Image Comics started as a shared universe that eventually splintered more and more as time went on. “Youngblood (1992) #1” launched this shared universe.
This is a reading order for the earliest days of Extreme Studios, but this is also a reading order for the early Image Comics shared universe.
Books in RED TEXT do not meet the requirements for this collection but are included for context.
- Youngblood (1992) #1 [Image Comics] 04/1992
- 1st Image Comics title
- 1st Extreme Studios title
- Youngblood (1992) #2 [Image Comics] 07/1992
- flip-book with a 5-page preview of ShadowHawk
- Youngblood (1992) #3 [Image Comics] 08/1992
- 5-page preview of Supreme
- Youngblood (1992) #4 [Image Comics] 02/1993
- this issue marks the first time a non-Extreme Image team is mentioned in Youngblood.
- Vogue asks if Stormwatch has been contacted
- 9-page preview of PITT
- re-printed by Full Bleed in PITT #1/2 (Dec. 1995)
- subway car graffiti includes “Wildcats”, “Spawn”, and “Savage Dragon” (in NYC)
- this issue marks the first time a non-Extreme Image team is mentioned in Youngblood.
- Youngblood (1992) #5 [Image Comics] 07/1993
- flipbook with Brigade (1992) #4
- Youngblood Battlezone (1993) #1 [Image Comics] 05/1993
- Youngblood (1992) #0 [Image Comics] 12/1992
- Brigade (1993) #0 [Image Comics] 09/1993
- Inside Image (1993) #5 (July 1993) solicit text places this book between Youngblood (1992) #0 and Brigade (1992) #1
- does this mean the book is actually “Brigade (1992) #0”?
- Brigade (1992) #1 [Image Comics] 08/1992
- Brigade (1992) #2 [Image Comics] 10/1992
- an editor’s note places this as happening just after Youngblood (1992) #4
- there is very little time between Brigade (1992) issues #1 and #2
- 5-page “Extra-Image Presents” Story: Infiniti – Part 1 of 4
- story continues in ShadowHawk (1992) #2
- an editor’s note places this as happening just after Youngblood (1992) #4
- Brigade (1992) #3 [Image Comics] 02/1993
- Brigade (1992) #4 [Image Comics] 07/1993
- flipbook with Youngblood (1992) #5
- ends with a tease about “Bloodstrike”
- Spawn (1992) #1 [Image Comics] 05/1992
- possible Chapel reference showing a skull with the text “HE turned on me.”
- Spawn stops an assault as a criminal says: “Hey Shank, looks like one o’ them Youngbloods!”
- 1992 Newscaster for E! Entertainment Television says: “I mean, let’s get serious. A cape! With the Youngblood fashions being all the rage, why on Earth would anyone try to bring back such a gauche and totally useless accessory?”
- Sam says to Twitch, “If it really is some government hero gone wacko, them Washington stiffs ain’t gonna let us get close.” An obvious reference to Youngblood.
- Spawn (1992) #2 [Image Comics] 06/1992
- 1992 Newscaster for E! Entertainment Television says: “As I’ve stated before, rumors are the ugly side of show biz. The Youngbloods, changing their costumes for one unified look? C’mon, it’s the myriad colors and ensembles that took them to the top, why in heaven’s name would they want to alienate their fans now? Sex appeal has always been a big priority to the marketing geniuses behind our heroes in tights. ‘Blood merchandise is over the $2.2 billion mark already.”
- mentions the “appearance of a dragon” in Chicago
- Spawn (1992) #3 [Image Comics] 08/1992
- Spawn thinks to himself: “Getting into the building will be a cinch with these powers. I’m almost like a friggin’ Youngblood. Wonder if they’re still around. There’s probably a hundred of ’em, knowing those government stiffs. ‘Exploit and Overkill’, the motto of any government system.”
- Spawn (1992) #4 [Image Comics] 09/1992
- shares a scene with The Savage Dragon (1992) #3
- two boys named “Rob” and “Erik” are standing in front of a store’s window display showcasing TVs with Savage Dragon on display
- “Rob, look! It’s that new super-hero. He’s better than those Youngblood! I bet he could take Bedrock, easy.”
- “NOT! Bedrock’s way tough. Ain’t no one can touch him.”
- “Gimme a break! The ‘Rock is a sissy. He still lives at home with his mom.”
- “Yeah, well, so do you, homeboy.”
