First

1983 - 2015
Country:
United States
Indicia / Colophon Publishers:
6
Brand Groups:
1
Brand Emblems in Use:
9
Total Number of Series:
87
Total Number of Issues:
854
Show Covers by Month:
using on-sale date or using publication date
Show Issues by Month:
using on-sale date or using publication date
Creator Checklist:
via linked story records
Notes:
Based in Evanston, Illinois, First Comics was co-founded by Ken F. Levin and Mike Gold. It launched in 1983 with a line-up of creators including Frank Brunner, Mike Grell, Howard Chaykin, Joe Staton, Steven Grant, Timothy Truman, and Jim Starlin. In 1984, First acquired all the titles of the short-lived publisher Capital Comics, including Mike Baron's action/superhero/fantasy/comedy series Badger, and Baron and Steve Rude's space-superhero series Nexus.

Among First's best-known titles were Chaykin's satirical futuristic cop series American Flagg; John Ostrander and Tim Truman's Grimjack; Baron & Rude's Nexus; Badger; Jim Starlin's space opera series Dreadstar and Mike Grell's Jon Sable.

The company moved to Chicago in 1985. Mike Gold, one of First's founders, served as the company president until late 1985.

The company's final major project was a revival of Classics Illustrated. The company partnered with Berkley Publishing Group to acquire the rights, and Classics Illustrated returned with new adaptations and a line-up of artists that included Kyle Baker, Dean Motter, Mike Ploog, P. Craig Russell, Bill Sienkiewicz, Joe Staton, Rick Geary, and Gahan Wilson. However, the line lasted only a little over a year.

