New Comics Group
Encyclopedia
New Comics Group was a comic book publisher founded by Steve Donnelly and Valarie Jones which operated from 1987–1990. Donnelly acted as Publisher, while Jones held the title of Editor in Chief. New Comics Group was based in San Mateo, California
. During the proliferation of small press
in the 1980s, NCG was unique in working with established comics creators. Titles included Young Master, Get Lost, Asylum, Demon Blade, Tommy and the Monsters, and Dead Time Stories. NCG was also active in licensing well before most publishers, at one time holding licenses to several well-known properties, including Interview with the Vampire
. NCG closed its doors before its licensed properties could be published.
, First Comics
, Majestic Entertainment, Verotik
, and others. She produced the charity book Born to Be Wild for PETA
in 1990. Donnelly still owns and operates an original comic art dealership.
San Mateo, California
San Mateo is a city in San Mateo County, California, United States, in the San Francisco Bay Area. With a population of approximately 100,000 , it is one of the larger suburbs on the San Francisco Peninsula, located between Burlingame to the north, Foster City to the east, Belmont to the south,...
. During the proliferation of small press
Small press
Small press is a term often used to describe publishers with annual sales below a certain level. Commonly, in the United States, this is set at $50 million, after returns and discounts...
in the 1980s, NCG was unique in working with established comics creators. Titles included Young Master, Get Lost, Asylum, Demon Blade, Tommy and the Monsters, and Dead Time Stories. NCG was also active in licensing well before most publishers, at one time holding licenses to several well-known properties, including Interview with the Vampire
Interview with the Vampire
Interview with the Vampire is a vampire novel by Anne Rice written in 1973 and published in 1976. It was the first novel to feature the enigmatic vampire Lestat, and was followed by several sequels, collectively known as The Vampire Chronicles...
. NCG closed its doors before its licensed properties could be published.
History
Before forming NCG, Donnelly was a comic shop owner and a dealer in original art, along with Jones. Jones went on to work for Eclipse ComicsEclipse Comics
Eclipse Comics was an American comic book publisher, one of several independent publishers during the 1980s and early 1990s. In 1978, it published the first graphic novel intended for the newly created comic book specialty store market...
, First Comics
First Comics
First Comics was an American comic-book publisher that was active from 1983–1991, known for titles like American Flagg!, Grimjack, Nexus, Badger, Dreadstar, and Jon Sable...
, Majestic Entertainment, Verotik
Verotik
Verotik is a mature-themed comic book company founded in the early 90's by heavy metal/punk musician Glenn Danzig . The comics are aimed toward adult readers as they often contain imagery of a sexual and/or violent nature...
, and others. She produced the charity book Born to Be Wild for PETA
Peta
Peta can refer to:* peta-, an SI prefix denoting a factor of 1015* Peta, Greece, a town in Greece* Peta, the Pāli word for a Preta, or hungry ghost in Buddhism* Peta Wilson, an Australian actress and model* Peta Todd, English glamour model...
in 1990. Donnelly still owns and operates an original comic art dealership.
Publications
- Young Master featured new stories about an ancient Japanese samuraiSamuraiis the term for the military nobility of pre-industrial Japan. According to translator William Scott Wilson: "In Chinese, the character 侍 was originally a verb meaning to wait upon or accompany a person in the upper ranks of society, and this is also true of the original term in Japanese, saburau...
's adventures, as well as back-up stories of the same character reprinted from Warren PublishingWarren PublishingWarren Publishing was an American magazine company founded by James Warren, who published his first magazines in 1957 and continued in the business for decades...
, all monochrome. The writers included Roger McKenzieRoger McKenzie (comics)Roger McKenzie is an American comic book writer best known for his work on Daredevil with Frank Miller.McKenzie and Miller's first collaboration was on a two-page story entitled "Slowly, painfully, you dig your way from the cold, choking debris..." published in DC Comics' Weird War Tales #68...
, Larry HamaLarry HamaLarry Hama is an American comic book writer, artist, actor and musician who has worked in the fields of entertainment and publishing since the 1960s....
, and Bob Toomey, and the artist was Val MayerikVal MayerikVal Mayerik is an American comic-book and commercial artist, best known as co-creator of Marvel Comics' satiric character Howard the Duck.-Early life and career:...
, as well as some work by Alex NiñoAlex NiñoAlex Niño is a Filipino comic book artist best known for his work for the American publishers DC Comics, Marvel Comics, and Warren Publishing, and in Heavy Metal magazine.-Early life and career:...
. Mayerik painted each cover of the 9-issue series, which ran from 1987 to 1989. One notable bit of trivia is that NCG's Young Master was the first comic printed without a title on the cover, the better to showcase Mayerik's paintings. The series spawned a spin-off of the Alex Niño story "Demon Blade" under an imprint of World of Young Master. Writer Chuck DixonChuck DixonCharles "Chuck" Dixon is an American comic book writer, best known for long runs on Batman titles in the 1990s.-Biography:Dixon grew up in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, area, reading comics of all genres...
and artist Val Mayerik also produced two issues of The Master in 1989. All were edited by Jones. - Asylum was a horror anthologyAnthologyAn anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler. It may be a collection of poems, short stories, plays, songs, or excerpts...
of all new material that ran for two issues in 1989, edited by Jones. Issue #1 featured a cover by Berni Wrightson, colored by Paul MountsPaul MountsPaul Mounts is an artist who has worked as a colorist in the comics industry, on comics including Fantastic Four, Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man and Ultimates....
