Summary
- Image Comics was formed in the 1990s by disillusioned Marvel artists who wanted greater control over their work.
- Cyber Force, ShadowHawk, Gen 13, The Maxx, and Stormwatch were among the top first issues from Image Comics in the 1990s.
- Spawn #1 was the book that put Image Comics on the map and laid the foundation for Todd McFarlane's multi-media empire.
Image Comics was formed in 1992 by seven former Marvel artists. These artists became disillusioned with Marvel, namely over the issue of creator’s rights. Image’s founders wanted fairer deals and greater control over their work. Image was revolutionary for its time in that creators would retain complete creative control over their works. While no one thinks twice about creator-owned books today, in the early 1990s it was a revolutionary concept.
The foundation for Image Comics was laid in a series of landmark first issues. Some of them were very much of their time, while others looked ahead to the company’s future. Here are the top 10 Image Comics first issues of the 1990s, ranked.
10 Cyber Force #1
Written by Eric Silvestri and drawn by Marc Silvestri
Marc Silvestri made a name for himself in the late 1980s drawing Uncanny X-Men at Marvel, and he brought a similar vibe to his own creation Cyber Force. One of Image Comics’ first titles of the 1990s, Cyber Force’s first run consisted of four issues and when it proved popular, an ongoing, was launched the following year. Cyber Force’s first issue hits the ground running, introducing readers to all the book’s major players in a breezy fashion. While some parts of Cyber Force may come across as a little too derivative of X-Men, there is an undeniable charm that sets it apart.
9 ShadowHawk #1
Written and drawn by Jim Valentino
Today, it is common to joke about the “extreme” 1990s, full of brutal, over-the-top characters, “heroes” who had no qualms against lethal force—and perhaps no other Image hero in the 1990s embodies this, like Jim Valentino’s ShadowHawk. In his first issue, ShadowHawk introduces his brutal brand of justice by breaking up a mugging. Not content to save a person’s life, ShadowHawk then breaks the spines of the criminals. While heroes who doled out violent punishments were nothing new, ShadowHawk took it to another level, and his first issue demonstrated he was not fooling around.
8 Gen 13 #1
Written by Brandon Choi and Jim Lee and drawn by J. Scott Campbell
After debuting in 1993’s Deathmate: Black, Gen 13 received their first book, a four issue miniseries, in early 1994. Gen 13 was a smash hit for Jim Lee’s WildStorm imprint. Directly related to WildStorm’s other titles, Gen 13 tells the story of five super-powered teenagers and their mentor. The products of genetic experimentation, the of Gen 13 not only dealt with super-villains, but also other teenage issues, such as sexuality. Gen 13’s first issue also launched the career of J. Scott Campbell, who would become one of the industry’s biggest names in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
7 The Maxx #1
Written and drawn by Sam Keith
The Maxx’s solo book debuted as part of a “second wave” at Image Comics in the early 1990s. Created by Sam Keith, The Maxx was unlike other Image titles at the time. Eschewing the traditional superheroes that were a hallmark of other Image books, The Maxx was truly dark and gritty, and his first issue lays it all out. The character was a hit with fans, and was awarded his own animated series in 1995, one of the first Image characters to be adapted to other media. The Maxx showed that Image was not afraid to take creative risks–setting the stage for the company’s reinvention as a haven for a variety of creator-owned works in the 2000s.
6 Stormwatch #1
Written by Jim Lee and Brandon Choi and drawn by Scott Clark
The companion book to Jim Lee’s WildCATS, Stormwatch took that book’s high-concept and applied it to international politics. StormWatch, led by Battalion and under the guidance of the “Weatherman” Henry Bendix, are a proactive, United Nations-sanctioned superhero team. While initially popular with fans, StormWatch faltered until decade’s end, when writer Warren Ellis and artist Bryan Hitch gave it an overhaul, ultimately leading to the creation of The Authority. The Authority is set to make their live-action debut as part of James Gunn’s DCU, and their roots can be traced back to StormWatch’s first issue.
5 Astro City #1
Written by Kurt Busiek and drawn by Brent Anderson
Astro City is one of America’s longest running independent superhero titles, and it began in the mid-1990s at Image Comics. Conceived by Kurt Busiek, off the heels of his breakthrough Marvels, Astro City was set in the titular metropolis, following the lives of its many heroes throughout history. Astro City’s first issue introduces readers to the Samaritan, the book’s Superman-pastiche, and many other characters followed. Astro City was not connected to the larger Image Universe, and was a stark departure from some of their other fare. Astro City, now published by DC Comics, set the stage for Image’s more “experimental” heroes like Invincible.
4 WildCATS #1
Written by Brandon Choi and Jim Lee and drawn by Lee
One of Image Comics’ first titles out of the gate, WildCATS took Jim Lee’s already dynamic art to another level. Over the course of the first issue, readers are introduced to the team and its many colorful personalities, such as Grifter, Spartan, Voodoo and Zealot. While it may be tempting to dismiss WildCATS as a product of 1990s “extreme,” the characters in fact have had staying power. The team was the subject of a critically acclaimed run later in the decade, and the property, now published by DC Comics, recently celebrated its 30th anniversary with a new maxi-series.
3 Youngblood #1
Written and drawn by Rob Liefeld
The first Image Comics title published in the 1990s, Youngblood’s debut issue set sales records, becoming a bona fide hit and announcing the arrival of an important new publisher. The idea of corporate heroes, more obsessed with image than heroics, was nothing new when Youngblood #1 hit the stands in 1992, but it took it to a whole nother level. Youngblood was not only the first offering from Image, but also creator Rob Liefeld’s Extreme Studios, which would become home to other titles such as Brigade, Supreme and Prophet, all of which would become Image icons in the 1990s.
2 Savage Dragon #1
Written and drawn by Erik Larsen
Whereas most of Image Comics’ first round of characters were created just for the company, the Savage Dragon was the exception. Created by Erik Larsen in the mid-1980s, the Savage Dragon found new life at Image Comics. The Dragon’s first issue reintroduces readers to the character and the world he lives in. Initially slated for a three issue miniseries, it proved so popular that Savage Dragon was given an ongoing book shortly afterward. The Savage Dragon has proven to be one of Image Comics’ workhorses, still being published today. The Savage Dragon is a pillar of Image Comics, and his first issue hints at the greatness to come.
1 Spawn #1
Written and drawn by Todd McFarlane
While Youngblood #1 may have been Image Comics’ first book, it would be the first issue of Spawn that put the company on the map. Creator Todd McFarlane was one of Earth’s hottest comic artists when the book debuted in the spring of 1992, and Spawn #1 was a hit with fans when it was published. Taking McFarlane’s artistic vision to new heights, Spawn is now Image Comics’ longest-running title, as well as the longest-running independent comic in North America. Finally, Spawn #1 laid the foundation for McFarlane’s vast multi-media empire, which now stretches across comics, toys, movies and games.
For fans of today’s Image Comics, some of these titles may be a bit jarring. Today, Image Comics publishes titles in a variety of genres–there is something for everyone. However, the Image Comics of the 1990s were almost exclusively superheroes.
