Editing Adventure Comics (section)

==Publication history==
[[File:NewComics n1.jpg|thumb|right|200px|''New Comics'' #1 (December 1935), cover art by [[Vin Sullivan]].]]
''Adventure Comics'' began its nearly 50-year run in December 1935 under the title '''''New Comics''''', which was only the second comic book series published by [[National Allied Publications]], now [[DC Comics]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Wallace|first= Daniel|editor=Dolan|editor-first=Hannah|chapter= 1930s|title = DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle|publisher=[[Dorling Kindersley]]|year=2010|location= London, United Kingdom|isbn= 978-0-7566-6742-9|page= 13|quote = With ''New Fun'' already out on the newsstands, [[Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson|[Malcolm] Wheeler-Nicholson]] didn't waste any time in adding a second title to his line. ''New Comics'' appeared in a smaller format than ''New Fun'', one that was similar in size to what are now considered standard comic book dimensions.}}</ref> The series was retitled '''''New Adventure Comics''''' with its 12th issue in January 1937.<ref>Wallace "1930s" in Dolan, p. 16: "''New Comics'' received a makeover with issue #12, becoming ''New Adventure Comics''".</ref> Issue #32 (November 1938) saw the title changed again to ''Adventure Comics'', which would remain the book's name for the duration of its existence.<ref>Wallace "1930s" in Dolan, p. 21: "DC's second-oldest series, which began as ''New Comics'' and then became ''New Adventure Comics'', underwent a third name change – but this one stuck".</ref><ref>{{gcdb series|id= 98|title= Adventure Comics}}</ref>
[[File:Adventure comics 32.jpg|thumb|right|Cover of ''Adventure Comics'' #32 (November 1938), the first number under the ''Adventure Comics'' title; art by [[Creig Flessel]].]]

Originally a humor comic, it evolved into a serious adventure series. In issue #12, while the series was briefly re-titled ''New Adventure Comics'', [[Joe Shuster]] and [[Jerry Siegel]] introduced the first version of the character [[Jor-El#Precursor (New Adventure Comics)|Jor-L]] as a [[science fiction]] detective in the far future; the character would eventually become the alien father of [[Superman]], although the first Superman story, in ''[[Action Comics]]'' #1, would not appear until more than a year after Jor-L's first appearance.<ref>{{cite comic|writer= [[Jerry Siegel|Siegel, Jerry]]|artist= [[Joe Shuster|Shuster, Joe]]|story= Federal Men|title= New Adventure Comics|issue= #12|date= January 1937}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2008/10/16/comic-book-urban-legends-revealed-177/ |title=Comic Book Urban Legends Revealed #177 |last=Cronin |first=Brian |work=Comics Should Be Good! @ Comic Book Resources |date=October 16, 2008 |publisher=[[Comic Book Resources]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131022213941/http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2008/10/16/comic-book-urban-legends-revealed-177/ |archive-date=October 22, 2013 |url-status=live |access-date=September 3, 2013}}</ref> The series' focus gradually shifted to superhero stories starting with the debut of the [[Sandman (Wesley Dodds)|Sandman]] in issue #40. Other superheroes who appeared in the early days of ''Adventure'' included [[Hourman]] (from #48 to #83); [[Starman (Ted Knight)|Starman]] created by writer [[Gardner Fox]] and artist [[Jack Burnley]] in issue #61 (April 1941)<ref>Wallace "1940s" in Dolan, p. 36: "Gardner Fox and artist Jack  Burnley presented the new costumed hero Starman in this issue".</ref> (#61–102); and [[Joe Simon]] and [[Jack Kirby]]'s [[Manhunter (comics)#Golden Age|Manhunter]] replacing a similarly named business-suited investigator beginning with #73 (April 1942) until #92.<ref>Wallace "1940s" in Dolan, p. 41: "Hot properties Joe Simon and Jack Kirby joined DC...[and] after taking over the Sandman and Sandy, the Golden Boy feature in ''Adventure Comics'' #72, the writer and artist team turned their attentions to Manhunter with issue #73".</ref>

