Adventure Comics


Adventure Comics is an American comic book series published by DC Comics from 1938 to 1983 and revived from 2009 to 2011. In its first era, the series ran for 503 issues, making it the fifth-longest-running DC series, behind Detective Comics, Action Comics, Superman, and Batman. The series was revived in 2009 through a new "#1" issue by artist Clayton Henry and writer Geoff Johns. It returned to its original numbering with #516. The series finally ended with #529 prior to a company-wide revision of DC's superhero comic book line, known as "The New 52".

Publication history

Adventure Comics began its nearly 50-year run in December 1935 under the title New Comics, which was only the second comic book series published by National Allied Publications, now DC Comics. The series was retitled New Adventure Comics with its 12th issue in January 1937. Issue #32 saw the title changed again to Adventure Comics, which would remain the book's name for the duration of its existence.
Originally a humor comic, it evolved into a serious adventure series. In issue #12, while the series was briefly re-titled New Adventure Comics, Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel introduced the first version of the character Jor-L as a science fiction detective in the far future; the character would eventually become the alien father of Superman, although the first Superman story, in Action Comics #1, would not appear until more than a year after Jor-L's first appearance. The series' focus gradually shifted to superhero stories starting with the debut of the Sandman in issue #40. Other superheroes who appeared in the early days of Adventure included Hourman ; Starman created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Jack Burnley in issue #61 ; and Joe Simon and Jack Kirby's Manhunter replacing a similarly named business-suited investigator beginning with #73 until #92.
A pivotal issue of the series was #103, when Superboy, Green Arrow, Johnny Quick, and Aquaman moved to the series from their previous home in More Fun Comics, which was itself converted to a humor format. Starman's and Sandman's series were canceled to make room for the new features, while Genius Jones moved to the comic the new arrivals had just vacated. Superboy became the star of the book, and would appear on each cover into 1969. Superboy's popularity in Adventure resulted in the character receiving his own title in 1949, when superhero titles in general were losing popularity. Krypto the Superdog debuted in issue #210 in a story by Otto Binder and Curt Swan.
and George Klein.
In issue #247, by Otto Binder and artist Al Plastino, Superboy met the Legion of Super-Heroes, a team of super-powered teens from the future. The group became popular, and would replace "Tales of the Bizarro World" as the Adventure backup feature with #300, and soon be promoted to its lead. Lightning Lad, one of the Legion's founding members, was killed in Adventure Comics #304 and revived in issue #312. Issue #260 saw the first Silver Age appearance of Aquaman. In Adventure Comics #346, Jim Shooter, 14 years old at the time, wrote his first Legion story. Shooter wrote the story in which Ferro Lad died – the first "real" death of a Legionnaire – and introduced the Fatal Five. The Legion feature lasted until issue #380. With the next issue, Supergirl migrated from the backup slot in Action Comics to the starring feature in Adventure and ran until issue #424. The series reached its 400th issue in December 1970 and featured a Supergirl story written and drawn by Mike Sekowsky.
As of #425, the book's theme changed from superhero adventure to fantasy/supernatural adventure. That issue debuted one new feature along with three non-series stories, the pirate saga "Captain Fear". The next edition added a semi-anthology series, "The Adventurers' Club". Soon, editor Joe Orlando was trying out horror-tinged costumed heroes such as the Black Orchid, and then the Spectre. Before long, conventional superheroes returned to the book, beginning behind the Spectre, first a three-issue run of Aquaman and then a newly drawn 1940s Seven Soldiers of Victory script. Aquaman was promoted to lead, and backing him up were three-part story arcs featuring the Creeper, the Martian Manhunter, bracketed by issue-length Aquaman leads. He was awarded his own title and Superboy took over Adventure with Aqualad and Eclipso backups. Following this was a run as a Dollar Comic format giant-sized book, including such features as the resolution of Return of the New Gods, "Deadman", and the "Justice Society of America".
FeatureFeatureFeatureFeatureFeatureFeature
The Flash
  1. 459–466
Deadman
  • 459–466
    		• Green Lantern
  • 459–460
    		• Elongated Man
  • 459
    		• Wonder Woman
  • 459–464
    		• The New Gods
  • 459–460
    • The Flash
  • 459–466
    		• Deadman
  • 459–466
    		• Justice Society of America
  • 461–466
    		• Aquaman
  • 460–466
    		• no fifth feature
  • 465–466
    		• no sixth feature
  • 461–466
    • The standard format returned, split between a new Starman named Prince Gavyn and Plastic Man. With an increase in the story-and-art page count, the last four issues also included one more run of Aquaman. All three were dropped simultaneously to make way for a new version of an old feature, "Dial H for Hero". Issue #490 saw the comic's cancellation. "Dial 'H' for Hero" was moved to New Adventures of Superboy as of that series' issue #28. Adventure Comics was soon rescued. As of the September issue it was revived as a digest-sized comic. This format lasted from issues #491–503, with most stories during this period being reprints, and with new stories featuring the Marvel Family and the Challengers of the Unknown including a new five-issue retelling of their origin. The long-running title was discontinued with the September 1983 issue.