- “But I’m not a ‘Blood. Heroes ain’t supposed to be normal. They’re supposed to be better. That’s why they’re so famous. Besides, who wants to be normal anyway.”
- shares a scene with The Savage Dragon (1992) #3
- The Savage Dragon (1992) #1 [Image Comics] 07/1992
- The Savage Dragon (1992) #2 [Image Comics] 10/1992
- CyberForce connection: Superpatriot gets cybernetic arms and legs from Cyberdata
- Dragon meets a girl named Debbie, that lives in the building with her mother.
- “Are you a member of Youngblood or something?”
- “No. I just joined the Chicago Police Department, maybe you saw me on the news…?”
- “That must be it — Youngblood’s pretty cool.”
- “I’m not the Spandex type myself. I don’t think they accept anybody who doesn’t have a perfect hair and wear their underwear on the outside of their pants.”
- “Bedrock” teased for next issue in letters page
- “Next issue: From the pages of Rob Liefeld’s Youngblood comes the block-bustin, behemoth, BEDROCK! He’s out to challenge ol’ Finhead! Chicago rocks in the next issue of The Savage Dragon!”
- The Savage Dragon (1992) #3 [Image Comics] 12/1992
- cover shows Dragon vs. Bedrock: The Savage Dragon “Battles Bedrock”
- credits page notes: Special thanks this month go to Rob Liefeld for the use of Bedrock and Youngblood and to Spawn’s MOO crew, McFarland, Oliff and Orzechowski from whom we blatantly homaged the Spawn TV bit.
- villain boss Overlord breaks ties with Cyberdata and mentions “I now hear that a small group calling itself ‘Cyberforce’ have freed themselves from your grasp.”
- this suggests a past with Cyberdata
- Dragon and Bedrock fight for 15 pages
- shares a scene with Spawn (1992) #4
- a conversation between “Rob” and “Erik” about “Bedrock”/Youngblood & the Savage Dragon
- Spawn appears near the boys
- the boys are talking about Dragon vs. Bedrock while the two are actually fighting.
- Dragon arrests Bedrock
- Shaft and Diehard get Bedrock out of jail
- The Dragon (1996) #1-5 [Image Comics] 03/1996-07/1996
- reprints early issues of The Savage Dragon (1992) that include Youngblood appearances
- includes new material
- issue #5 page #1 is new and shows Bedrock/Badrock in jail
- issue #1 includes material originally intended for “Operation: Urban Storm”
- ShadowHawk (1992) #1 [Image Comics] 08/1992
- cover inked by Liefeld
- page 10, TV in shop window shows Shaft from Youngblood and says “… and in Washington D.C. last night, Youngblood group leader, Shaft —“
- page 11, “Spawn” text in background graffiti
- ShadowHawk (1992) #2 [Image Comics] 10/1992
- Spawn appears (with some associated characters, including “Thurston J. Burn”, the portly, goateed news commentator)
- Youngblood is mentioned: “Look, if the situation worsens we can always call in the Youngbloods.”
- 5-page “Extra-Image Presents” story: Infiniti – Part 2 of 4
- part 1 appeared in Brigade (1992) #2
- to be continued in Supreme (1992) #1 & #2
- graffiti references: PITT, WETWORKS, CYBERFORCE, WILDSTAR, TRIBE, 1963
- some creator names appear as well
- ShadowHawk (1992) #3 [Image Comics] 12/1992
- Spence Hillman (aka Blackjack) has ties to Youngblood having washed-out of their basic training program
- Tajana: “Blackjack?! Weren’t you a Youngblood?”
- Ms. Boldd: “Him? He didn’t make it out of basic training!”
- Blackjack: “Let’s just say I didn’t thrive within the group dynamic, shall we, Max?”
- the Dragon is mentioned and teased for the next issue
- 5-page “Extra-Image Presents” story: The Others – Part 1 of 2
- Spence Hillman (aka Blackjack) has ties to Youngblood having washed-out of their basic training program
- ShadowHawk (1992) #4 [Image Comics] 03/1993
- Dragon appears on the cover and within the story
- Commissioner James and Dragon discuss ShadowHawk and Youngblood
- James: “Me, I think he’s one’a you Youngblood super-types.”
- Dragon: “Let me give you the news, Commissioner James. I’m not a ‘Youngblood,’ I’m a police officer, same as you.”