A pivotal issue of the series was #103 (April 1946), when [[Superboy]], [[Green Arrow]], [[Johnny Quick (Johnny Chambers)|Johnny Quick]], and [[Aquaman]] moved to the series from their previous home in ''[[More Fun Comics]]'', which was itself converted to a humor format.<ref>Wallace "1940s" in Dolan, p. 51: "Following ''More Fun Comics'' change in focus the previous month, the displaced super-heroes Superboy, Green Arrow, Johnny Quick, Aquaman, and the Shining Knight were welcomed by ''Adventure Comics''".</ref> Starman's and Sandman's series were canceled to make room for the new features, while [[Genius Jones]] moved to the comic the new arrivals had just vacated. Superboy became the star of the book, and would appear on each cover into 1969 (counting Superman on the covers of issues #354–355). Superboy's popularity in ''Adventure'' resulted in the character receiving his own title in 1949, when superhero titles in general were losing popularity. [[Krypto]] the Superdog debuted in issue #210 (March 1955) in a story by [[Otto Binder]] and [[Curt Swan]].<ref>[[Alexander C. Irvine|Irvine, Alex]] "1950s" in Dolan, p. 76: "Superboy was reunited with his dog in 'The Super-Dog from Krypton' by writer Otto Binder and artist Curt Swan".</ref>

In issue #247 (April 1958), by Otto Binder and artist [[Al Plastino]], Superboy met the [[Legion of Super-Heroes]], a team of super-powered teens from the future.<ref>Irvine "1950s" in Dolan, p. 89: "The Legion of Super-Heroes would become one of DC's most enduring and popular groups despite their humble beginnings, in a story by writer Otto Binder and artist Al Plastino".</ref> The group became popular, and would replace "[[Bizarro|Tales of the Bizarro World]]" as the ''Adventure'' backup feature with #300,<ref>{{cite comic| writer= [[Jerry Siegel|Siegel, Jerry]]|penciller= [[John Forte (comics)|Forte, John]]|inker= Forte, John|story= The Face Behind the Lead Mask!|title= Adventure Comics|issue= 300|date= September 1962}}</ref> and soon be promoted to its lead. [[Garth Ranzz|Lightning Lad]], one of the Legion's founding members, was killed in ''Adventure Comics'' #304 (January 1963) and revived in issue #312.<ref>McAvennie, Michael "1960s" in Dolan, p. 108: "The demise of the Legion co-founder was a first not only for the Legion fan base, but for mainstream comics in general...Lightning Lad was resurrected later that year in ''Adventure Comics'' #312".</ref> Issue #260 (May 1959) saw the first [[Silver age of comics|Silver Age]] appearance of [[Aquaman]]. In ''Adventure Comics'' #346 (July 1966), [[Jim Shooter]], 14 years old at the time, wrote his first Legion story.<ref>McAvennie "1960s" in Dolan, p. 118: "In his first-ever published story, fourteen-year-old Jim Shooter admitted four new members into the Legion of Super-Heroes ... Shooter's long, memorable tenure as one of the Legion's greatest writers was officially underway".</ref> Shooter wrote the story in which [[Ferro Lad]] died – the first "real" death of a Legionnaire (although Lightning Lad had been believed dead for a while before) – and introduced the [[Fatal Five]].<ref>McAvennie "1960s" in Dolan, p. 123: "Writer Jim Shooter and artist Curt Swan unleashed an even greater menace when the Fatal Five decided to stay united in the years ahead".</ref> The Legion feature lasted until issue #380.<ref>{{cite comic|writer= [[Jim Shooter|Shooter, Jim]]|penciller= [[Win Mortimer|Mortimer, Win]]|inker= [[Jack Abel|Abel, Jack]]|story= The Legion's Space Odyssey|title= Adventure Comics|issue= 380|date= May 1969}}</ref> With the next issue, [[Supergirl]] migrated from the backup slot in ''Action Comics'' to the starring feature in ''Adventure''<ref>{{cite comic| writer= [[Cary Bates|Bates, Cary]]|penciller= Mortimer, Win|inker= Abel, Jack|story= The Supergirl Gang|title= Adventure Comics|issue= 381|date= June 1969}}</ref> and ran until issue #424.<ref>{{cite comic|writer= [[Steve Skeates|Skeates, Steve]]|penciller= [[Tony DeZuniga|DeZuniga, Tony]]|inker= [[Bob Oksner|Oksner, Bob]]|story= Crypt of the Frozen Graves|title= Adventure Comics|issue= 424|date= October 1972}}</ref> The series reached its 400th issue in December 1970 and featured a Supergirl story written and drawn by [[Mike Sekowsky]].<ref>{{cite journal|last = Abramowitz|first = Jack|title = ''Adventure Comics'' #400...Really?|journal = [[Back Issue!]]|issue = 69|pages = 22–24|publisher = [[TwoMorrows Publishing]]|date = December 2013|location= Raleigh, North Carolina}}</ref>

