Star*Reach Companion: The Complete History of the Influential 1970s Independent Comic

(July 2013)

Chapter One: The Star*Reach Influence (Table of Contents: 1)

about comics / 3 pages (report information)

Script

Richard Arndt (credited)

Pencils

Dave Cockrum; Howard Chaykin (credited); Will Eisner (credited); Bob Foster (credited as Robert Foster) (painting); Jack Kirby (credited); Bernie Wrightson (credited); Wendy Pini (painting)

Inks

Howard Chaykin (credited); Bernie Wrightson (credited); Wendy Pini (painting); Will Eisner (credited); Bob Foster (credited as Robert Foster) (painting); Terry Austin

Colors

Howard Chaykin (credited); Wendy Pini (painting); Bob Foster (credited as Robert Foster) (painting); ?

Letters

typeset

Reprints

• from His Name Is Savage (Adventure House Press, 1968 series) #1 (June 1968)
• from Star*Reach (Star*Reach, 1974 series) #1 (April 1974)
• from American Flagg! (First, 1983 series) #1 (October 1983)

Pages

5 - 7

Indexer Notes

Features a montage of covers:
- The X-Men (Marvel, 1963 Series) #125
- A Contract with God (Baronet Publishing, 1978)
- The New Gods (DC, 1971 Series) #1
- Swamp Thing (DC, 1972 Series) #1
- ElfQuest (WaRP Graphics, 1978 Series) #1

Chapter Two: What Came Before (Table of Contents: 2)

about comics / 7 pages (report information)

Script

Richard Arndt (credited)

Pencils

Dan Adkins (credited); Ken Barr (credited) (painting); Frank Cirocco (credited) (signed as Cirocco); Richard Corben (credited) (painting); Michael T. Gilbert (credited); Michael Wm. Kaluta (credited as Michael Kaluta) (signed as M W Kaluta); Bob Kline (credited as Robert Kline) (painting); Gray Morrow (credited) (signed as GRAY MORROW) (painting); Alex Raymond (credited) (signed as ALEX RAYMOND); Kenneth Smith (signed as Kenneth Smith) (painting); Al Williamson (credited) (signed as Williamson); Wally Wood (credited); Bernie Wrightson (credited)

Inks

Dan Adkins (credited); Ken Barr (credited) (painting); Frank Cirocco (credited) (signed as Cirocco); Richard Corben (credited) (painting); Michael Wm. Kaluta (credited as Michael Kaluta) (signed as M W Kaluta); Bob Kline (credited as Robert Kline) (painting); Gray Morrow (credited) (signed as GRAY MORROW) (painting); Alex Raymond (credited) (signed as ALEX RAYMOND); Kenneth Smith (signed as Kenneth Smith) (painting); Al Williamson (credited) (signed as Williamson); Wally Wood (credited); Bernie Wrightson (credited); ?

Colors

Ken Barr (credited) (painting); Richard Corben (credited) (painting); Bob Kline (credited as Robert Kline) (painting); Gray Morrow (credited) (signed as GRAY MORROW) (painting); Kenneth Smith (signed as Kenneth Smith) (painting); ?

Letters

typeset

Pages

8 - 14

Indexer Notes

Art featured in the article:
- An undated ad for an unpublished magazine by Dan Adkins, Outlet, which eventually became Wally Wood's Witzend (1966).
- Two ads for Witzend by Wally Wood and various.
- Cover to Abyss (Abyss Publications, 1970 Series) #1 by Bernie Wrightson.
- The original art of the title page of "Death Is the Sailor" from Reality (Robert Gerstenhaber, 1970 Series) #1 by Michael Kaluta.
- Back cover of Reality #1 by Kaluta.
- Cover to This Is Legend (Richard L. Jennings, 1970 Series) #1 by Bernie Wrightson.
- Cover to I'll Be Damned (Damnation Enterprises, 1970 Series) #2 by Kenneth Smith.
- Cover to Fantagor (Last Gasp, 1971 Series) #1 by Richard Corben.
- Cover to Imagination (David Jablin, 1971 Series) #1 by Gray Morrow.
- Cover to Phase (Sal Quartuccio, 1971 Series) #1 by Ken Barr.
- Covers to Heritage (Bruce Hershenson, 1972) #1 by Alex Raymond, and Al Williamson & Gray Morrow.
- Cover to Venture (Horizon Zero Graphics, 1972 Series) #1 by Frank Cirocco.
- Cover to New Paltz Comix (Moods Publishing Empire, 1973 Series) #1 by Michael T. Gilbert.
- Cover to High Adventure (Kitchen Sink Press, 1973 Series) #1 by Bob Kline.