- Youngblood mentioned
- editor’s note places this between Dragon’s mini-series and regular series
- 5-page “Extra-Image Presents” story: The Others – Part 2 of 2
- “To Be Continued in The Others #1”
- Spawn (1992) #5 [Image Comics] 10/1992
- TV talking head, talking about Billy Kincaid, calls for ShadowHawk
- WildC.A.T.s: Covert Action Teams (1992) #1 [Image Comics] 08/1992
- on page 4 the character Imp wakes-up in a pile of trash that includes a piece of paper (?) that says “Extreme Studios”
- there is also a “CyberForce” box
- Marlowe recalls “lightning faces” & “big guns”. An editor’s note says to see Cyberforce #1
- later Imp comments “Maybe I could afford a Youngblood or two.“
- at one point a bystander in the story sees Grifter in his mask: “Hey! You’re Shaft, aren’t you?! Do something!”
- newscaster from Spawn appears
- on page 4 the character Imp wakes-up in a pile of trash that includes a piece of paper (?) that says “Extreme Studios”
- WildC.A.T.s: Covert Action Teams (1992) #2 [Image Comics] 10/1992
- Youngblood appearance at end of book
- 4-page Wetworks story
- WildC.A.T.s: Covert Action Teams (1992) #3 [Image Comics] 01/1993
- Youngblood appear in order to save Dan Quayle from the WildC.A.T.s
- WildC.A.T.s: Covert Action Teams (1992) #4 [Image Comics] 03/1993
- Youngblood appear as the story continues from issue #3
- Spawn logo appears on a shirt in the background
- 4-page Tribe story
- WildC.A.T.s: Covert Action Teams (1992) #0 [Image Comics] 11/1993
- released almost a year after WildC.A.T.s: Covert Action Teams (1992) #1, but is a true prequel
- this #0 issue was available exclusively with the WildC.A.T.s Vol. 1 TPB
- this book shows the crossover scene with CyberForce (1992) #1 mentioned by Marlowe/Imp in issue #1
- Pitt (1993) #1/2 [Full Bleed] 12/1995
- re-prints the PITT story originally printed in Youngblood (1992) #4
- Pitt (1993) #1 [Image Comics] 01/1993
- in Timmy’s room is a shelf of toys including a Bedrock toy
- other possible toys from Youngblood? Shaft next to Bedrock? Sentinel and Chapel (on his hyper-cycle) on the lower shelf?
- a background newspaper references the world of Spawn with the headline “Child Killer Billy Kincaid Found Murdered”
- at one point the captain of police comments “Too big to be human…he could be a Youngblood.”
- subway car graffiti references “Spawn” & “Dragon”
- in Timmy’s room is a shelf of toys including a Bedrock toy
- Darker Image (1993) #1 [Image Comics] 03/1993
- 8-Page “Maxx” story
- woman sedates Maxx and thinks: “Maybe he’s one’a those Youngbloods? That’d be cool!”
- 9-page Bloodwulf story
- 9-page Deathblow story
- page 9 mentions the Savage Dragon & PITT
- places this story after PITT #1
- the Deathblow story started in Darker Image #1 is offered complete in Deathblow #0 (Aug 1996)
- page 9 mentions the Savage Dragon & PITT
- 8-Page “Maxx” story
- Cyberforce (1992) #1 [Image Comics] 10/1992
- PITT has a meta reference on a newspaper: “OWN TO DO ‘PITT’ FOR IMAGE”
- story opens with Velocity being chased down an alleyway; she passes by Marlowe of WildC.A.T.s
- Cyberforce #1 says this happens “Monday 7:36 P.M.”; WildC.A.T.s #1 places this alleyway run as happening on August 8, 1992, a Saturday, not a Monday
- the first possible rift in the Image Universe
- Cyberforce #1 says this happens “Monday 7:36 P.M.”; WildC.A.T.s #1 places this alleyway run as happening on August 8, 1992, a Saturday, not a Monday
- Cyberforce (1992) #2 [Image Comics] 03/1993
- Cyberforce (1992) #3 [Image Comics] 05/1993
- PITT appears in-story
- Cyberforce (1992) #4 [Image Comics] 07/1993
- PITT mentioned
- 4-page “Codename: Stryke Force” story
- character says, “Last one down’s a Youngblood!”
- this is the only Youngblood reference in the Cyberforce mini-series books
- this 4-page story was printed in Comics Debut (1993) #2 from Comic Shop News
- this printing may pre-date Cyberforce #4 as the indicia says “June 1993”
- character says, “Last one down’s a Youngblood!”
