Publication History
Justice Machine debuted in Noble Comics' Justice Machine #1 (June 1981), created by writer-penciler Michael Gustovich, with the first issue cover penciled by John Byrne and inked by Gustovich. This initial series lasted five issues, cover-dated Winter 1981, April 1982, Fall 1982, and Winter 1983. The first three issues were published in magazine format. An annual publication, Justice Machine Annual #1 (1983) was published by Texas Comics, and featured a crossover with the then-defunct Tower Comics' superhero team T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents, by writer William Messner-Loebs (as Bill Loeb) and penciler Bill Reinhold. A second story, by writer-penciler Bill Willingham, introduced the superhero team the Elementals.
This led to a miniseries, Justice Machine featuring the Elementals #1-4 (May-Aug. 1986), by writer Willingham and artist Gustovich, published by Comico. That company subsequently published an ongoing Justice Machine series (vol. 2) that lasted 29 issues (Jan. 1987 - May 1989), plus a 1989 annual. That series' initial creative team consisted of writer Tony Isabella and artist Gustovich.
Innovation Comics published a three-issue miniseries, The New Justice Machine (Nov. 1989 - March 1990), by Mark Ellis with pencils by Darryl Banks and others, and inks by Gustovich. An accompanying annual, Justice Machine Summer Spectacular #1 (Summer 1990), by writer Messner-Loebs and penciler Reinhold, had originally been intended for publication by Texas Comics in 1983. This was followed by the one-shot Hero Alliance & Justice Machine: Identity Crisis #1 (April 1990), by writer Ellis, pencilers Banks and Rik Levins, and inker Gustovich, as well as a new ongoing series, Justice Machine vol. 3, which ran seven issues (April 1990 - April 1991). Initially produced by Ellis and Banks, it acquired series creator Gustovich as both penciler and inker for issues #4-6, and Isabella as writer for the final three issues.
Finally, Ellis' Millennium Publications produced two issues of a fourth volume (Oct. & Dec. 1992), by writer Ellis and penciler Banks. These feature updated versions of the characters. Ellis had purchased the Justice Machine rights from Gustovich in 1991.
The New Justice Machine: High Gear Edition, Volume One was released by Ellis' Millennial Concepts and Gary Reed's Transfuzion Publishing in March, 2009. The compilation volume collected the New Justice Machine mini-series and the first issue of the regular series published by Innovation.
According to the official Justice Machine website, Moonstone Comics will be publishing a Justice Machine Special, with art by Preston Asevedo. This will be followed by a three-issue mini-series with art by David Enebral. Both are written by Ellis.
Read more about this topic: Justice Machine
Famous quotes containing the words publication and/or history:
“Of all human events, perhaps, the publication of a first volume of verses is the most insignificant; but though a matter of no moment to the world, it is still of some concern to the author.”
—Herman Melville (1819–1891)
“Hence poetry is something more philosophic and of graver import than history, since its statements are rather of the nature of universals, whereas those of history are singulars.”
—Aristotle (384–322 B.C.)