DC Comics Presents is a comic book series published by DC Comics from 1978 to 1986 which ran for 97 issues and four Annuals. It featured team-ups between Superman and a wide variety of other characters in the DC Universe. A recurring back-up feature "Whatever Happened to...?" had stories revealing the status of various minor and little-used characters.
Publication history DC Comics Presents debuted with a July/August 1978 cover date and was edited by Julius Schwartz. The series was launched with a team-up of Superman and the Flash by writer Martin Pasko and artist José Luis García-López. The winner of the DC Comics Presents letter column name contest appeared in the Superman/Hawkman story in issue #11 (July 1979).DC Comics Presents #11 at the Grand Comics Database The "Whatever Happened to...?" backup feature began in issue #25 (Sept. 1980) and would appear in most issues for the next two years until its last installment in issue #48 (Aug. 1982). Issue #26 included an insert introduction story to the then-upcoming New Teen Titans series by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez.Manning, Matthew K. "1980s" in Dolan, p. 188: "[The New Teen Titans] went on to become DC's most popular comic team of its day. Not only the springboard for the following month's The New Teen Titans #1, the preview's momentous story also featured the first appearance of future DC mainstays Cyborg, Starfire, and Raven". Len Wein and Jim Starlin co-created the supervillain Mongul in issue #27 (Nov. 1980)Manning "1980s" in Dolan, p. 188: "Artist Jim Starlin displayed his penchant for portraying powerful cosmic villains with the debut of Mongul, a new threat to plague Superman's life, in a story written by Len Wein". as part of a three-issue storyline. Another insert in issue #41 previewed the "new direction" Wonder Woman. In issue #47, Superman traveled to Eternia and met the Masters of the Universe. Ambush Bug made his first appearance in issue #52 (Dec. 1982)Manning "1980s" in Dolan, p. 199: "[Ambush Bug] made his debut in the pages of DC Comics Presents #52...[by] writer Paul Kupperberg and artist Keith Giffen". and made additional appearances in issues #59 and 81. The Superman/Challengers of the Unknown tale in issue #84 was drawn by Jack Kirby and Alex Toth. The series also contained the Alan Moore Superman/Swamp Thing story "The Jungle Line" in DC Comics Presents #85 (Sept. 1985), pencilled by Rick Veitch and inked by Al Williamson. Issue #87 featured the first appearance and origin of Superboy-Prime.Manning "1980s" in Dolan, p. 215: "This issue set into motion the life of Earth-Prime's youngest superhero, a major player in the Crisis on Infinite Earths saga, and the brutal adversary at the heart of 2005-2006's Infinite Crisis limited series". The last issue is an exception to the team-up format, instead featuring Superman in an "Untold Tale" involving the Phantom Zone by Steve Gerber, following up as the conclusion to Gerber's previous limited series of the same title.
In 2004, the title DC Comics Presents was revived for eight one-shot issues, each a tribute to Schwartz, who had recently died. Each issue featured two stories based on a classic DC Comics cover of the past, reflecting Schwartz's frequent practice of commissioning a cover concept, then telling the writers to create a story about that cover.
In 2010, DC launched a new DC Comics Presents, a line of 100-page reprint issues reprinting stories that have not seen print since their original publication.
