Apple Comics
Encyclopedia
Apple Comics, also known as Apple Press, was a comic book
publisher which operated from 1986–1994. Published by Michael Catron
, they began as an imprint of WaRP Graphics
, but had their own financing structure. Apple was known for publishing war comics, particularly its long-running title Vietnam Journal (as well as many spin-offs and one-shots).
Other notable titles published by Apple included Blood of Dracula, Desert Storm Journal, Eagle
, FantaSci, Fish Police
, Myth Conception
, Thunderbunny, and Vox. Creators associated with Apple included Don Lomax
, Lee Marrs
, Aaron McClellan, Ken Mitchroney, Steven Moncuse, Rickey Shanklin, Neil Vokes, Mark Wheatley
, and John Workman
.
and Unicorn Isle, and the ongoing title Thunderbunny.
In 1987, Apple began publishing original titles, including Blood of Dracula, Myth Conceptions, and Vietnam Journal. They also picked up the title Space Ark from Americomics, and in 1988 picked up Eagle from Crystal Publications.
hit the small press very hard, and Apple Comics was forced to close its doors.
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
publisher which operated from 1986–1994. Published by Michael Catron
Michael Catron
Michael Catron is former publisher of Apple Comics and co-founder of Fantagraphics as well as a classically trained Shakespearian actor....
, they began as an imprint of WaRP Graphics
WaRP Graphics
WaRP Graphics, later Warp Graphics, is an alternative comics publisher best known for creating and being the original publisher of the Elfquest comic book series. It was created and incorporated in 1977 by Wendy and Richard Pini. The company title is an acronym formed from the founding couple's...
, but had their own financing structure. Apple was known for publishing war comics, particularly its long-running title Vietnam Journal (as well as many spin-offs and one-shots).
Other notable titles published by Apple included Blood of Dracula, Desert Storm Journal, Eagle
Eagle (comics)
Eagle, in comics, may refer to:* Eagle , a British children's comic from the 1950s and 60s, revived in the 80s* Eagle Comics, a US publisher of comic books reprinting 2000 AD stories...
, FantaSci, Fish Police
Fish Police
Fish Police is the name of a comic book series by cartoonist Steven Moncuse. The plot centers on law and crime in a fictional underwater metropolis with the protagonist, Inspector Gill, trying to solve various, often Mafia-related, crimes while avoiding being seduced by the extremely well endowed...
, Myth Conception
MythAdventures
MythAdventures or Myth Adventures is a fantasy series by Robert Lynn Asprin and Jody Lynn Nye. After twelve novels by Asprin, published 1978 to 2002, he and Nye continued the series with seven more books...
, Thunderbunny, and Vox. Creators associated with Apple included Don Lomax
Don Lomax
Don Lomax is an American comic book writer/artist best known for his long-running comic Vietnam Journal. A veteran of the Vietnam War, much of Lomax's adrenaline-fueled work centers around the military experience, and its gritty, unflinching depiction of the reality of war, specifically in...
, Lee Marrs
Lee Marrs
Lee Marrs is an American comic book writer, animator, and one of the first women underground comix creators. She is best known for her comic book series, The Further Fattening Adventures of Pudge, Girl Blimp, which lasted from 1973 to 1978.-Underground comics:Marrs was a frequent contributor to...
, Aaron McClellan, Ken Mitchroney, Steven Moncuse, Rickey Shanklin, Neil Vokes, Mark Wheatley
Mark Wheatley (comics)
Mark Wheatley is an American illustrator, writer, editor, and publisher in the comic book field. Wheatley's comic book and pulp creations include Breathtaker, Mars, and Blood of the Innocent, all illustrated by his frequent collaborator Marc Hempel...
, and John Workman
John Workman
John Workman is an editor, writer, artist, designer, colorist and letterer in the comic book industry...
.
Origins
In 1986, Richard Pini turned over all of WaRP's publishing and marketing duties to Apple so that WaRP could concentrate on editing comics. Titles packaged by the newly-uncapitalized Warp for Apple were the anthology series FantaSci, the mini-series ElfQuest: Siege At Blue MountainElfquest
Elfquest is a cult hit comic book property created by Wendy and Richard Pini in 1978. It is a fantasy story about a community of elves and other fictional species who struggle to survive and coexist on a primitive Earth-like planet with two moons. Several published volumes of prose fiction also...
and Unicorn Isle, and the ongoing title Thunderbunny.
In 1987, Apple began publishing original titles, including Blood of Dracula, Myth Conceptions, and Vietnam Journal. They also picked up the title Space Ark from Americomics, and in 1988 picked up Eagle from Crystal Publications.
Forbidden Fruit
From 1991–1992, Apple published an erotic comics imprint known as Forbidden Fruit. Titles published by Forbidden Fruit included The Adventures Of Misty, Sexy Superspy, and Sindy.Bankruptcy
The comics market meltdown of 19941994 in comics
-Year overall:* Huge changes in the marketplace force many retailers and small publishers out of business...
hit the small press very hard, and Apple Comics was forced to close its doors.
