Liefeld-verse Pre-History: Early appearances and Mentions
Youngblood appearances that pre-date the printing of Youngblood (1992) #1.
(Third-party journalistic periodicals not included.)
- Wildman Comics and Stories (1987) #1 [Megaton Comics] 05/1987
- full-page, inside back cover “Titans? Legion? X-Men? no way!” ad for Youngblood
- Ramm (1987) #1 [Megaton Comics] 05/1987
- full-page “Titans? Legion? X-Men? no way!” ad for Youngblood mid-book
- same ad from Wildman Comics and Stories (1987) #1
- Ramm (1987) #2 [Megaton Comics] 08/1987
- full-page “Catch the wave!” ad for Youngblood
- Megaton Explosion: Who’s Who In Megaton Comics? (1987) [Megaton Comics] 06/1987
- 2-page Youngblood summary
- Megaton (1983) #8 [Megaton Comics] 08/1987
- full-page “Catch the wave!” ad for Youngblood
- Youngblood HC (2008) [Image Comics] 2008
- This hardcover re-mastered, re-scripted, re-imagined collection includes 7 pages of the original, unused “Youngblood 1987” story.
- Marvel Age (1983) #82 [Marvel Comics] 12/1989
- Cougar appearance in Liefeld sketchbook (sketch is colored)
- Caption text: “This mean dude’s name is Cougar. He’s half man and half cat and according to Rob’s notes, he’s all trouble! Note that his pants have the same outside stripe design as the design on the New Mutants’ costumes shown last issue.”
- X-Men Archives Sketchbook (2000) #1 [Marvel Comics] 12/2000
- one image is the same Cougar sketch from Marvel Age (1983) #82 w/o color
- Caption text: “But who the heck is Cougar? Looks like we X-fans missed out on a possible new X-Force character… or did we just gain Feral instead? You be the judge!”
- Marvel Age (1983) #86 [Marvel Comics] 03/1990
- “The Mutant Report” has an interview with Rob Liefeld and contains an unpublished cover for The New Mutants #87 with Cougar as the centerpiece.
- Avengers West Coast (1985) #64 [Marvel Comics] 11/1990
- Cougar cameo (not by Liefeld) in wax museum of super-heroes
- Paranoia (1991) #2 [Adventure Comics] 12/1991
- full-page ad for Youngblood from Malibu Comics
- multiple books released by Malibu Comics (through their multiple imprints) carried ads for Youngblood (1992) #1; this book is listed only as one example
- Megaton Holiday Special (1993) #1 [Entity Comics] Holiday 1993
- 2-page Youngblood pin-up/poster
- this is dated AFTER the release of Youngblood (1992) #1 (!)
Additional Reading:
It has been noted many times that some of what became Youngblood started as a pitch for a Teen Titans series/story. Because Liefeld was a fan of both indie and mainstream comics as a teen, it is likely he at least heard that in the summer of 1984, Mark Evanier and Marv Wolfman worked out an unofficial crossover between Evanier’s creator-owned independent series, DNAgents and Wolfman’s DC series, New Teen Titans. The same story was told from the other team’s view and in both cases the homage/parody team died heroically. The crossover took place in DNAgents #14 and Tales of the New Teen Titans #48. Liefeld’s use of the name “Youngblood” may not be a nod to this crossover, but this did exist in the comic world’s zeitgeist of the time.
- DNAgents (1983) #14 [Eclipse Comics] 07/1984
- Super-hero team called “Project: Youngblood” (a homage to the New Teen Titans) appears for the first time and dies heroically.
- New Teen Titans (1980) #48 [DC Comics] 11/1984
- The DNAgents analogs in the Teen Titans story were the “RECOMbatants”.
- DNAgents Super Special (1994) #1 [Antarctic Press] 04/1994
- contains a profile of superhero team “Project: Youngblood”
- Villians and Vigilantes DNAgents Sourcebook (1986) [Fantasy Games Unlimited] 1986
- only other printed mention of “Project: Youngblood” that I can find
Extreme Excursus 