Time Masters 2:
The Unpublished Mini-Series
"As you know, Rip is somewhere in the past and we have
Bonnie trying to rebuild the future. What becomes of
them and their collegues? Bob and Lewis have the
entire answer mapped out in a tightly plotted story
spanning three eras, all sharing a common theme. And
sometime, somewhere, I think we'll be seeing them
again. After all, you can never keep a good Time
Master down."
-Letter Column, TIME MASTERS #8 (Sept, 1991)
user/hacker/mail
'Welcome to the first issue of THE HACKER FILES. Like most of the
publishing ventures I've had anything to do with, it was a long time coming.
It started in the spring of 1989, when Bob Wayne and I were still working on
the original TIME MASTERS series. (Yes, there's going to be a sequal, but
this is not the time for detailes on that project.) Our editor, Bob
Greenberger, called me up one day and said, "How would you like to propose a
new series to me? Something to do with computers, maybe a tie in that
Pentagon virus from a few months ago?"'
-Letter Column, THE HACKER FILES #8 (Aug, 1992)
INSIDE DC #37: Time After Time
"This week, we continue to examine your letters to Inside DC...
Dear Michael,
In Inside DC #27, among other columns of yours, I've noticed that many
readers are requesting some of the lesser-known DC Heroes like Jonah Hex and
Sgt. Rock, whose exploits took place in the DC Universe's past. I have a
suggestion for a book I'd like to see, and I think others will want to see
it, too.
DC Comics has such a rich history that it's printed stories of characters
whose adventures take place in such time periods as the Old West, World Wars
I and II, the Prehistoric Age, the far future, and even medieval times.
There was Johan Hex, Viking Prince, etc. That's why I think a comic should
be published with each issue taking place in a different era. Marvel tried
this experiment awhile back with Amazing High Adventure, as I believe it was
called, but it didn't work out because it used either real people in
historical fiction or one-shot characters. Due to the fact that DC owns
characters (well known characters, I might add) from different time periods,
I think this format would work out at DC. Each issue could be normal-sized
but with different characters, or a la LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT, could
have rotating story arcs with a different character in each arc: Viking
Prince in one, Jonah Hex in another, Sgt. Rock in another, Enemy Ace in
another, and possibly even Booster Gold before he traveled to the 20th
century. Then we could have Rip Hunter, the return of Dinosaur Island (if
SUPERMAN's "Blackout" wasn't enough!), and so on and so forth.
How's it sound? I think that you guys could pull it off, and have a bona
fide bestseller. Uncle Sam, too, could be included during his days in the
Revolution. Maybe even Etrigan the Demon could show up not only as a sales
booster, but a guest star of cover star in a medieval issue. Please consider
my idea, and I hope to see your reply in a future issue of Inside DC!
Joey Marchese
Union, NJ
P.S. Even Waverider could show up. Just thought of this as I'm about to mail
this letter 4/14/92
Joey, I hope you read the recent ARMAGEDDON: INFERNO miniseries, as it
featured a time-traveling team0up involving many of DC's characters, past
and present, including Batman, the Creeper, Enemy Ace, and Jo Nah of the
Legion of Super-Heroes. But as for an anthology title starring DC's heroes
of yesteryear...
You're gonna love July's SGT. ROCK SPECIAL, and all-new 64-page one-shot
featuring four hard-hitting war adventure stories. Edited by Michael Golden
and Kim Yale, SGT. ROCK SPECIAL opens with a 16-page Sgt. Rock and East
Company tale reuniting Rock's classic creative team, write Robert Kanigher
and artist Joe Kubert! Also, classic DC war heroes Gunner and Sarge appear
in "The Hunters," scripted and illustrated by Tim Truman of HAWKWORLD and
Scout fame. Finally, a psychological portrait of the horrors of combat by
George Pratt (ENEMY ACE: WAR IDYLL) titled "The Great War" and an unusual
war tale called "The Enemy" by Ron Wagner round out this Special's lineup.
You'll also want to make sure you look out for the 64-page BLACKHAWK
SPECIAL, written by John Ostrander, drawn by Mike Vosburg, and edited by
Mike Gold. It features a story that spans twelve years--from the
assassination of JFK in 1963 to the fall of Saigon in 1975. BLACKHAWK
SPECIAL #1 will ship in the first week of November.
Regarding DC's western heroes, there's some big news about JONAH HEX coming.
Stay tunned to Inside DC for details.
And don't forget that the graphic novel ENEMY ACE: WAR IDYLL by George Pratt
remains available from you local comics dealer, while last year's VIKING
GLORY: THE VIKING PRINCE by Lee Marrs and Bo Hampton will be released in
softcover next week.
Projecting ahead into the future--the DC Universe's future, that is--October
will witness the release of the first issue of a n 8-issue maxiseries
reintroducing the SPACE RANGER into the limelight. This series, by writer
Michael Jan Friedman (STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION, penciller John Calimee
(STARMAN, Nexus), and editor Paul Kupperberg, features the story of how
spoiled rich kid Rick Starr becomes Space Ranger during his struggle against
a covert alien plot for control of Earth in the 23rd century.
And let's not forget the adventures of the 30th century's defenders, the
LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES, appearing each month in their own title plotted by
Keith Giffen, scripted by Tom and Mary Bierbaum, pencilled by Jason Pearson,
inked by Karl Story, and edited by yours truly. There are big plans for DC's
future this year in LEGION, including an explosive event in issue #38 and a
new monthly spinoff LEGIONNAIRES, written by Bierbaums and pencilled by
Chris Sprouse.
But if you want to see an anthology starring DC's heroes of yesteryear and
tomorrow, Joey, then be sure to buy SGT. ROCK SPECIAL--and encourage others
to do so, too. A lot of us at DC would love to publish Sgt. Rock, Anthro,
Bat Last, Jonah Hex, Tommy Tomorrow, the Haunted Tank, Time Masters, and
heroes from DC's past and future on a more regular basis. If reader and
sales response to SGT. ROCK SPECIAL, BLACKHAWK SPECIAL, and SPACE RANGER is
strong enough, we'll seriously consider Joey's proposal. It's all up to you,
readers!
See you next week.
--Michael Eury"
- INSIDE DC #37 (Aug, 1992)
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