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Eclipse Comics

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Eclipse Comics was an American comic book publisher, one of several influential independent publishers during the 1980s and early 1990s. In 1978, it published the first graphic novel for the newly-created comic book specialty store market. It was one of the first to offer royalties and creator ownership of rights, and the first comics company to publish trading cards.

Eclipse was known for its eclectic mix of titles and products. Many noteworthy creators got their start or did early work there, including Chuck Austen, Donna Barr, Dan Brereton, Chuck Dixon, James Hudnall, Scott McCloud, Peter Milligan, Tim Truman, and Chris Ware. Veterans published by Eclipse include Steve Englehart, Don McGregor, Gene Colan and Mark Evanier.

The company is also known for its role in the publication history of the acclaimed and contested series Miracleman.

History

The company was founded as Eclipse Enterprises by brothers Jan and Dean Mullaney in 1977. Eclipse published one of the first original graphic novels (as opposed to collected reprint material), Sabre: Slow Fade of an Endangered Species by Don McGregor and Paul Gulacy. Published in August 1978 — two months before Will Eisner's more famous, graphic short-story collection A Contract with God — it led to a 14-issue spin-off series for Eclipse.

McGregor went on to write two additional early graphic novels for Eclipse, each set in contemporary New York City and starring interracial-buddy private eyes Ted Denning and Bob Rainier: Detectives, Inc.: A Rememembrance of Threatening Green (1980), with artist Marshall Rogers, and Detectives, Inc.: A Terror Of Dying Dreams (1985), with artist Gene Colan, who would become a frequent collaborator.

The company also had early success with the anthology magazine Eclipse and color comic Eclipse Monthly, as well as with the detective series Ms. Tree by Max Allan Collins.

During the early 1980s, Eclipse moved several timesfrom 81 Delaware Street, Staten Island, New York, to 295 Austin Street, Columbia, Missouri, and then to the small towns of Guerneville and later Forestville in Sonoma County, California. Beginning in Missouri, it expanded operations under editor Cat Yronwode. In 1988, in partnership with Viz Communications, Eclipse published the first Japanese manga translated into English. [citation needed]It later expanded its manga line in collaboration with Studio Proteus. In 1986, Eclipse lost most of its back-issue stock in a flood. This, along with the mid nineties collapse of the direct market distribution system forced the company ceased operations in 1994, with its intellectual property rights acquired by Todd McFarlane. Its last publication was its Spring 1993 catalog, which was a complete bibliography of its publications.

Titles

File:Sabre1.jpg
Sabre (1978), one of the first graphic novels. Cover art by Paul Gulacy.

References

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