DC Special Series was an umbrella title

Umbrella title

An umbrella title is a formal or informal name connecting a number of individual items with a common theme. It is most often used in lieu of listing separately the separate components or providing a convenient "label" for a collection of disciplines.-Academia:...

 for one-shots and special issues published by DC Comics

DC Comics

DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...

 between 1977

1977 in comics

- Year overall :* Wendy and Richard Pini establish WaRP Graphics.* Jan and Dean Mullaney establish Eclipse Comics.* The United Kingdom's Eagle Awards are established.* Bob Brown dies at age 62.* Ciao magazine is launched.-January:...

 and 1981

1981 in comics

-January:* Capital Comics makes its entree into publishing with the release of Nexus #1.*Frank Miller takes over full writing duties on Daredevil with issue #168, and creates Elektra....

. Each issue featured a different character and was often in a different format than the issue before it. DC Special Series was published in four different formats: Dollar Comics

Dollar Comics

Dollar Comics was a line of DC Comics comic book publications issued from 1977 to 1983. They included the titles Superman Family, House of Mystery, G.I. Combat, World's Finest Comics, Batman Family, and Adventure Comics; as well as the series of specials with the umbrella title of DC Special Series...

, 48 page giants, digests

Digest size

Digest size is a magazine size, smaller than a conventional or "journal size" magazine but larger than a standard paperback book, approximately 5½ x 8¼ inches, but can also be 5⅜ x 8⅜ inches and 5½ x 7½ inches. These sizes have evolved from the printing press operation end...

, and treasury editions. Neither the umbrella title nor the numbering system appear on the cover; the title "DC Special Series" appeared only on the first page in the indicia

Indicia (publishing)

Indicia is the plural of the Latin word indicium, meaning distinguishing marks.In magazine publishing, indicia refers to a piece of text traditionally appearing on the first recto page after the cover, which usually contains the official name of the publication, its publication date, information...

. Most issues featured new material, but eight issues were reprints of previously published material.

Publication history

DC Special Series started out as a biweekly title in 1977 until Spring 1978, when it became quarterly. The series went on hiatus after the Fall 1978 issue and was revived in Summer 1979.