    80-Page Giant

    An Adventure Comics 80-Page Giant was released in 1998.

    Justice Society Returns

    DC published an Adventure Comics #1 as part of the company's Justice Society Returns event in 1999.

    Adventure Comics Special featuring the Guardian

    As part of the 2008 "" story arc, a special issue of Adventure Comics was published, titled Adventure Comics Special featuring the Guardian #1. Jimmy Olsen continues to delve into the mystery surrounding the American government's safeguards against the new Kryptonian population.

    Revival

    The five-issue miniseries led into an all-new volume of Adventure Comics, featuring the revived Conner Kent/Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes. The main creative team of Geoff Johns and Francis Manapul debuted in a backup story in Adventure Comics #0. A secondary feature starring the Legion of Super-Heroes was co-written with Mike Shoemaker and drawn by Clayton Henry. The first issue of the new run of Adventure Comics was released on August 12, 2009, and features watermarked numbering marking it as both #1 and #504, thus continuing the original numeration of the series concurrently with the volume 2 numeration. For the variant incentive cover editions, the original numeration was dominant on the cover while the vol. 2 numeration was the watermarked numbering marking. The indicia of the comic book also reflects this dual numbering. The title officially returned to its original vol. 1 numbering with #516, until #529 when it was finally ended prior to DC's The New 52 company reboot.

    Main feature

    Superboy: The Boy of Steel (former)

    The revived ongoing title Adventure Comics features Conner as the headlining character for the first six issues in the story arc entitled, "Superboy: The Boy of Steel." It begins as Conner settles back into his life in Smallville, Kansas. Returning to live with Martha Kent, who is thrilled to take the young boy in after her husband's death, Conner returns to Smallville High School and begins keeping a journal of everything Superman has done as a costumed hero, going down a checklist titled, "What Did Superman Do?" He and the also recently returned Bart Allen supposedly rejoin the Teen Titans, and Conner symbolizes the team being "stacked" again by destroying his memorial statue outside of Titans Tower West.

    Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes

    After the Johns and Manapul run, writer Paul Levitz took over the series. It was renumbered with its previous numbering and highlighted Clark Kent's years as Superboy as well as the Legion of Super-Heroes' past. Starting with issue #523, the Legion Academy, by Levitz and Phil Jimenez, became the major feature.

    Second feature

    Long Live the Legion (former)

    The Legion of Super-Heroes appeared as the second feature in issues #504–514 before taking over as the lead feature in issue #515.

    Atom

    Following this was the one-shot Brightest Day: Atom, written by Jeff Lemire with art by Mahmud Asrar. The same team was to create a ten-part, ten-page "Atom" co-feature in Adventure Comics, but DC ended all their second features and reduced their titles to twenty pages of story. Issue #521 was the last issue to feature the Atom.

    Collected editions