As of #425 (December 1972), the book's theme changed from superhero adventure to fantasy/supernatural adventure. That issue debuted one new feature along with three non-series stories, the pirate saga "Captain Fear". The next edition added a semi-anthology series, "The Adventurers' Club". Soon, editor [[Joe Orlando]] was trying out horror-tinged costumed heroes such as the [[Black Orchid (character)|Black Orchid]],<ref>McAvennie "1970s" in Dolan, p. 156: "Very little was known about the Black Orchid, even after writer Sheldon Mayer and artist Tony DeZuniga presented her so-called "origin issue" in ''Adventure Comics''".</ref> and then the [[Spectre (DC Comics character)|Spectre]].<ref>McAvennie "1970s" in Dolan, p. 159: "The Spectre re-materialized in the pages of ''Adventure Comics''. This time, however, he brought along an all-out wrathful disposition, delivering punishments that not only fit the crimes, but arguably exceeded them...[Michael] Fleisher and [Jim] Aparo's run lasted only ten issues, yet it was widely regarded as some of their finest work, and the character's seminal period".</ref><ref>{{cite book|last= Daniels|first= Les|author-link= Les Daniels|title= DC Comics: Sixty Years of the World's Favorite Comic Book Heroes|chapter= Square Pegs Experiments with Weird Heroes|publisher= [[Little, Brown and Company|Bulfinch Press]]|year= 1995|location= New York, New York|page= 152|isbn= 0821220764|quote= ''Adventure Comics'' also became home for the Spectre, the sinister Golden Age character who got a new lease on life after [Joe] Orlando was mugged and decided the world needed a really relentless super hero.}}</ref> Before long, conventional superheroes returned to the book, beginning behind the Spectre, first a three-issue run of [[Aquaman]] (issues #435–437, an early assignment for [[Mike Grell]]) and then a newly drawn 1940s [[Seven Soldiers of Victory]] script (issues #438–443).<ref>McAvennie "1970s" in Dolan, p. 162: "An unpublished Seven Soldiers of Victory story finally saw print as a backup feature in ''Adventure Comics'' #438 – three decades after it was written. Noted scientist and author Joseph Samachson had penned his last Soldiers story in 1945, when the super hero team were a regular feature in ''Leading Comics''".</ref><ref>{{cite web |first=Brian|last=Cronin|url= http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2010/02/18/comic-book-legends-revealed-248/|title= Comic Book Legends Revealed #248|work=Comics Should Be Good! @ Comic Book Resources |publisher= Comic Book Resources|date=February 18, 2010|access-date= January 6, 2013|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20101001114743/http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2010/02/18/comic-book-legends-revealed-248/|archive-date=October 1, 2010 |quote= An unpublished script starring the Seven Soldiers of Victory was published within five issues of ''Adventure Comics''…Thirty years after the Seven Soldiers of Victory feature was canceled!}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last = Abramowitz|first = Jack|title = Seven Soldiers of Victory: Lost in Time Again|journal = Back Issue!|issue = 64|pages = 33–37|publisher = TwoMorrows Publishing|date = May 2013|location= Raleigh, North Carolina}}</ref> Aquaman was promoted to lead (issues #441–452), and backing him up were three-part story arcs featuring the [[Creeper (comics)|Creeper]] (#445–447), the [[Martian Manhunter]] (#449–451), bracketed by issue-length Aquaman leads. He was awarded his own title and Superboy (#453–458) took over ''Adventure'' with [[Garth (comics)|Aqualad]] (#453–455) and [[Eclipso]] (#457–458) backups. Following this was a run as a [[Dollar Comics|Dollar Comic]] format giant-sized book (issues #459–466),<ref>{{cite journal|last = Romero|first = Max|title = I'll Buy That For a Dollar! DC Comics' Dollar Comics|journal= Back Issue!|issue = 57|pages = 39–41|publisher = TwoMorrows Publishing|date = July 2012|location= Raleigh, North Carolina}}</ref> including such features as the resolution of ''[[New Gods#Return of the New Gods (1977)|Return of the New Gods]]'' (cancelled in July–August 1978), "[[Deadman (DC Comics)|Deadman]]", and the "[[Justice Society of America]]".