The issues

Issue	Contents	Date	Notes
1	5 Star Super-Hero Spectacular	September 1977 1977 in comics - Year overall :* Wendy and Richard Pini establish WaRP Graphics.* Jan and Dean Mullaney establish Eclipse Comics.* The United Kingdom's Eagle Awards are established.* Bob Brown dies at age 62.* Ciao magazine is launched.-January:...	Dollar Comic Dollar Comics Dollar Comics was a line of DC Comics comic book publications issued from 1977 to 1983. They included the titles Superman Family, House of Mystery, G.I. Combat, World's Finest Comics, Batman Family, and Adventure Comics; as well as the series of specials with the umbrella title of DC Special Series...  format; features Aquaman Aquaman Aquaman is a fictional superhero who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Paul Norris and Mort Weisinger, the character debuted in More Fun Comics #73 . Initially a backup feature in DC's anthology titles, Aquaman later starred in several volumes of a solo title... , the Atom, the Batman Batman Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics... , the Flash, Green Lantern Hal Jordan Harold "Hal" Jordan is a DC Comics superhero known as Green Lantern, the first human shown to join the Green Lantern Corps and a founding member of the Justice League of America. Jordan is the second DC Comics character to adopt the Green Lantern moniker... "The Dead on Arrival Conspiracy" Batman vs. Kobra Kobra (comics) Kobra is the name used by two fictional supervillains published by DC Comics. The Jeffrey Burr Kobra first appeared in Kobra #1 , and was created by Martin Pasko, Steve Sherman, Jack Kirby, and Pablo Marcos...  story by Martin Pasko Martin Pasko Martin Pasko is a writer and editor in a diverse array of media, including comic books and television.Pasko has worked for many comics publishers, but is best known for his work with DC Comics over three decades. He has written Superman in many media, including television animation, webisodes, and... , Michael Netzer (Nasser), and Joe Rubinstein Josef Rubinstein Josef "Joe" Rubinstein is a comic book artist and inker, most associated with inking Marvel Comics' The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe.-Career:...  originally scheduled for the unpublished Kobra #8
2	The Original Swamp Thing Saga Swamp Thing Swamp Thing, a fictional character, is a plant elemental in the created by Len Wein and Berni Wrightson. He first appeared in House of Secrets #92 in a stand-alone horror story set in the early 20th century . The Swamp Thing then returned in his own series, set in the contemporary world and in...	September 1977	48-page giant; reprints Swamp Thing #1-2 by Len Wein Len Wein Len Wein is an American comic book writer and editor best known for co-creating DC Comics' Swamp Thing and Marvel Comics' Wolverine, and for helping revive the Marvel superhero team the X-Men...  and Bernie Wrightson Bernie Wrightson Bernie "Berni" Wrightson is an American artist known for his horror illustrations and comic books.-Biography:...
3	Sgt. Rock Special	October 1977	48-page giant
4	The Unexpected The Unexpected The Unexpected was a DC Comics horror comic book, a continuation of Tales of the Unexpected. It ran 117 issues, #105-222, from 1968 to 1982.-Publication history:...  Special	October 1977	48-page giant
5	Superman Superman (comic book) Superman is an ongoing comic book series featuring the DC Comics hero of the same name. The character Superman began as one of several anthology features in the National Periodical Publications comic book Action Comics #1 in June 1938...  Spectacular	November 1977	Dollar Comic format
6	Secret Society of Super-Villains Secret Society of Super Villains The Secret Society of Super Villains is a group of comic book supervillains that exist in the DC Universe...  Special	November 1977	48-page giant
7	Ghosts Ghosts (DC Comics) Ghosts is a comic book series published by DC Comics for 112 issues from September-October 1971 to May 1982. Its tagline was "True Tales of the Weird and Supernatural" , changed to "New Tales of the Weird and Supernatural," as of #75 , and dropped after #104...  Special	December 1977	48-page giant
8	The Brave and the Bold The Brave and the Bold The Brave and the Bold is the title shared by many comic book series published by DC Comics. The first of these was published as an ongoing series from 1955 to 1983...  Special	1978 1978 in comics This is a list of comics-related events in 1978.- Year overall :* DC suffers the DC Implosion, the abrupt cancellation of more than two dozen ongoing and planned titles, with the vast majority of the books leaving uncompleted storylines .* Archie Goodwin resigns as Marvel Comics editor-in-chief,...	48-page giant; Batman Batman Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics... , Deadman Deadman Deadman is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe. He first appeared in Strange Adventures #205 , and was created by Arnold Drake and Carmine Infantino.-Publication history:... , and Sgt. Rock team-up
9	Wonder Woman Wonder Woman Wonder Woman is a DC Comics superheroine created by William Moulton Marston. She first appeared in All Star Comics #8 . The Wonder Woman title has been published by DC Comics almost continuously except for a brief hiatus in 1986....  Spectacular	1978	Dollar Comic format