Featured team-ups Issue Character(s)#1Flash #2Flash #3Adam Strange #4Metal Men #5Aquaman #6Green Lantern #7Red Tornado #8Swamp Thing #9Wonder Woman #10Sgt. Rock #11Hawkman #12Mister Miracle #13Legion of Super-Heroes #14Superboy #15Atom #16Black Lightning #17Firestorm#18Zatanna #19Batgirl #20Green Arrow#21Elongated Man #22Captain Comet #23Doctor Fate #24Deadman#25Phantom Stranger #26 Green Lantern #27Martian Manhunter#28Supergirl #29Spectre #30Black Canary #31Robin#32Wonder Woman #33Captain Marvel #34Marvel Family #35Man-Bat #36Starman#37Hawkgirl #38Flash #39Plastic Man #40Metamorpho #41Joker #42Unknown Soldier #43Legion of Super-Heroes #44Dial H for Hero #45 Firestorm #46Global Guardians #47Masters of the Universe #48Aquaman #49 Captain Marvel#50Clark Kent #51Atom #52Doom Patrol#53House of Mystery #54Green Arrow#55Air Wave #56Power Girl #57Atomic Knights #58Elongated Man #58 Robin#59Legion of Substitute Heroes #60Guardians of the Universe #61OMAC #62Freedom Fighters #63Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld #64Kamandi #65Madame Xanadu #66Etrigan the Demon#67Santa Claus #68Vixen #69Blackhawk #70 Metal Men #71Bizarro #72Phantom Stranger, Joker #73Flash #74 Hawkman #75Arion#76 Wonder Woman #77Forgotten Heroes #78Forgotten Villains #79 Clark Kent #80Legion of Super-Heroes #81Ambush Bug #82 Adam Strange #83Batman and the Outsiders #84Challengers of the Unknown #85Swamp Thing#86 Supergirl #87Superboy-Prime #88Creeper#89Omega Men #90 Firestorm#90Captain Atom #91 Captain Comet #92Vigilante #93Elastic Four#94Harbinger, Lady Quark, Pariah#95 Hawkman #96Blue Devil #97Phantom Zone villains Annual #1Superman (Earth-Two)Annual #2Superwoman Annual #3 Captain Marvel Annual #4 Superwoman
Characters featured in the "Whatever Happened to...?" back-up series Issue Character(s)#25 Hourman#26 Sargon the Sorcerer#27 Congorilla #28 Johnny Thunder (John Tane) and Madame .44 #29 Doctor Mid-Nite#30 Atom #31 Robotman #32 Mark Merlin and Prince Ra-Man#33 Star Hawkins#35 Rex the Wonder Dog#37 Rip Hunter#38 Crimson Avenger#39 Richard Dragon#40 Air Wave#42 Sandman #47 Sandy#48 Black Pirate
Writer Mike Tiefenbacher had several proposals for other "Whatever Happened to...?" stories. These included Captain Action, Blackhawk, Genius Jones, Nighthawk, Ragman, the Sea Devils, Silent Knight, and Wildcat.
Julius Schwartz tribute In September and October 2004, the title DC Comics Presents was revived for a series of eight one-shot issues, each a tribute to DC editor Julius Schwartz, who had died the previous February.Cowsill, Alan "2000s" in Dolan, p. 314: "When DC Comics' icon Julius Schwartz sadly passed away in February 2004, some kind of major tribute was required...To celebrate his life, DC revived the DC Comics Presents series, producing eight one-shots in which DC writers and artists put their own twists on covers inspired by Schwartz and reimagined classic Silver Age stories". Each issue featured two stories based on a classic DC Comics cover of the past, reflecting Schwartz's frequent practice of commissioning a cover concept, then telling the writers to create a story about that cover.
DC Comics Presents: Date Notes DC Comics Presents: Batman #1 September 2004 Cover art by Adam Hughes is a homage to the cover of Batman #183 (August 1966). DC Comics Presents: Green Lantern #1 Cover art by Brian Bolland is a homage to the cover of Green Lantern #31 (September 1964). DC Comics Presents: Hawkman #1 Cover art by José Luis García-López and Kevin Nowlan is a homage to the cover of Hawkman #6 (February–March 1965). DC Comics Presents: Mystery in Space #1 Cover art by Alex Ross is a homage to the cover of Mystery in Space #82 (March 1963). DC Comics Presents: Flash #1 October 2004 Cover art by Alex Ross is a homage to The Flash #163 (August 1966). DC Comics Presents: Justice League of America #1 Cover art by José Luis García-López is a homage to Justice League of America #53 (May 1967). DC Comics Presents: Superman #1 Cover art by Adam Hughes is a homage to the cover of Superman #264 (June 1973). DC Comics Presents: The Atom #1 Cover art by Brian Bolland is a homage to the cover of The Atom #10 (December 1963 – January 1964).