- Cyberforce TPB (1993) [Image Comics]
- includes a few extra story pages, including an extra page in the fight between Impact and PITT
- Pitt (1993) #2 [Image Comics] 07/1993
- Pitt (1993) #3 [Image Comics] 02/1994
- Pitt (1993) #4 [Image Comics] 04/1994
- Axis Alpha (1994) #1 [Axis Comics] 02/1994
- from Axis Comics, eventual publishers of Tribe (1993)
- PITT is referenced; the character seen is part of a training simulation, not a “true” crossover appearance
- released between Pitt #3 & #4, but end of #4 is the first rest in the Pitt story
- Spawn (1992) #6 [Image Comics] 11/1992
- Overtkill appears for the first time
- mid-fight with Spawn, Overtkill says “Your government must truly be desperate, to have made you one of their Youngblood!”
- Spawn (1992) #7 [Image Comics] 01/1993
- issue is dedicated to “Rob Liefeld, Co-Creator of Overkill”
- Overtkill appears
- hints to the Chapel/Spawn connection
- Supreme (1992) #1 [Image Comics] 11/1992
- a copy of “Washington Examiner” mentions a “costumed fighter” and ponders a relationship with Youngblood
- “costumed fighter” not identified. Spawn? ShadowHawk? Blackjack?
- 5/6-page “Extra-Image Presents” story: Infiniti – Part 3 of 4
- continued from ShadowHawk (1992) #2
- concludes in Supreme (1992) #2
- a copy of “Washington Examiner” mentions a “costumed fighter” and ponders a relationship with Youngblood
- Supreme (1992) #2 [Image Comics] 02/1993
- Supreme remembers “Super-Patriot“
- Supreme appears to be familiar with: ShadowHawk, the WildC.A.T.s, Cyberforce, Wetworks (!), the Savage Dragon, Spawn, as well as villians Malebolgia and Helspont
- 7-page “Infiniti” story – Part 4 of 4
- no mention of “Extra-Image Presents”
- Image Zero (1993) #0 [Image Comics] 1993
- Troll story shows his recruitment into Youngblood
- Savage Dragon story happens shortly before “Savage Dragon Vs. Savage Megaton Man”
- StormWatch prelude story
- also includes a Stryker story, a ShadowHawk story, and some Spawn pin-ups
- StormWatch (1993) #1 [Image Comics] 03/1993
- Youngblood/Sentinel appear
- an editor’s note places this near Supreme (1992) #1
- StormWatch (1993) #2 [Image Comics] 05/1993
- StormWatch (1993) #3 [Image Comics] 07/1993
- Savage Dragon Vs. Savage Megaton Man (1993) #1 [Image Comics] 03/1993
- in-universe for Savage Dragon, which at this point would also be in-universe for the Extreme Universe
- 1st inter-company crossover between Image and another company (here, “Kitchen Sink”)
- Larsen says that this story, in the context of the Savage Dragon’s ongoing continuity, “occurs shortly after the cataclysmic events in Image Comics #0”
- Splitting Image (1993) #1 [Image Comics] 03/1993
- Splitting Image (1993) #2 [Image Comics] 04/1993
- normalman-Megaton Man Special (1994) #1 [Image Comics] 08/1994
- story picks-up from where Splitting Image (1993) #2 ends
- Bombast (1993) #1 [Topps Comics] 04/1993
- Savage Dragon appearance
- story placement from wiki.savagedragon.com
- I believe that this is the first time an Image Universe character appears in a non-Image book
- Spawn (1992) #8 [Image Comics] 02/1993
- Spawn (1992) #9 [Image Comics] 05/1993
- Wildstar Sky Zero (1993) #1 [Image Comics] 03/1993
- Wildstar Sky Zero (1993) #2 [Image Comics] 05/1993
- Wildstar Sky Zero (1993) #3 [Image Comics] 09/1993
- Savage Dragon appearance
- Wildstar Sky Zero (1993) #4 [Image Comics] 11/1993
- Savage Dragon appearance
- Spawn (1992) #10 [Image Comics] 05/1993
- Supreme (1992) #3 [Image Comics] 06/1993
- Supreme (1992) #4 [Image Comics] 07/1993
- Supreme (1992) #5 [Image Comics] 08/1993
- Supreme (1992) #6 [Image Comics] 10/1993
- DeathMate Crossover Event
- 1963 (1993) #1 [Image Comics] 04/1993
- 1963 (1993) #2 [Image Comics] 05/1993
- 1963 (1993) #3 [Image Comics] 06/1993
- 1963 (1993) #4 [Image Comics] 07/1993
- 1963 (1993) #5 [Image Comics] 08/1993
- 1963 (1993) #6 [Image Comics] 10/1993
- Shaft (from Youngblood) appearance
- Intended to be completed in the unfinished/unpublished “1963 Annual.”