10	Secret Origins Secret Origins Secret Origins is the title of three American comic book series published by DC Comics.The title began in 1961 and for one issue, all reprints. The title Secret Origins of Super Heroes went onto a second series, also reprints, which ran for seven issues from 1973-1974...  of Super-Heroes Special	1978	48-page giant; origins of Doctor Fate Doctor Fate Doctor Fate is the name of a succession of fictional sorcerers who appear in books published by DC Comics. The original version was created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Howard Sherman, and first appeared in More Fun Comics #55... , Lightray Lightray Lightray is a DC Comics superhero. Created by Jack Kirby for the "Jack Kirby's Fourth World" meta-series, he first appeared in New Gods #1 .- Fictional character biography :... , and Black Canary Black Canary Black Canary is the name of two fictional characters, DC Comics superheroines created by writer Robert Kanigher and artist Carmine Infantino. The first Black Canary debuted appeared in Flash Comics #86 . The first Black Canary was the alter-ego of Dinah Drake, who took part in Golden Age adventures...
11	The Flash The Flash (comic book) The Flash is an ongoing comic book series featuring the DC Comics superhero of the same name. The character's first incarnation, Jay Garrick, first appeared in Flash Comics #1...  Spectacular	1978	Dollar Comic format
12	Secrets of Haunted House Secrets of Haunted House Secrets of Haunted House was a horror-suspense anthology comic book series published by DC Comics from 1975 to 1982.-Publication history:...  Special	Spring 1978	48-page giant
13	Sgt. Rock Spectacular	Spring 1978	Dollar Comic format
14	The Original Swamp Thing Saga	Summer 1978	48-page giant; reprints Swamp Thing #3-4 by Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson
15	Batman Batman (comic book) Batman is an ongoing comic book series featuring the DC Comics hero of the same name. The character first appeared in Detective Comics #27, published in May 1939. Batman proved to be so popular that a self-titled ongoing comic book series began publication in the spring of 1940...  Spectacular	Summer 1978	Dollar Comics format; "Death Strikes at Midnight and Three", text story written by Dennis O'Neil Dennis O'Neil Dennis J. "Denny" O'Neil is an American comic book writer and editor, principally for Marvel Comics and DC Comics in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, and Group Editor for the Batman family of books until his retirement....  with spot illustrations by Marshall Rogers Marshall Rogers Marshall Rogers was an American comic-book artist best known for his work at Marvel and DC Comics in the 1970s, particularly as one of the illustrators of Batman and Silver Surfer... "I Now Pronounce You Batman and Wife!", marriage of Batman and Talia al Ghul Talia al Ghul Talia al Ghul is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe, the now-estranged daughter of the supervillain Ra's al Ghul, a love interest of Batman, and the mother of his son Damian Wayne, the fifth Robin... , by Dennis O'Neil, Michael Golden, and Dick Giordano Dick Giordano Richard Joseph "Dick" Giordano was an American comic book artist and editor best known for introducing Charlton Comics' "Action Heroes" stable of superheroes, and serving as executive editor of then–industry leader DC Comics... See also Batman: Son of the Demon Batman: Son of the Demon Batman: Son of the Demon is a graphic novel by Mike W. Barr and Jerry Bingham, published in 1987 by DC Comics. It was released in both hardcover and softcover formats....
16	Jonah Hex Jonah Hex Jonah Woodson Hex is a Western comic book antihero created by writer John Albano and artist Tony DeZuniga and published by DC Comics. Hex is a surly and cynical bounty hunter whose face is horribly scarred on the right side. Despite his poor reputation and personality, Hex is bound by a personal...  Spectacular	Fall 1978	Dollar Comic format; "The Last Bounty Hunter!", death of Jonah Hex, by Michael Fleisher Michael Fleisher Michael L. "Mike" Fleisher is an American writer known for his DC Comics of the 1970s and 1980s, particularly for the characters the Spectre and Jonah Hex.-Early life and career:...  and Russ Heath Russ Heath Russell Heath, Jr. is an American artist best known for his comic book work — particularly his DC Comics war stories for several decades and his 1960s art for Playboy magazine's Little Annie Fanny featurettes — and for his commercial art, two pieces of which, depicting Roman and...
17	The Original Swamp Thing Saga	Summer 1979 1979 in comics -Year overall:* The "Demon in a Bottle" storyline, by David Michelinie, Bob Layton, and John Romita, Jr., runs through Iron Man ....	Dollar Comic format; reprints Swamp Thing #5-7 by Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson
18	Sgt. Rock's Prize Battle Tales	Fall 1979	Digest size Digest size Digest size is a magazine size, smaller than a conventional or "journal size" magazine but larger than a standard paperback book, approximately 5½ x 8¼ inches, but can also be 5⅜ x 8⅜ inches and 5½ x 7½ inches. These sizes have evolved from the printing press operation end... ; all reprints
