The Eighth Co(s)mic Comic Book Broadcast: New Universe.

Now as you can probably tell by now comics have always been a constant in my life, I’ve been reading and collecting them for as long as I can remember and after all these years, I’ve learned a few things and picked up a few things along the way and I want to share that with you but that’s a subject for another broadcast, this broadcast came to me when I was clearing out some stuff today and I saw this.

Anyone recognize these comics?  Yep, that’s Star Brand and Spitfire from The New Universe Imprint from Marvel.  The New Universe was published in its original incarnation from 1986 to 1989. It was the first line produced by Marvel Comics utilizing the concept of a pre-conceived shared universe. It was created by Jim Shooter, Archie Goodwin, Eliot R. Brown, John Morelli, Mark Gruenwald, Tom DeFalco and edited by Michael Higgins.

In 1986, in honor of Marvel Comics’ 25th anniversary, Editor-In-Chief Jim Shooter launched the New Universe line of comics. This was to be a distinctly separate world, fully divorced from the mainstream continuity of the Marvel Universe, consisting of its own continuing characters and stories in a more realistic setting. There would be no aliens, hidden races, gods, mythological beings, magic, or supertechnology. Superhuman characters and powers would be limited and thus more subdued in their activities, yet their actions would have more realistic consequences. This was in contrast to the traditional Marvel Universe.
The main theme running through the New universe was a sense of realism, the New Universe titles were designed to operate in real-time: a month would lapse in the universe for each month that passed in reality. The limitation of fantasy elements and the low-key nature of the characters’ activities in the New Universe gave the imprint verisimilitude, to seem like “the world outside your window,” which was the series catchphrase.

Here you have:

Spitfire and the Troubleshooters (created by Eliot R. Brown and John Morelli) (13 issues; renamed Spitfire from issue #8; renamed Codename: Spitfire from issue #10)
Aided by five prankster students, Professor Jenny Swensen steals her father’s M.A.X. armor (a construction suit built for use in a variety of capacities) when she suspects his murderer intends to use it as a weapon of war.

Star Brand (created by Jim Shooter) (19 issues, one annual; renamed The Star Brand from issue #11)
Ken Connell is given a power called the Star Brand by a mysterious visitor from space, who tells him to guard it well. Driven by his conscience, Connell struggles to find the most just and appropriate use for the Brand’s unlimited power.

Kickers, Inc. (created by Tom DeFalco and Ron Frenz) (12 issues)
Kickers Inc. is a group of heroes-for-hire, all former pro-football players, led by Jack Magniconte, who gains super-human strength, speed, and invulnerability after the White Event at the cost of his brother’s life.
There were other titles like DP 7, Justice, Marc Hazzard: Merc, Nightmask and PSI Force.
I couldn’t find the other titles, I know i had a few more but for now they appear to be MIA.  By the end of the imprint’s first year, four of the titles (Kickers, Inc., Mark Hazzard: Merc, Nightmask and Codename: Spitfire) were cancelled, while a fifth (Star Brand) had been downgraded to bimonthly status, and Shooter himself had departed Marvel. Though the new bulletins published in the comics reassured readers that the cancellations were only a case of some series not selling as well as others, in fact even the four remaining New Universe titles were on the brink of cancellation.

Despite all of this, the imprint was discontinued in late 1989 after a total of 170 comics had been published. Readers often assumed that the New Universe had suffered from poor sales, but in fact, all four series were solidly profitable right up until their cancellation; the actual reason for discontinuing the line was that, with Marvel Comics in one of its most successful eras, it was felt that staff and production resources would be better used on new, more promising series.  Sad huh?    The lineup’s discontinuation was immediately followed by a four-issue limited series, The War, which was intended as the conclusion of the New Universe.  It’s amazing what obscure titles will show up as you rummage through your collection, I reread these comics and it was fun to just sit down and read them again.
Thanks for taking the time to read this.  I’ll be back with another broadcast soon.  Have fun reading your comics.