Chapter Three: An Interview with Mike Friedrich (Table of Contents: 3)

about comics / 23 pages (report information)

Script

Richard Arndt (credited) (interviewer); Mike Friedrich (credited) (interviewee)

Pencils

Neal Adams (credited); Jeff Bonivert (credited); Norm Breyfogle; Frank Brunner (credited); Howard Chaykin (credited); Fabio Gasbarri (credited); Michael T. Gilbert; Bob Gould (credited as Robert Gould); Don Heck (credited); Carmine Infantino; Gil Kane; Lee Marrs (credited) (painting); Masaichi Mukaide (credited as Mukaide); Marshall Rogers (credited); P. Craig Russell (credited); Michael Schwaberow (credited as Mickey Schwaberow); Steve Skeates (credited); Jim Starlin (credited); Joe Staton (credited); Ken Steacy (credited) (painting); Mike Vosburg (credited); Barry Windsor-Smith (credited); John Workman (credited) (signed as John Workman); Bernie Wrightson (credited); Brendan Lynch (painting)(credited)

Inks

Neal Adams (credited); Gil Kane; Mike Esposito; Vince Colletta; Tim Conrad (credited); Howard Chaykin (credited); Steve Skeates (credited); Jim Starlin (credited); John Workman (credited) (signed as John Workman); Bernie Wrightson (credited); Bob Gould (credited as Robert Gould); Lee Marrs (credited) (painting); Norm Breyfogle; Frank Brunner (credited); Fabio Gasbarri (credited); Steve Leialoha (credited); P. Craig Russell (credited); Joe Staton (credited); Mike Vosburg (credited); Jeff Bonivert (credited); Masaichi Mukaide (credited as Mukaide); Ken Steacy (credited) (painting); Marshall Rogers (credited); Michael Schwaberow (credited as Mickey Schwaberow); Brendan Lynch (painting)(credited)

Colors

Lee Marrs (credited) (painting); Ken Steacy (credited) (painting); Marshall Rogers (credited); Brendan Lynch (painting)(credited)

Letters

typeset

Reprints

• from Batman (DC, 1940 series) #200 (March 1968)
• from Nightmare (Skywald, 1970 series) #1 (December 1970)
• from Star*Reach (Star*Reach, 1974 series) #1 (April 1974) [Title page only.], #6 (October 1976) [Original art of page 6.]

Pages

15 - 37

Indexer Notes

Other art featured in the interview:
- Cover to The Spectre (DC , 1967 Series) #3, and the original art of page 4 (page 17 of the overall story) of "Menace of the Mystic Mastermind" from the same issue, both by Neal Adams.
- Covers to Justice League of America (DC, 1960 Series) #86 by Neal Adams, and #90 by Carmine Infantino & Murphy Anderson.
- Title page of "Feed It!" from Web of Horror (Major Magazines, 1969 Series) #3 by Bernie Wrightson.
- Cover to Nightmare (Skywald, 1970 Series) #1 by Brendan Lynch.
- Title page of "The Pollution Monsters" from Nightmare (Skywald, 1970 Series) #1 by Don Heck & Mike Esposito.
- Cover to The Outlaw Kid (Marvel, 1970 Series) #10 by Gil Kane.
- Cover to Iron Man (Marvel, 1968 Series) #48 by Gil Kane & Vince Colletta.
- Title page to "Out On a Limb!" from I'll Be Damned (Damnation Enterprises, 1970 Series) #4 by Bernie Wrightson.
- Unspecified page Scream Door (Mark Feldman and Robert Lewis, 1971 Series) #1 by Bernie Wrightson, possibly the title page.
- Original art of the title page spread of "Worms of the Earth" by Barry Windsor-Smith & Tim Conrad.
- Title pages of "Cody Starbuck" by Howard Chaykin, and "Suburban Fish" by Steve Skeates from Star*Reach (Star*Reach, 1974 Series) #1.
- Title page of "Key Club" by John Workman from Star*Reach (Star*Reach, 1974 Series) #2.
- Cover to The Further Fattening Adventures of Pudge, Girl Blimp (Last Gasp, 1973 Series) #1 by Lee Marrs.
- Title page of "Duckaneer" from Quack (Star*Reach, 1976 Series) #1 by Frank Brunner.
- Title page of "I'm God!" from Star*Reach #7 by Fabio Gasbarri.
- Front cover to Within Our Reach (Star*Reach, 1991) by Norm Breyfogle.
- Title page of "A Dream of Milk and Honey" from Imagine (Star*Reach, 1978 Series) #4 by Michael T. Gilbert.
- Page 11, panel 1 of "Just a Series of Events!" from Warlock (Marvel, 1972 Series) #15 by Jim Starlin and Steve Leialoha.
- Detail from page 1, panel 1 of "Linda Lovecraft: High Priestess of Sexual Fantasy" from Star*Reach #3 by Mike Vosburg.
- Title page of "Gods of Mount Olympus Chapter One: The Beginning of All Things" from Star*Reach #5 by Joe Staton.
- Two examples of the different printings of the title page of "Part I: His Journey" from Parsifal (Star*Reach, 1978) by P. Craig Russell.
- Title pages of "The Bushi" by Masaichi Mukaide, and "My Fears" by Jeff Bonivert from Star*Reach #7.
- Trio of unspecified panels of "Electric Warrior" from Orb Magazine (Orb Publications, 1974 Series) #4 by Ken Steacy.
- Two versions of the same story excerpt: Page 15, panels 1-2 of "The Sacred and the Profane: Memoria: Vessels of the Past" from Star*Reach #12, and the re-illustrated version: Page 15, panels 1-2 of "The Sacred & the Profane: Memoria: Chapter VI: Vessels of the Past" from Epic Illustrated (Marvel, 1980 Series) #25. Black and white art for the first version, color painting for the second, both by Ken Steacy.
- Title page of "Seriah & Damon" from Star*Reach #9 by Mickey Schwaberow.
- 3 examples from Marshall Rogers' 1980 Batman portfolio, tryout pieces for a Batman graphic novel to have been published by Star*Reach.