19	Secret Origins Secret Origins Secret Origins is the title of three American comic book series published by DC Comics.The title began in 1961 and for one issue, all reprints. The title Secret Origins of Super Heroes went onto a second series, also reprints, which ran for seven issues from 1973-1974...  of Super-Heroes	Fall 1979	Digest size; all reprints except for new origin of Wonder Woman Wonder Woman Wonder Woman is a DC Comics superheroine created by William Moulton Marston. She first appeared in All Star Comics #8 . The Wonder Woman title has been published by DC Comics almost continuously except for a brief hiatus in 1986....  by Cary Burkett, Jose Delbo, and Vince Colletta Vince Colletta Vincent Joseph Colletta was an American comic book artist and art director best known as one of industry legend Jack Kirby's frequent inkers during the 1950s-1960s period called the Silver Age of comic books... .
20	The Original Swamp Thing Saga	January-February 1980 1980 in comics -Year overall:* Big Rapids Distribution, a major Midwestern comics distributor, goes under, and two former employees , form Capital City Distribution, headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin....	Dollar Comic format; reprints Swamp Thing #8-10 by Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson
21	Super-Star Holiday Special	Spring 1980	Dollar Comic format; features Legion of Super-Heroes Legion of Super-Heroes (1958 team) The 1958 version of the Legion of Super-Heroes is a fictional superhero team in the 31st century of the . The team is the first incarnation of the Legion of Super-Heroes, followed by the 1994 and 2004 rebooted versions... , Jonah Hex Jonah Hex Jonah Woodson Hex is a Western comic book antihero created by writer John Albano and artist Tony DeZuniga and published by DC Comics. Hex is a surly and cynical bounty hunter whose face is horribly scarred on the right side. Despite his poor reputation and personality, Hex is bound by a personal... , Sgt. Rock, the House of Mystery House of Mystery The House of Mystery is the name of several horror-mystery-suspense anthology comic book series. It had a companion series, House of Secrets.-Genesis:... "Wanted: Santa Claus -- Dead or Alive!" first Batman story drawn by Frank Miller Frank Miller (comics) Frank Miller is an American comic book artist, writer and film director best known for his dark, film noir-style comic book stories and graphic novels Ronin, Daredevil: Born Again, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Sin City and 300...
22	G.I. Combat G.I. Combat G.I. Combat is a long-running comic book series published first by Quality Comics and later by National Periodical Publications, which was the primary company of those that evolved to become DC Comics.-Publication history:...  Special	September 1980	Dollar Comic format
23	World's Finest Comics World's Finest Comics World's Finest Comics was an American comic book series published by DC Comics from 1941 to 1986. The series was initially titled World's Best Comics for its first issue; issue #2 switched to the more familiar name...  Digest	February 1981 1981 in comics -January:* Capital Comics makes its entree into publishing with the release of Nexus #1.*Frank Miller takes over full writing duties on Daredevil with issue #168, and creates Elektra....	Digest size; all reprints
24	The Flash and His Friends	February 1981	Digest size; all reprints
25	Superman II Superman II Superman II is the 1980 sequel to the 1978 superhero film Superman and stars Gene Hackman, Christopher Reeve, Terence Stamp, Ned Beatty, Sarah Douglas, Margot Kidder, and Jack O'Halloran. It was the only Superman film to be filmed by two directors...	Summer 1981	Treasury format; photos and background material from the movie
26	Superman Superman Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...  and His Incredible Fortress of Solitude Fortress of Solitude The Fortress of Solitude is the occasional headquarters of Superman in DC Comics. Its predecessor, Superman's "Secret Citadel", first appeared in Superman #17, where it was said to be built into a mountain on the outskirts of Metropolis...	Summer 1981	Treasury format; "Secrets of Superman's Fortress" by Roy Thomas Roy Thomas Roy William Thomas, Jr. is an American comic book writer and editor, and Stan Lee's first successor as editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics. He is possibly best known for introducing the pulp magazine hero Conan the Barbarian to American comics, with a series that added to the storyline of Robert E... , Ross Andru Ross Andru Ross Andru was an American comic book artist and editor. He is best known for his work on Amazing Spider-Man, Wonder Woman, Flash and Metal Men.... , and Romeo Tanghal Romeo Tanghal Romeo Tanghal is a Filipino comic book artist who has worked primarily as an inker. He became well known in the industry in the 1980s for his work on DC Comics' The New Teen Titans.-Career:...
27	Batman vs. the Incredible Hulk Hulk (comics) The Hulk is a fictional character, a superhero in the . Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #1 ....	Fall 1981	Treasury format; DC-Marvel crossover Intercompany crossover In comic books, an intercompany crossover is a comic or series of comics where characters published by one company meet those published by another...  by Len Wein, José Luis García-López José Luis García-López José Luis García-López is a Spanish comic book artist who works in the United States of America, mostly for DC Comics. He has most recently penciled an arc in Batman Confidential, the Metal Men storyline in the 2009 Wednesday Comics weekly anthology, and, in 2011, one of the stories in The Spirit... , and Dick Giordano

External links

• DC Special Series at Mike's Amazing World of DC Comics (with scans of covers)
• DC Special Series at the DC Database