First comics was an independent publisher that lasted from 1983 to 1991, and was highly influential in the comic book industry. They were known for the many accolades that would go on to shape modern comics and inspire several artists and writers alike while also sporting some great talent of their own, many of whom came from Marvel Comics and DC.
Starting out they began adapting and porting over various existing properties and comics such as a comic adaptation of the Sci-fi play Warp, continuing the Charlton Comics series E-Man, and several other examples. While the company was initially a modest hit with readers, they really hit it big with the release of Howard Chaykin’s American Flagg!, which was a massive success for the company. It was this comic that would redefine the way comics were presented and told, being a major influence on the likes of Alan Moore with his own series Watchmen and The Killing Joke, along with Frank Miller and his title Batman: The Dark Knight Returns. Several other titles would end up becoming successes in their own right, such as their dystopian sci-fi series Grimjack, their continuations of the Capital Comics titles Nexus and The Badger, and Jon Sable with the series getting its own live action show during the publishers heyday.
First was a major player in the independent comics market for a variety of reasons, many of which were due to their push for Creator-driven titles and having a slew of unique and original talent that made them highly popular in their day. They were also one of the first publishers to pioneer the Graphic Novel format of comics with such titles as Time 2, Beowulf, and collecting the original run of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Mirage) in 4 volumes, which also happened to be their first appearance in color.
In the mid 80’s the company attempted to sue World Color Press and Marvel for attempting Anti-competitive practices through overcharging First when it came to printing their titles as opposed to Marvel who were undercharged. Marvel ended up settling out of court and the lawsuit against WCP, while initially successful, ended up being overturned by the courts in favor of WCP.
The negative impact of the lawsuit against WCP ended up being one of the primary factors in First’s initial downfall, and the company ceased publication in 1991.
Eventually in 2015 First Comics was revived in a merger with Devil’s Due, which ended in 2019 when First returned to being their own publisher.
Since then First has launched their own board game division, and still publishes new titles and collected editions of their older titles to this day.
First Comics titles and publications with their own pages:
- E-Man (Originally Charlton Comics)
- Nexus
- Grimjack
- Dreadstar (Originally Epic Comics)
- Whisper