2010 revival In 2010, DC launched a new DC Comics Presents series featuring stories that have not seen print since their original publication. The issues are: DC Comics Presents: Batman #1 (October 2010), which spotlights Batman and reprints Batman #582–585 (10/20/2010). DC Comics Presents: Batman #2 (November 2010), reprints Batman #591–594 (11/17/2010). DC Comics Presents: Batman #3 (December 2010), reprints Batman #595–598 (12/15/2010). DC Comics Presents: Brightest Day #1, which spotlights Deadman and Hawkman and reprints selected stories from Hawkman #27, 34 and 36, Solo #8, DCU Holiday '09 and Strange Adventures #205. DC Comics Presents: Brightest Day #2, which spotlights Martian Manhunter and Firestorm and reprints Martian Manhunter #24 and Firestorm #11–13. DC Comics Presents: Brightest Day #3, which spotlights the Aquaman, Batman, Joker, and the Teen Titans, reprinting Legends of the DC Universe #26–27 and Teen Titans (2003-2011) #27–28. DC Comics Presents: Ethan Van Sciver, which spotlights the art of Ethan Van Sciver and reprints Batman and Catwoman: Trail of the Gun #1–2. DC Comics Presents: The Flash and Green Lantern: Faster Friends, which spotlights Green Lantern (Kyle Rayner) and the Flash (Wally West) and reprints both issues of the titular miniseries. DC Comics Presents: Green Lantern, which spotlights Green Lantern (Kyle Rayner) and Jade and reprints Green Lantern (vol. 3) #137–140. DC Comics Presents: Jack Cross, which spotlights Jack Cross and reprints issues #1–4 of his self-titled series. DC Comics Presents: J. H. Williams III, which spotlights the art of J. H. Williams III and reprints Chase #1 and 6–8. DC Comics Presents: Legion of Super-Heroes #1, which spotlights Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning's re-invention of the Legion of Super-Heroes leading into Legion Lost and reprints Legion of Super-Heroes (vol. 4) #122-123 and Legionnaires #79-80. DC Comics Presents: Legion of Super-Heroes #2, which spotlights Geoff Johns and reprints Adventure Comics #0-4, Action Comics #864 and 900 and the Mon-El story from Action Comics Annual #10. DC Comics Presents: Superman #1, which spotlights Superman and reprints Superman #179-180 and 185 and Superman: The Man of Steel #121. DC Comics Presents: Superman #2, reprints Superman: The Man of Steel #133, Superman #189, The Adventures of Superman #611 and Action Comics #798. DC Comics Presents: Superman #3, reprints Superman #177–178 and 181–182. DC Comics Presents: Superman #4, reprints Action Comics #768 and 771–773. DC Comics Presents: Young Justice #1, which spotlights Young Justice and reprints JLA: World without Grown-Ups #1–2. DC Comics Presents: Young Justice #2, reprints Young Justice Secret Files and Origins #1, Young Justice in No Man's Land, and Young Justice: The Secret. Vertigo Resurrected, which contains a controversial and previously unpublished Hellblazer story by Warren Ellis.
Collected editions Showcase Presents DC Comics Presents: Superman Team-Ups Vol. 1 includes DC Comics Presents #1–26, 512 pages, November 2009, Showcase Presents DC Comics Presents: Superman Team-Ups Vol. 2 includes DC Comics Presents #27–50 and Annual #1, 512 pages, July 2013, Superman vs. Flash includes DC Comics Presents #1–2, 208 pages, May 2005, Adventures of Superman: José Luis García-López includes DC Comics Presents #1–4, 17, 20, 24, and 31, 360 pages, April 2013, Superman's Greatest Team-Ups includes DC Comics Presents #5, 9–10, 12, 14, 19, 28, 30, 35, 38–39, 45, 50, 58, 63, 67, 71, 97; 400 pages, April 2021, Superman in the Seventies includes DC Comics Presents #14, 224 pages, November 2000, Deadman Omnibus includes DC Comics Presents #24, 944 pages, December 2020, The Phantom Stranger Omnibus includes DC Comics Presents #25 and 72; 1,184 pages, May 2022, The New Teen Titans Archives Vol. 1 includes the New Teen Titans story from DC Comics Presents #26, 240 pages, February 1999, The New Teen Titans Omnibus Vol. 1 includes the New Teen Titans story from DC Comics Presents #26, 684 pages, September 2011, Superman in the Eighties includes DC Comics Presents #29, 192 pages, April 2006, The Spectre: The Wrath of the Spectre Omnibus includes DC Comics Presents #29, 680 pages, September 2020,