First Comics ceased publishing in 1991, but resumed in June, 2014. In 2015, they merged with Devil's Due Publishing to become Devil's Due / 1First Comics, LLC.
Series Year Issues Covers Published
Alter Ego [m] 1986 4 issues (4 indexed) Gallery May 1986 - November 1986
American Flagg! [m] 1983 50 issues (50 indexed) Gallery October 1983 - March 1988
American Flagg! Special [m] 1986 1 issues (1 indexed) Gallery November 1986
American Flagg!: Hard Times (First Comics Graphic Novel Number Three) [b] 1985 1 issues (1 indexed) Have 1 (Need 1) June 1985
American Flagg!: Southern Comfort [b] 1987 1 issues (1 indexed) Gallery October 1987
American Flagg!: State of the Union [b] 1989 1 issues (1 indexed) Gallery April 1989
The Badger [m] 1985 66 issues (66 indexed) Gallery May 1985 - April 1991
Badger Bedlam [m] 1991 1 issues (1 indexed) Gallery March 1991
Badger Goes Berserk [m] 1989 4 issues (4 indexed) Gallery September 1989 - December 1989
Beauty and the Beast: Night of Beauty [b] 1990 1 issues (1 indexed) Gallery March 1990
Beauty and the Beast: Portrait of Love [b] 1989 1 issues (1 indexed) Have 2 (Need 2) May 1989
Beowulf (First Comics Graphic Novel Number One) [b] 1984 1 issues (1 indexed) Gallery January 1984
Betty Boop's Big Break 1990 1 issues (1 indexed) Gallery October 1990
The Chronicles of Corum [m] 1987 12 issues (12 indexed) Gallery January 1987 - November 1988
Classics Illustrated [m] 1990 27 issues (27 indexed) Have 29 (Need 4) February 1990 - June 1991
Classics Illustrated: Treasure Island [Long John Silver's Edition] [m] 1989 1 issues (1 indexed) Gallery 1989
Corum: The Bull and the Spear [m] 1989 4 issues (4 indexed) Gallery January 1989 - July 1989
Crossroads 1988 5 issues (5 indexed) Gallery July 1988 - November 1988
Demon Knight: A Grimjack Graphic Novel [b] 1989 1 issues (1 indexed) Gallery November 1989
Dreadstar [m] 1986 38 issues (38 indexed) Gallery November 1986 - March 1991
Dynamo Joe [m] 1986 15 issues (15 indexed) Gallery May 1986 - January 1988
Dynamo Joe Special [m] 1987 1 issues (1 indexed) Gallery January 1987
E-Man [m] 1983 25 issues (25 indexed) Gallery April 1983 - August 1985
E-Man: The Early Years [b] 2015 1 issues (1 indexed) Add [2015]
Elric of Melniboné [b] 1986 1 issues (1 indexed) Gallery May 1986
Elric: Sailor on the Seas of Fate [m] 1985 7 issues (7 indexed) Gallery June 1985 - June 1986
Elric: Sailor on the Seas of Fate [b] 1987 1 issues (1 indexed) Gallery November 1987
Elric: The Bane of the Black Sword [m] 1988 6 issues (6 indexed) Gallery August 1988 - June 1989
Elric: The Vanishing Tower [m] 1987 6 issues (6 indexed) Gallery August 1987 - June 1988
Elric: The Weird of the White Wolf [m] 1986 5 issues (5 indexed) Gallery October 1986 - June 1987
Elric: Weird of the White Wolf Graphic Novel [b] 1990 1 issues (1 indexed) Gallery September 1990
The Enchanted Apples of Oz (First Graphic Novel Number Five) [a] 1986 1 issues (1 indexed) Gallery April 1986
Evangeline [m] 1987 12 issues (12 indexed) Gallery May 1987 - March 1989
First Adventures [m] 1985 5 issues (5 indexed) Gallery December 1985 - April 1986
First Comics Graphic Novel / First Graphic Novel [b] 1984 0 issues (0 indexed) No Covers 1984
First Six Pack [m] 1987 2 issues (2 indexed) Gallery July 1987 - November 1987
The Forgotten Forest of Oz [b] 1988 1 issues (1 indexed) Gallery October 1988
Ghostbusters [m] 1987 4 issues (4 indexed) Gallery February 1987 - June 1987
The Gift: A First Publishing Holiday Special [m] 1990 1 issues (1 indexed) Gallery November 1990
Grimjack [m] 1984 81 issues (81 indexed) Gallery August 1984 - April 1991
Grimjack Casefiles [m] 1990 5 issues (5 indexed) Gallery November 1990 - March 1991
Hammer of God [m] 1990 4 issues (4 indexed) Gallery February 1990 - May 1990
Hammer of God: Sword of Justice 1991 2 issues (2 indexed) Gallery February 1991 - March 1991
Hawkmoon: Jewel in the Skull [b] 1988 1 issues (0 indexed) Gallery June 1988
Hawkmoon: The Jewel in the Skull [m] 1986 4 issues (4 indexed) Gallery May 1986 - November 1986
Hawkmoon: The Mad God's Amulet [m] 1987 4 issues (4 indexed) Gallery January 1987 - July 1987
Hawkmoon: The Runestaff [m] 1988 4 issues (4 indexed) Gallery June 1988 - December 1988
Hawkmoon: The Sword of Dawn [m] 1987 4 issues (4 indexed) Gallery September 1987 - March 1988
Hexbreaker: A Badger Graphic Novel [b] 1988 1 issues (1 indexed) Gallery March 1988
Howard Chaykin's American Flagg [m] 1988 12 issues (12 indexed) Gallery May 1988 - April 1989
The Ice King of Oz [b] 1987 1 issues (1 indexed) Gallery November 1987
Jon Sable, Freelance [m] 1983 56 issues (56 indexed) Gallery June 1983 - February 1988
Lone Wolf and Cub [m] 1987 45 issues (45 indexed) Gallery May 1987 - April 1991
Lone Wolf and Cub Deluxe Edition [b] 1988 1 issues (0 indexed) Gallery November 1988
Mars [m] 1984 12 issues (12 indexed) Gallery January 1984 - March 1985
Mazinger [b] 1988 1 issues (1 indexed) Gallery December 1988
Meta-4 [m] 1991 3 issues (3 indexed) Gallery February 1991 - April 1991
Mike Grell's Sable [m] 1990 10 issues (3 indexed) Gallery March 1990 - December 1990
Munden's Bar Annual [m] 1988 2 issues (2 indexed) Gallery April 1988 - March 1991
The Next Nexus [m] 1989 4 issues (4 indexed) Gallery January 1989 - April 1989
Next Nexus [b] 1989 1 issues (1 indexed) Gallery October 1989
Nexus [m] 1985 74 issues (74 indexed) Gallery April 1985 - May 1991
Nexus Legends [m] 1989 23 issues (23 indexed) Gallery May 1989 - March 1991
The Original E-Man and Michael Mauser [m] 1985 7 issues (7 indexed) Gallery October 1985 - April 1986
The Original Nexus (First Comics Graphic Novel Number Four) [b] 1985 1 issues (1 indexed) Have 1 (Need 1) November 1985
The P.I.'s: Michael Mauser and Ms. Tree [m] 1985 3 issues (3 indexed) Gallery January 1985 - May 1985
Psychoblast [m] 1987 9 issues (9 indexed) Gallery November 1987 - July 1988
R. R. H. [m] 2014 2 issues (0 indexed) Have 1 (Need 1) 2014 - ?
Sable [m] 1988 27 issues (27 indexed) Gallery March 1988 - May 1990
The Secret Island of Oz [b] 1986 1 issues (1 indexed) Gallery October 1986
Sensei [m] 1989 4 issues (4 indexed) Gallery May 1989 - August 1989
Shatter [m] 1985 1 issues (1 indexed) Gallery June 1985
Shatter [m] 1985 14 issues (14 indexed) Gallery December 1985 - April 1988
Squalor [m] 1989 4 issues (4 indexed) Gallery August 1989 - April 1990
Starslayer [m] 1983 28 issues (28 indexed) Gallery August 1983 - November 1985
Team Yankee [m] 1989 6 issues (6 indexed) Gallery January 1989 - February 1989
Team Yankee: The Graphic Novel [b] 1989 1 issues (0 indexed) Gallery March 1989
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles [b] 1986 4 issues (3 indexed) Have 4 (Need 1) [November] 1986 - November 1988
Time Beavers [First Comics Graphic Novel Number Two] [a] 1985 1 issues (1 indexed) Gallery May 1985
Time²: The Epiphany [First Graphic Novel Number Eight] [a] 1986 1 issues (1 indexed) Gallery November 1986
Time²: The Satisfaction of Black Mariah [b] 1987 1 issues (1 indexed) Gallery September 1987
Twilight Man [m] 1989 4 issues (4 indexed) Gallery June 1989 - September 1989
Warp [m] 1983 19 issues (19 indexed) Gallery March 1983 - February 1985
Warp Special [m] 1983 3 issues (3 indexed) Gallery July 1983 - June 1984
Whisper [m] 1986 37 issues (37 indexed) Gallery June 1986 - June 1990
Whisper Special [m] 1985 1 issues (1 indexed) Gallery November 1985
Zero Tolerance [m] 1990 4 issues (3 indexed) Gallery October 1990 - January 1991

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