1963 Annual (1993) #1 [Image Comics]- never published
- ShadowHawk II (1993) #1 [Image Comics] 05/1993
- ShadowHawk II (1993) #2 [Image Comics] 07/1993
- Chapel appearance
- ShadowHawk II (1993) #3 [Image Comics] 08/1993
- Youngblood: Strikefile (1993) #1 [Image Comics] 04/1993
- Youngblood: Strikefile (1993) #2 [Image Comics] 07/1993
- Youngblood: Strikefile (1993) #3 [Image Comics] 09/1993
- Youngblood: Strikefile (1993) #4 [Image Comics] 10/1993
- Youngblood: Strikefile (1993) #5 [Image Comics] 07/1994
- Youngblood: Strikefile (1993) #6 [Image Comics] 08/1994
- Youngblood: Strikefile (1993) #7 [Image Comics] 09/1994
- Spawn (1992) #11 [Image Comics] 06/1993
- Spawn (1992) #12 [Image Comics] 07/1993
- Spawn (1992) #13 [Image Comics] 08/1993
- Bloodstrike (1993) #1 [Image Comics] 04/1993
- reprinted for Image’s 30th anniversary and released as: Bloodstrike Remastered Edition (2022) #1 [Image Comics] 04/2022
- Brigade (1993) #1 [Image Comics] 05/1993
- Bloodstrike (1993) #2 [Image Comics] 06/1993
- Brigade (1993) #2 [Image Comics] 06/1993
- Bloodstrike (1993) #3 [Image Comics] 09/1993
- Brigade (1993) #3 [Image Comics] 09/1993
- Supreme (1992) #7 [Image Comics] 11/1993
- Supreme (1992) #8 [Image Comics] 12/1993
- Supreme (1992) #9 [Image Comics] 01/1994
- Supreme (1992) #10 [Image Comics] 02/1994
- Brigade (1993) #4 [Image Comics] 10/1993
- Brigade (1993) #5 [Image Comics] 11/1993
- Brigade (1993) #6 [Image Comics] 12/1993
- Brigade (1993) #7 [Image Comics] 02/1994
- Extreme (1993) #0 [Image Comics] 08/1993
- Trencher (1993) #1 [Image Comics] 05/1993
- Trencher (1993) #2 [Image Comics] 06/1993
- Supreme appearance
- Trencher (1993) #3 [Image Comics] 07/1993
- Supreme appearance
- Trencher (1993) #4 [Image Comics] 10/1993
- The Savage Dragon (1993) #1 [Image Comics] 06/1993
- The Savage Dragon (1993) #2 [Image Comics] 07/1993
- flip-book w/ Vanguard (1993) #0
- The Savage Dragon (1993) #3 [Image Comics] 08/1993
- The Savage Dragon (1993) #4 [Image Comics] 09/1993
- The Savage Dragon (1993) #5 [Image Comics] 10/1993
- The Savage Dragon (1993) #6 [Image Comics] 11/1993
- Vanguard (1993) #0 [Image Comics] 07/1993
- flip-book w/ The Savage Dragon (1993) #2
- Youngblood and Supreme appearances
- Vanguard (1993) #1 [Image Comics] 10/1993
- Supreme appearance
- Vanguard (1993) #2 [Image Comics] 11/1993
- Supreme appearance
- Vanguard (1993) #3 [Image Comics] 12/1993
- Supreme’s name appears in newspaper headline
- Vanguard (1993) #4 [Image Comics] 02/1994
- Vanguard (1993) #5 [Image Comics] 04/1994
- Vanguard (1993) #6 [Image Comics] 05/1994
- Youngblood Yearbook (1993) #1 [Image Comics] 07/1993
- Superpatriot (1993) #1 [Image Comics] 07/1993
- Shaft (from Youngblood) appearance
