DC Comics Presents - Publication History

Publication History

The series was launched with a team-up of Superman and the Flash by writer Martin Pasko and artist José Luis García-López. The winner of the DC Comics Presents letter column name contest appeared in the Superman/Hawkman story in issue #11 (July 1979). Issue #26 included an insert introduction story to the then-upcoming New Teen Titans series by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez. Len Wein and Jim Starlin co-created the supervillain Mongul in issue #27 (Nov. 1980) as part of a three-issue storyline. Another insert in issue #41 previewed the "new direction" Wonder Woman. In issue #47, Superman traveled to Eternia and met the Masters of the Universe. Ambush Bug made his first appearance in issue #52 (Dec. 1982) and made additional appearances in issue #59 and #81. The Superman/Challengers of the Unknown tale in issue #84 was drawn by Jack Kirby and Alex Toth. The series also contained the Alan Moore Superman/Swamp Thing story "The Jungle Line" in DC Comics Presents #85 (Sept. 1985), pencilled by Rick Veitch and inked by Al Williamson. Issue #87 featured the first appearance and origin of the divergent Kal-El of the Earth Prime reality, who would become known as Superboy-Prime. The final issue is an exception to the team-up format, instead featuring Superman in an "Untold Tale" involving the Phantom Zone, by Steve Gerber, following up in his limited series of the same title.

In 2004, the title DC Comics Presents was revived for eight one-shot issues, each a tribute to DC editor Julius Schwartz who had recently died. Each issue featured two stories based on a classic DC Comics cover of the past, reflecting Schwartz's frequent practice of commissioning a cover concept, then telling the writers to create a story around that cover.

In July 2010, DC announced the launch of a new DC Comics Presents, a line of 100-page reprint issues reprinting stories that have not seen print since their original publication.