Chapter Four: The Star*Reach Checklist (Table of Contents: 4)

about comics / 23 pages (report information)

Script

Richard Arndt (credited)

Pencils

Neal Adams; Jeff Bonivert; Frank Brunner; Dot Bucher; Howard Chaykin; Frank Cirocco; Gene Day; Steve Ditko; Michael T. Gilbert; Dick Giordano; Al Gordon; Bob Gould; Steve Leialoha; Gray Lyda; Ken Macklin; Lee Marrs; Masaichi Mukaide; Ted Richards; Trina Robbins; Marshall Rogers; P. Craig Russell; Scott Shaw; Dave Sim; Jim Starlin; Joe Staton; Ken Steacy; John Workman

Inks

?

Colors

?

Letters

typeset

Pages

38 - 60

Chapter Five: The Stars of Star*Reach (Table of Contents: 5)

about comics / 27 pages (report information)

Script

Richard Arndt (credited) (interviewer); Steve Leialoha (credited) (interviewee); Lee Marrs (credited) (interviewee); P. Craig Russell (credited) (interviewee); Walter Simonson (interviewee); Mike Vosburg (credited) (interviewee)

Pencils

Steve Leialoha (credited); Lee Marrs (credited); P. Craig Russell (credited); Walter Simonson (credited); Mike Vosburg (credited)

Inks

Steve Leialoha (credited); Lee Marrs (credited); P. Craig Russell (credited); Walter Simonson (credited); Mike Vosburg (credited)

Colors

P. Craig Russell (credited); ?

Letters

typeset

Pages

61 - 87

Chapter Six: The Independents During Star*Reach's Run (Table of Contents: 6)

about comics / 5 pages (report information)

Script

Richard Arndt (credited)

Pencils

Ken Barr; Gene Day; Bill Payne; Ralph Reese; Mike Roberts; Charles Vess

Inks

?

Colors

?

Letters

typeset

Pages

88 - 92

Chapter Seven: Star*Reach During Its Run (Table of Contents: 7)

about comics / 2 pages (report information)

Script

Richard Arndt (credited)

Pencils

Gene Day; Bob Gould; Dave Stevens

Inks

?

Colors

?

Letters

typeset

Pages

93 - 94

Chapter Eight: The Collapse (Table of Contents: 8)

about comics / 5 pages (report information)

Script

Richard Arndt (credited)

Pencils

Frank Brunner; Frank Frazetta; Basil Gogos; Paul Gulacy; Jaime Hernandez; Don Lomax; Marshall Rogers; Don Secrease; Dave Sim; Dave Stevens; John Totleben; Matt Wagner; Kristen Perry

Inks

?

Colors

?

Letters

typeset

Pages

95 - 99

Appendix: The Early Independents Checklist (Table of Contents: 9)

about comics / 39 pages (report information)

Script

Richard Arndt (credited)

Pencils

Neal Adams; John Allison; Ken Barr; Terry Beatty; Stephen R. Bissette; Vaughn Bodé; John Bolton; Frank Brunner; Frank Cirocco; Freff; Richard Corben; Gene Day; Phil Foglio; Michael T. Gilbert; Marc Hempel; Mike Hinge; Graham Ingels; Jeff Jones; Michael Wm. Kaluta; Roy Krenkel; Val Mayerik; George Pérez; Mike Roberts; Marshall Rogers; Mike Royer; Joe Staton; Jim Steranko; Tom Sutton; Larry Todd; Rick Veitch; Charles Vess; Wally Wood; Bernie Wrightson; Richard Robertson; Robert Rodriguez

Inks

?