{|class="wikitable" 
!width=215|Feature
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!width=215|Feature
!width=215|Feature
!width=215|Feature
!width=215|Feature
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|rowspan="2" align="center"| The [[Barry Allen|Flash]]<br>#459–466
|rowspan="2" align="center"|[[Deadman (DC Comics)|Deadman]]<br>#459–466
|align="center"|[[Hal Jordan|Green Lantern]]<br>#459–460
|align="center"|[[Elongated Man]]<br>#459
|align="center"|[[Wonder Woman]]<br>#459–464
|align="center"|The [[New Gods]]<br>#459–460
|-
|align="center"|[[Justice Society of America]]<br>#461–466
|align="center"|[[Aquaman]]<br>#460–466
|align="center"|no fifth feature<br>#465–466
|align="center"|no sixth feature<br>#461–466
|}

The standard format returned (issues #467–478), split between a new [[Starman (Prince Gavyn)|Starman]]<ref>Manning, Matthew K. "1980s" in Dolan, p. 186: "The second [feature in ''Adventure Comics'' #467] debuted a new version of Starman by writer Paul Levitz and illustrator Steve Ditko".</ref> named Prince Gavyn and [[Plastic Man]]. With an increase in the story-and-art page count, the last four issues also included one more run of Aquaman.<ref>Manning "1980s" in Dolan, p. 187: "With issue #475, fan favorite Aquaman was added to the [''Adventure Comics''] lineup, and his first installment was written by J. M. DeMatteis and illustrated by Dick Giordano".</ref> All three were dropped simultaneously to make way for a new version of an old feature, "[[Dial H for Hero#1980s series|Dial H for Hero]]" (issues #479–490).<ref>Manning "1980s" in Dolan, p. 192: "Within a sixteen-page preview in ''Legion of Super-Heroes'' #272...was "Dial 'H' for Hero", a new feature that raised the bar on fan interaction in the creative process. The feature's story, written by Marv Wolfman, with art by Carmine Infantino, saw two high-school students find dials that turned them into super-heroes. Everything from the pair's civilian clothes to the heroes they became was created by fans writing in.  This concept would continue in the feature's new regular spot within ''Adventure Comics''".</ref> Issue #490 (February 1982) saw the comic's cancellation.<ref>{{cite journal|last = Sanderson|first = Peter|author-link = Peter Sanderson|title = DC Cancels ''Adventure Comics''|journal = Comics Feature|issue = 12/13<!-- This was a double issue hence the #12/13 issue number-->|page = 17|publisher = [[New Media/Irjax|New Media Publishing]]|date = September–October 1981|quote= The title has suffered from poor sales for several years, with the recent 'Starman/Plastic Man' issues' sales being especially dismal. It was hoped that the new 'Dial 'H' for Hero' series would revitalize ''Adventure's'' sales, but apparently such was not the case.}}</ref> "Dial 'H' for Hero" was moved to ''New Adventures of Superboy'' as of that series' issue #28. ''Adventure Comics'' was soon rescued. As of the September issue it was revived as a [[digest-sized]] comic. This format lasted from issues #491–503, with most stories during this period being reprints (featuring the Legion of Super-Heroes, from the beginning and in chronological order, and others), and with new stories featuring the [[Marvel Family]] and the [[Challengers of the Unknown]] including a new five-issue retelling of their origin. The long-running title was discontinued with the September 1983 issue.

===''80-Page Giant''===
An ''Adventure Comics 80-Page Giant'' was released in 1998.

===''Justice Society Returns''===
DC published an ''Adventure Comics'' #1 as part of the company's ''[[Justice Society Returns]]'' event in 1999.

===''Adventure Comics Special Featuring the Guardian''===
As part of the 2008 "[[Superman: New Krypton]]" story arc, a special issue of ''Adventure Comics'' was published, titled ''Adventure Comics Special Featuring the Guardian'' #1 (cover dated January 2009). Jimmy Olsen continues to delve into the mystery surrounding the American government's safeguards against the new Kryptonian population.