It’s a new year so I’m going to try some new stuff for all you CHU readers and fans this year. A Throwback Thursday seemed fun to explore previous news or history in the comic book world.
So for this first edition, we travel 30 years back, all the way back to 1989….
Where the The Crow made his way to Caliber Presents #1 with his first appearance in comic book form in January of 1989. This included a short 8 page story by Jim O’Barr ahead of it’s first 4 issue mini-series
that started the following month in February of 1989.
Okay so it’s not the first appearance The Crow made in comics as Deadworld #10 had a back cover solicitation of The Crow that was in November of 1988 you can see below. That was more of an advertisement on the back cover.
Some collectors find these desirable, some don’t. It’s still a pretty pricey book and pretty cool one to own for any Crow fan.
Tundra Publishing went on to reprint the original 4 issues into two over-sized issues. Tundra was founded by the famous Turtle creator Kevin Eastman. The Crow went on through several more publishers, even having a 10 issue run with Image comics back in 1999.
It’s latest runs have been with IDW between 2012 and 2018 with several different volumes and stories.
Miramax Films turned this original comic into a major motion picture which to date has a cult following and was considered a major success at the time of release.
Unfortunately the films leading male actor Brandon Lee (son of the late Bruce Lee) was accidentally killed on set during filming.
I consider the first appearances major key books though for any collector, especially if you’re a fan. If you’re not sure who or what The Crow is due to your age, I highly suggest these books and the movie.
Stay tuned for next weeks Throwback Thursday where we go all the way back to January of 1980.
I have mine graded and mounted backwards on purpose. I just watched the Crow on Netflix last night and I got to thinking…. If there is a signed copy of Caliber presents or the Crow #1 by Brandon Lee it would probably be a one of grail worth maybe upward $100,000 or higher for all I know. Was going to even write it up and title it Unknown Grails.
There’s Signed pictures of him as the Crow and signed scripts from the movie as well, so wonder if someone got him to sign the comic before he died filming the movie. His signature goes for big money alone on anything.
I bet since this was really his first big break out movie and he didn’t even survive to finish it getting filmed.
I’ve got a CGC 9.6 of Crow 1 then unslabbed of rest. Incredible series since it was printed in the back of a comic shop.
Tis why they consider Gary Reed the Godfather of indie comics.
Yepper
#tesitfy. I have been searching for an autographed brandon lee crow comic for almost twenty five years now .I have sceen the photos and scripts and r.p. reprinted autographed photos and scripts do well for $5-20 now my imagine is flowing and I now am going to Netflix to watch the crow hopfully it is in a.d. love you all blind adam out
I’m very pleased to at least have met James O’Barr and received an autograph on my trade copy. He seemed very humble and even surprised by my characterization of the original mini as a classic of the form.
Fortunate to have met him a few times being from the Detroit area. Very nice fellow.
He’s appearing at a very relaxed, smaller con in Northern Michigan (Traverse City Cherry Con) at the end of May I’m looking forward to. Small, but great Comic con that really allows for time with guests.
Highly recommend this con if your in that area or want a Memorial Day vacation in an absolutely beautiful location on the coast of Lake Michigan.
Ooooh I’m digging throwback Thursday Poyo. Can’t wait for next weeks edition.
Thanks, glad you’re enjoying it so far.
You just reminded me of my art crush that I had on Tim Vigil in those days.
I was on another site that was discussing Mattinas reworked art that he steals from other artists. They linked this article from Bleedingstool. I would recommend everyone give it a read.
https://www.bleedingcool.com/2019/01/10/separated-at-birth-francesco-mattina/
https://www.instagram.com/professororeo/
I found that Magneto statue swipe and didn’t get no credit, not that I expect anything less from bleeding stool.
What happened? Did they cover the story?
And never expect Bleeding Cool to give us credit for anything here…. Never do.
I just made a comment on Youtube and figured I would share it here as it is relevant and haven’t heard anything about this one yet. What do you guys think about Superpowers 5 Mattina and Nightwing 46 Oliver?
The first Crow movie is a classic and there was a tv series that lasted one season that was pretty good too.
Reading this article brings me back memories when I was obsess with the Crow character. I have watched the movie with Brandon Lee more times than I can count. I remember dressing up in Halloween as the Crow one year.
If you love O’Barr and Vigil you can go to a show and have them do a drawing for you for cheap. I got O’Barr to sell me a beautiful head shot of the Crow with a crow on his shoulder for $80 and Vigil did a full figure Zombie for me on a Walking Dead blank for $60. These guys are both very nice and approachable and very cool and super reasonable!!! I will get Jose Varese to color my Vigil zombie. O’Barr inked the Crow and it is breathtaking for $80 and it’s on printed Crow sketch paper 11.5 x 8 letterhead that says The Crow at the top.