve Piersall | Dean Haspiel and Denis Rodier | [9] |
| The Warlord #131 (September 1988) | Jennifer Morgan | Steve Wilson | Rob Liefeld and Jeff Albrecht | [2][10] |
| Justice League International #18 (October 1988) | Mister Miracle, Big Barda, and Oberon | Mark Askwith | James Webb and Mark Pennington | [11][12] |
| Power of the Atom #4 (November 1988) | Atom | Joe Calchi | Jim Balent and Dan Schaefer | [13] |
| The Flash vol. 2 #19 (December 1988) | Blue Trinity | Hank Kanalz | Bill Knapp and Jerry Acerno | [14] |
| Suicide Squad #21 (Winter 1988) | Bronze Tiger | Larry Ganem | Peter Krause and Fred Butler | [15] |
| Detective Comics #595 (Holiday 1989) | Batman vs. Mr. Freeze | Jeff O'Hare | Roderick Delgado and Jerry Acerno | [16] |
| Wonder Woman vol. 2 #26 (January 1989) | Amazons | Tom Joyner | Neil Vokes and Fred Butler | [17] |
| Justice League International #24 (February 1989) | Blue Beetle, Booster Gold, and Maxwell Lord | David P. Levin | Dean Haspiel | [18] |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ McMillan, Graeme (December 11, 2013). "Top 10 Events DC Could Revive For Future New 52 Anniversaries". Newsarama. Archived from the original on December 13, 2013. Retrieved June 6, 2013.
For just under a year (between April 1988 and February 1989 cover dates, in fact), one DC title each month would have an additional 16 page story in the guise of a separate comic, right in the middle of the book. These "Bonus Books" were used to try out new talent.
- ^ a b Carbonaro, Paul (January 15, 1988). "The Warlord". Amazing Heroes (133). Fantagraphics Books: 192.
16-page inserts will be rotated through various DC titles...in 1988. They will be produced by new talent, and one such insert will appear in Warlord.
- ^ a b Greenberger, Robert (April 2014). "New Talent and Bonus Babies". Back Issue! (71). Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing: 71–73.
- ^ Aamodt, Britt (2010). Superheroes, Strip Artists, & Talking Animals: Minnesota's Contemporary Cartoonists. Saint Paul, Minnesota: Minnesota Historical Society Press. p. 88. ISBN 978-0873517775.
DC also gave the young cartoonist a one-off assignment. They asked him to work on a bonus book (a free comic stuffed inside another comic) that would be paired with the next issue of Flash.
- ^ "Action Comics #599". Grand Comics Database.
- ^ "The Flash vol. 2 #12". Grand Comics Database.
- ^ "Doom Patrol vol. 2 #9". Grand Comics Database.
- ^ "Wonder Woman vol. 2 #18". Grand Comics Database.
- ^ "Detective Comics #589". Grand Comics Database.
- ^ "The Warlord #131". Grand Comics Database.
- ^ Mangels, Andy (July 15, 1988). "Justice League International". Amazing Heroes (145). Fantagraphics Books: 129.
Justice League International #18 will contain a Bonus Book. The story will be written by Mark Askwith, penciled by Jim Webb, and inked by Mark Pennington, and concerns the construction of Mr. Miracle's dream house.
- ^ "Justice League International #18". Grand Comics Database.
- ^ "Power of the Atom #4". Grand Comics Database.
- ^ "The Flash vol. 2 #19". Grand Comics Database.
- ^ "Suicide Squad #21". Grand Comics Database.
- ^ "Detective Comics #595". Grand Comics Database.
- ^ "Wonder Woman vol. 2 #26". Grand Comics Database.
- ^ "Justice League International #24". Grand Comics Database.
External links
edit- DC Bonus Book at the Comic Book DB
- DC Bonus Books at Mike's Amazing World of Comics
- DC Timeline 1986-1989
- DC Bonus Book #7 review at Boosterrific.com