- Superpatriot (1993) #2 [Image Comics] 09/1993
- Sentinel (from Youngblood) appearance
- Superpatriot (1993) #3 [Image Comics] 10/1993
- Cabbot, Diehard, and Shaft appearances
- Superpatriot (1993) #4 [Image Comics] 11/1993
- Youngblood appearance
- Team Youngblood (1993) #1 [Image Comics] 09/1993
- Team Youngblood (1993) #2 [Image Comics] 10/1993
- Team Youngblood (1993) #3 [Image Comics] 11/1993
- Team Youngblood (1993) #4 [Image Comics] 12/1993
- Team Youngblood (1993) #5 [Image Comics] 01/1994
- Team Youngblood (1993) #6 [Image Comics] 02/1994
- Images of Shadowhawk (1993) #1 [Image Comics] 09/1993
- Images of Shadowhawk (1993) #1 [Image Comics] 10/1993
- Images of Shadowhawk (1993) #1 [Image Comics] 01/1994
- ShadowHawk III (1993) #1 [Image Comics] 11/1993
- ShadowHawk III (1993) #2 [Image Comics] 12/1993
- ShadowHawk III (1993) #3 [Image Comics] 02/1994
- ShadowHawk III (1993) #4 [Image Comics] 03/1994
- Extreme Hero (1994) #1 [Image Comics] 1994
- The Savage Dragon (1993) #7 [Image Comics] 01/1994
- The Savage Dragon (1993) #8 [Image Comics] 03/1994
- The Savage Dragon (1993) #9 [Image Comics] 04/1994
- The Savage Dragon (1993) #10 [Image Comics] 05/1994
- Bloodstrike (1993) #4 [Image Comics] 10/1993
- Bloodstrike (1993) #5 [Image Comics] 11/1993
- Bloodstrike (1993) #6 [Image Comics] 12/1993
- Bloodstrike (1993) #7 [Image Comics] 01/1994
- Bloodstrike (1993) #8 [Image Comics] 02/1994
Additional Reading:
- Image Firsts: Youngblood (2010) #1 [Image Comics] 03/2010
- Before writing his own series, “Youngblood (2008) [Image Comics]”, Joe Casey worked with Rob Liefeld to rework, remix, and remaster Vol. 1.
- Homage Studios Swimsuit Special (1993) #1 [Image Comics] 04/1993
- only Homage characters. No Extreme characters included. DOES include Cyberforce characters.
- solicited when Image was under Malibu Comics
- ShadowHawk Out of the Shadows TPB (1993) [Image Comics]
- TPB of ShadowHawk Vol. 1
- includes 3-page story “Images of Injustice” that was originally intended to be part of the “Operation: Urban Storm” book
- Shadowhawk Saga Ashcan (1993)
- from Hero Illustrated #5 (November 1993)
- “Hero Premier Edition #9”
- note for Maxima “Vendetta” Boldd’s team The Regulators states that this band of supervillians includes “Youngblood recruit gone bad” Blackjak
- from Hero Illustrated #5 (November 1993)
- Art of Homage Studios (1993) #1 [Image Comics] 12/1993
- includes StormWatch prelude story “Urban Storm”
- Wildstorm Rarities (1994)#1 [Image Comics] 12/1994
- includes StormWatch prelude story “Urban Storm”
- Married with Children 2099 (1993) #1 [Now] 06/1993
- I believe that a parody of Planet from “1963”/”Mystery Incorporated” can be found on page “22”. Here is the frame in question.