Colors

?

Letters

typeset

Pages

100 - 138

The Comics: Stories from Star*Reach (Table of Contents: 10)

about comics / 1 page (report information)

Script

Richard Arndt (credited)

Pencils

Fabio Gasbarri (credited); Bob Gould (credited)

Inks

?

Colors

?

Letters

typeset

Pages

139 - 139

Indexer Notes

Features the following seven reprinted stories.

A Tale of Sword and Sorcery (Table of Contents: 11)

comic story / 12 pages (report information)

Script

Ed Hicks (credited)

Pencils

Walter Simonson (credited as Walt Simonson)

Inks

Walter Simonson (credited as Walt Simonson)

Letters

Walter Simonson (credited as Walt Simonson)

Genre

sword and sorcery

Reprints

• from Star*Reach (Star*Reach, 1974 series) #1 (April 1974)

Marginal Incident (Table of Contents: 12)

comic story / 8 pages (report information)

Script

Steve Leialoha (signed as Leialoha)

Pencils

Steve Leialoha (signed as Leialoha)

Inks

Steve Leialoha (signed as Leialoha)

Letters

Tom Orzechowski; Steve Leialoha (signed as Leialoha)

Reprints

• from Star*Reach (Star*Reach, 1974 series) #4 (April 1976)

Vignette: A Soft and Gentle Rain (Table of Contents: 13)

comic story / 3 pages (report information)

Script

Michael T. Gilbert (credited)

Pencils

Michael T. Gilbert (credited)

Inks

Michael T. Gilbert (credited)

Letters

typeset

Reprints

• from Imagine (Star*Reach, 1978 series) #3 (August 1978)

Starbuck (Table of Contents: 14)

Cody Starbuck / comic story / 11 pages (report information)

Script

Howard Chaykin (credited)

Pencils

Howard Chaykin (credited)

Inks

Howard Chaykin (credited)

Letters

Alan Kupperberg (credited)

Genre

science fiction

Characters

Cody Starbuck

Reprints

• from Star*Reach (Star*Reach, 1974 series) #4 (April 1976)
• from Imagine (Star*Reach, 1978 series) #2 (June 1978)

I'm God! (Table of Contents: 15)

comic story / 8 pages (report information)

Script

Dave Sim (credited)

Pencils

Fabio Gasbarri (credited)

Inks

Fabio Gasbarri (credited)

Colors

Fabio Gasbarri (credited)

Letters

Bill Payne (credited)

Genre

science fiction

Reprints

• from Star*Reach Greatest Hits (Star*Reach, 1979 series) (1979) [Color version first published in Star*Reach Greatest Hits (Star*Reach, 1979).]
which is reprinted
• from Star*Reach (Star*Reach, 1974 series) #7 (January 1977)

Siegfried and the Dragon (Table of Contents: 16)

comic story / 8 pages (report information)

Script

P. Craig Russell (credited); Richard Wagner (credited) (from the story by)

Pencils

P. Craig Russell (credited)

Inks

P. Craig Russell (credited)

Colors

P. Craig Russell (credited)

Letters

P. Craig Russell (credited as C. Russell); Mary Gordon (credited as Mary E. Gordon); Tom Orzechowski

Reprints

• from Imagine (Star*Reach, 1978 series) #6 (July 1979)
• from Epic Illustrated (Marvel, 1980 series) #2 (Summer 1980)

Keywords

opera adaptation

Indexer Notes

Richard Wagner adaptation.

"Siegfried and the Dragon" was originally going to be published in Star*Reach, but instead it found its way into the pages of Epic Illustrated (Marvel, 1980 series) #2. In Epic Illustrated, the final 8th page of the story was omitted, and another page was published in its place. The correct last page was published by itself in Imagine (Star*Reach, 1978 series) #6. This reprint of "Siegfried and the Dragon" is the first time the complete story has been published together.

P. Craig Russell Opus No. 7

[Back Cover] (Table of Contents: 17)

about comics / 1 page (report information)

Script

? (cover copy)

Pencils

Jeff Jones (credited as Jeffrey Catherine Jones) (signed as J) (painting)

Inks

Jeff Jones (credited as Jeffrey Catherine Jones) (signed as J) (painting)

Colors

Jeff Jones (credited as Jeffrey Catherine Jones) (signed as J) (painting)

Letters

typeset

First Line of Dialogue or Text

Reach for the stars!

Characters

Elric of Melniboné

Pages

194 - 194