Apple Comics
- The Bat (1 issue, March 1994)
- Big Bad Blood of Dracula (2 issues, July 1991-September 1991)
- Blazing Combat: Vietnam and Korea (2 issues, 1993)
- Blazing Combat: World War I and World War II (2 issues, 1994)
- Blood Of Dracula (19 issues, November 1987-March 1991)
- Dark Fantasy (1 issue, September 1992)
- Days of Darkness (6 issues, March 1992-February 1993)
- Days of Wrath (4 issues, August 1993-June 1994)
- Death Dreams of Dracula (4 issues, September 1991-March 1992)
- Desert Storm Journal (9 issues, September 1991-March 1993)
- Dracula In Hell (2 issues, January-March 1992)
- EagleEagle (comics)Eagle, in comics, may refer to:* Eagle , a British children's comic from the 1950s and 60s, revived in the 80s* Eagle Comics, a US publisher of comic books reprinting 2000 AD stories...
(7 issues, picked up from Crystal Publications, July 1988-1989) - ElfQuest: Siege At Blue MountainElfquestElfquest is a cult hit comic book property created by Wendy and Richard Pini in 1978. It is a fantasy story about a community of elves and other fictional species who struggle to survive and coexist on a primitive Earth-like planet with two moons. Several published volumes of prose fiction also...
(8 issues, March 1987–December 1988) - FantaSci (8 issues, picked up from WaRP GraphicsWaRP GraphicsWaRP Graphics, later Warp Graphics, is an alternative comics publisher best known for creating and being the original publisher of the Elfquest comic book series. It was created and incorporated in 1977 by Wendy and Richard Pini. The company title is an acronym formed from the founding couple's...
, December 1986–December 1987) - Fish PoliceFish PoliceFish Police is the name of a comic book series by cartoonist Steven Moncuse. The plot centers on law and crime in a fictional underwater metropolis with the protagonist, Inspector Gill, trying to solve various, often Mafia-related, crimes while avoiding being seduced by the extremely well endowed...
(10 issues, picked up from ComicoComicóComicó is a village and municipality in Río Negro Province in Argentina....
, August 1989-Spring 1991) - Fish Shticks (6 issues, November 1991–March 1993)
- High Shining Brass (4 issues, November 1990-June 1991)
- Invasion '55 (3 issues, October 1990-May 1991)
- The Miracle Squad: Blood and Dust (4 issues, January–June 1989)
- Mister Fixitt (2 issues, January 1989-March 1990)
- Myth ConceptionsMythAdventuresMythAdventures or Myth Adventures is a fantasy series by Robert Lynn Asprin and Jody Lynn Nye. After twelve novels by Asprin, published 1978 to 2002, he and Nye continued the series with seven more books...
(8 issues, November 1987-January 1989) - The New Crime Files of Michael Mauser Private Eye (1 issue, January 1992)
- Space Ark (3 issues, picked up from Americomics, 1987)
- Survive! (1 issue, April 1992)
- Thunderbunny (7 issues, picked up from WaRP GraphicsWaRP GraphicsWaRP Graphics, later Warp Graphics, is an alternative comics publisher best known for creating and being the original publisher of the Elfquest comic book series. It was created and incorporated in 1977 by Wendy and Richard Pini. The company title is an acronym formed from the founding couple's...
, 1986–November 1987) - The Timejump War (3 issues, October-December 1989)
- Trollords: Death and Kisses (6 issues, picked up from ComicoComicóComicó is a village and municipality in Río Negro Province in Argentina....
, July 1989-September 1991) - Unicorn Isle (3 issues, picked up from WaRP GraphicsWaRP GraphicsWaRP Graphics, later Warp Graphics, is an alternative comics publisher best known for creating and being the original publisher of the Elfquest comic book series. It was created and incorporated in 1977 by Wendy and Richard Pini. The company title is an acronym formed from the founding couple's...
, July 1986-May 1987) - Vampiric Jihad (1 issue, 1991)
- Vietnam Journal (16 issues, November 1987–April 1991)
- Vietnam Journal: Bloodbath at Khe Sanh (4 issues, 1992-December 1993)
- Vietnam Journal: Indian Country (1 issue, 1990)
- Vietnam Journal: Tet '68 (6 issues, March 1992–1993)
- Vietnam Journal: The Iron Triangle (1 issue, 1993)
- Vietnam Journal: Valley of Death (2 issues, June-August 1994)
- Vox (7 issues, June 1989 - 1990)
Forbidden Fruit
- The Adventures Of Misty (11 issues, 1991 - 1992)
- Aviatrix (3 issues, January to May 1992)
- Metallica (3 issues, December 1991 - April 1992)
- Moonchild (3 issues, January 1992 - November 1992)
- Scorchy (1 issue, April 1992)
- Sexy Superspy (7 issues, November 1990 to August 1991)
- Sindy (5 issues, 1991)