- Big Bang Comics (1996) #8 [Image Comics] 01/1997
- “’90s” portion of the story (and letter page) inspired by Rob Liefeld style, but not parody of actual characters
- letter page mentions that Mr. US started as a parody of Alan Moore’s 1963
- A Touch of Silver (1997) #1 [Image Comics] 01/1997
- this Jim Valentino series is a semi-autobiographical story about “Timmy Silver,” a boy who is dealing with his parents’ divorce and finds excape in his comic books
- originally this series was planned to have cameos of Marvel and DC superheroes, but, fearing litigation, Valentino instead employed the “1963” characters as stand-ins for their Marvel counterparts and Big Bang Comics characters as stand-ins for their DC counterparts
- an ashcan released to promote this title includes the original art showing DC characters rather than Big Bang characters
- Timmy is excited by a new 1963 (Marvel) comic “Tales to Mystify” (it appears to be a reference to “Tales to Astonish” #39)
- Timmy likes Inframan (Ant-Man)
- A Touch of Silver (1997) #2 [Image Comics] 03/1997
- we see a copy of “Horus” (Thor) in a longbox of comics
- when Timmy discovers that his mother threw away his comic books we see a ruined copy of The Fury
- The Fury is an amalgam of Spider-Man and Daredevil
- December 1962 is too soon for Daredevil
- also too soon for Amazing Spider-Man
- did Valentino’s mom ruin a copy of Amazing Fantasy?! 🙂
- A Touch of Silver (1997) #3 [Image Comics] 05/1997
- facing a bully, Timmy imagines what his favorite super-heroes would do, including 1963’s The Fury & The Planet
- A Touch of Silver (1997) #4 [Image Comics] 07/1997
- while his parents fight Timmy reads a 1963 Mystery Incorporated (cover reads “Meet Doctor Apocalypse!”) comic book and then draws his own comic using the Mystery Incorporated characters
- A Touch of Silver (1997) #5 [Image Comics] 09/1997
- cover shows a guy asleep on top of some comic books, including “1963” (1993) #5 and #6 (“Horus Lord of Light” & “The Tomorrow Syndicated”)
- Timmy is excited to buy a copy of The Tomorrow Syndicate #1, the cover of which is an homage to The Avengers #1 with the 1963 characters in place of the Marvel ones
- Timmy dreams a full-color comic-within-a-comic story involving 1963 (Marvel) characters meeting the Big Bang (DC) characters
- story reprinted in black and white in Big Bang Comics (1996) #35
- A Touch of Silver (1997) #6 [Image Comics] 11/1997
- a Tomorrow Syndicate comic can be seen on the ground
- on a comic rack we see a copy of “Horus”
- there is also a copy of ShadowHawk
- at the end of the book some comics are seen on Timmy’s bed, including a copy of “Mystery” Incorporated
- and another ShadowHawk comic too!
- Big Bang Comics (1996) #35 [Image Comics] 01/2001
- reprints 1963 story from A Touch of Silver (1997) #5
- story is entitled “Silverboy in Big Bang vs 1963”
- Noble Causes Family Secrets (2002) #3 [Image Comics] 12/2002
- 1963’s The Fury cameos in-story and on a variant cover
- Quasar (1989) #50 [Marvel Comics] 09/1993
- Spawn has two minor cameos. The first cameo appears to be a reference to the superhero arms reaching through prison bars in Spawn (1992) #10.
- Spawn Ten Remastered and Expanded (2020) #1 [Aardvark-Vanaheim] 12/2020
- Remastered and expanded edition of “Spawn (1992) #10” from Image comics; b&w edition of the book with reworked art, including re-drawn Cerberes images throughout
- Spawn Ten Remastered and Expanded Supplement (2020) #1 [Waverly Press/Aardvark-Vanaheim] 02/2021
- behind-the-scenes look at the making of the remastered Spawn (1992) #10
- Crossover (2020) 2 Image Comics 12/2020
- Spawn appears in a cameo that is a homage to the imprisoned heroes in Spawn #10
- Trencher X-Mas Bites (1993) #1 [Blackball Comics] 12/1993
- only other appearances of Trencher (1/2)
- Blackball Comics (1994) #1 [Blackball Comics] 03/1994
- only other appearances of Trencher (2/2)
- Bloodwulf 30th Anniversary (2023) [Rob Liefeld] 05/2023
- re-prints the Bloodwulf story originally found in Darker Image (1993) #1
- this is a flip-book with the same story on each side; one side is in full-color while the other side presents the story in black and white
- X-Amount of Comics: 1963 (WhenElse?!) Annual (2023) [Fantagraphics Underground] 08/2023
- solicit text: Never completed and left for dead thirty years ago, comics history’s most famous derelict masterpiece―Image Comics’ legendary 1963 by Alan Moore, Steve Bissette, and Rick Veitch―is finally given the unceremonious, irreverent, and completely unauthorized 72-page King-Size Annual climax everyone was promised but no one ever asked for!
- Don Simpson, master of superhero parody (creator of Megaton Man and Splitting Image and original letterer, inker, and logo designer of 1963) brings to life the avatars of the Little Comics Group That Could in satirical form―as avatars of avatars. They’re all here: Cyclobster, Black Bug, Psychic Psquid, Dr. UG, Helldiver, Limber Lass, Moonrock, and more―and if you don’t recognize the names, you’ll dig the thinly-disguised archetypes! With cameos by the Big Bang Universe, refugees from In Pictopia, and even Megaton Man and friends!
Extreme Excursus 
