DC Graphic Novel is a line of graphic novel trade paperbacks published from 1983 to 1986 by DC Comics.
The series generally featured stand-alone stories featuring new characters and concepts with one notable exception. The Hunger Dogs was intended by Jack Kirby and DC to serve as the end to the entire Fourth World saga. The project was mired in controversy over Kirby's insistence that the series should end with the deaths of the New Gods, which clashed with DC's demands that the characters could not be killed off.
As a result, production of the graphic novel suffered many delays and revisions. Pages and storyline elements from the unpublished "On the Road to Armagetto" were revised and incorporated into the graphic novel. Then, DC ordered the entire plot restructured which resulted in many pages of the story being rearranged out of Kirby's intended reading order.
From 1985 to 1987, DC also published a second, related line called DC Science Fiction Graphic Novel. Rather than being original stories, the graphic novels of this line were instead adaptations of works published by well-known authors of science fiction. These were edited by Julius Schwartz, making use of his connections to recruit the famous authors whose works were adapted. This was the last editorial work Schwartz did before retiring.
These two series were DC's counterparts to Marvel Comics' Marvel Graphic Novel line.
DC Graphic Novel series Number Title Year Writers Artists Editor Notes 1 Star Raiders 1983Elliot S! MagginJosé Luis García-LópezAndy Helfer Based on the video game Star Raiders. Cover art by Stephen Hickman. 2 Warlords 1983Steve SkeatesDavid WenzelDave Manak Based on the video game Warlords. Cover art by Thomas Blackshear 3 The Medusa Chain 1984Ernie Colón 4 The Hunger Dogs 1985Jack KirbyJack Kirby, Greg Theakston, D. Bruce Berry, Mike RoyerJoe Orlando Finale to Jack Kirby's Fourth World. First appearance of Bekka. 5 Me and Joe Priest 1985Greg PotterRon RandallJanice Race Cover art by Howard Chaykin 6 Metalzoic 1986Pat MillsKevin O'NeillAndy Helfer Published almost simultaneously with the serialization in 2000 AD. Cover art by Bill Sienkiewicz. 7 Space Clusters 1986Arthur Byron CoverAlex NiñoJulius Schwartz
DC Science Fiction Graphic Novel series Number Title Year Writers Artists Editor Notes 1 Hell On Earth 1985Robert Bloch,Robert Loren FlemingKeith Giffen,Greg Theakston,Bill WrayJulius Schwartz Adapts a horror story that was originally published in the pulp magazine Weird Tales in May 1942. Cover art by Bill Sienkiewicz. 2 Nightwings 1985Robert Silverberg, Cary BatesGene Colan, Neal McPheeters Cover art by Bill Sienkiewicz. 3 Frost and Fire 1985Ray Bradbury,Klaus JansonKlaus Janson Cover art by Bill Sienkiewicz. 4 The Merchants of Venus 1986Frederik Pohl,Victoria Petersen,Neal McPheetersNeal McPheeters 5 Demon with a Glass Hand 1985Harlan EllisonMarshall Rogers Also adapted as the October 17, 1964 episode of The Outer Limits. 6 The Magic Goes Away 1986Larry Niven,Paul KupperbergJan Duursema 7 Sandkings 1987George R. R. Martin, Doug MoenchPat Broderick, Neal McPheeters Also adapted as the March 26, 1995 episode of The Outer Limits.
Collected editions Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus Volume 4 (collects DC Graphic Novel #4: "The Hunger Dogs", with some alterations to the art, 424 pages, March 2008, )
References
External links and DC Graphic Novel and DC Science Fiction Graphic Novel at Mike's Amazing World of DC Comics