. That issue included "The Call", by James R. SmithJames R. SmithJames R. Smith was an early 20th Century California water polo player and coach. He developed many of the modern rules which are used in competition today, including the use of the yellow rubberized ball adopted by FINA in 1956....
with pencils by Christopher Schenck and inks by Ken Hooper; "Spurs", by Stephen Bissette with pencils and inks by Alex Niño; "The Ninth Skeleton" by Clark Ashton SmithClark Ashton SmithClark Ashton Smith was a self-educated American poet, sculptor, painter and author of fantasy, horror and science fiction short stories. He achieved early local recognition, largely through the enthusiasm of George Sterling, for traditional verse in the vein of Swinburne...
adapted by Jon B Bright and Tom Yeates with art by Bright; and a back-cover pin-up by Valarie Jones, colored by Paul Mounts. Issue two featured a cover by Jon J. MuthJon J. MuthJon J. Muth is an American comic book artist and children's book illustrator, known for his painted artwork....
, and included "Death Disenchanted" by Fred Schiller with art by Kyle BakerKyle BakerKyle John Baker is an American cartoonist, comic book writer-artist, and animator known for his graphic novels and for a 2000s revival of the series Plastic Man....
; "Tommy" by James R. Smith with art by Mike HoffmanMike HoffmanThis article is about the ice hockey player born in 1980. For other persons named Mike Hoffman, see Mike Hoffman .Mike Hoffman is an American professional hockey right wing...
; "Dreams of my Brother" by James R. Smith with art by John EstesJohn EstesJohn Estes is an American football center. He graduated from the University of Hawaii at Manoa with a degree in Communications in December 2009....
; and a back-cover pin-up by Ken Meyer Jr. All lettering was by Laura Kagawa. - Dead Time Stories was another horror anthology of all new material, published in 1987, with a Steve Bissette/Tom Yeates cover. It included "The Prospector's Lucky Strike", "No Place Like Home", "The Unkindest Cut", and "A Toast to Mr. Dalyrimple" by Suzanne Lord and Steve Bissette; "Astral Ecology: Soul Eater", "Head Count" and "Morlock" by Steve Bissette;, "Werewolf" by Mike MignolaMike MignolaMichael Joseph "Mike" Mignola is an American comic book artist and writer who created the comic book series Hellboy for Dark Horse Comics. He has worked for animation projects such as Atlantis: The Lost Empire and the adaptation of his one shot comic book, The Amazing Screw-On Head.-Career:Mignola...
; "The Monster" by Jim StarlinJim StarlinJames P. "Jim" Starlin is an American comic book writer and artist. With a career dating back to the early 1970s, he is best known for "cosmic" tales and space opera; for revamping the Marvel Comics characters Captain Marvel and Adam Warlock; and for creating or co-creating the Marvel characters...
; "The Mummy" by Al MilgromAl MilgromAllen "Al" Milgrom is an American comic book writer, penciller, inker and editor, primarily for Marvel Comics. He is known for his 10-year run as editor of Marvel Fanfare; his long involvement as writer, penciler, and inker on Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man; his four-year tenure as West...
; "Dinosaur Terror" by Art AdamsArt AdamsArthur "Art" Adams is an American comic book artist and writer. He first broke into the American comic book industry with the 1985 Marvel Comics miniseries Longshot...
, "Strange Invaders" by Paul GulacyPaul GulacyPaul Gulacy is an American comic book illustrator best known for his work for DC Comics and Marvel Comics, and for drawing one of the first graphic novels, Eclipse Enterprises' 1978 Sabre: Slow Fade of an Endangered Species, with writer Don McGregor.-Early life and career:Paul Gulacy began...
; "Cthulhu" by Walt SimonsonWalt SimonsonWalter "Walt" Simonson is an American comic book writer and artist. After studying geology at Amherst College, he transferred to the Rhode Island School of Design, graduating in 1972. His thesis project there was The Star Slammers, which was published as a black and white promotional comic book...
; "Revenge of the Fly" by Norm BreyfogleNorm BreyfogleNorman Keith "Norm" Breyfogle is an American comic book artist, fine artist, illustrator, and writer. He was involved with the character of Batman consistently from 1987-1995. Breyfogle has worked on many different characters for most comic book publishers at one time or another...
; and "The Villagers' Victory" by Bob and Jane Stine and the artists of the Joe Kubert School, and was edited by Jones. - Get Lost was a humor anthology of three issues in 1987-88, with covers by Paul Gulacy, Gray MorrowGray MorrowDwight Graydon "Gray" Morrow was an American illustrator of paperback books and comics.-Biography:Born in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Morrow is best known as art director of Spider-Man between 1967 and 1970 and as illustrator of the syndicated Tarzan, Buck Rogers, Flash Gordon and Prince Valiant comic...
, and Brian BollandBrian BollandBrian Bolland is a British comics artist, known for his meticulous, detailed linework and eye-catching compositions. Best known in the UK as one of the definitive Judge Dredd artists for British comics anthology 2000 AD, he spearheaded the 'British Invasion' of the American comics industry, and in...
, and reprinted stories from an original competitor to Mad Magazine. "Tommy and the Monsters" was an original story created by Arthur AdamsArt AdamsArthur "Art" Adams is an American comic book artist and writer. He first broke into the American comic book industry with the 1985 Marvel Comics miniseries Longshot...
, and featuring his art, published in 1987. The cover was by Adams with coloring by Paul Mounts.