I'm sure different people who do this meme are going to come up with different meanings for "underrated". My choice is a book that had a huge influence on independent comics in the 1980s, a book that ran over 150 issues, and featured numerous iconic creators and characters from that era, but probably gets overlooked when we think back on the b/w independent comics boom because of its format.
My choice is Dark Horse Presents.
For those who weren't reading/collecting in the late 80s and early 90s or might not be familiar with DHP, let me mention a few things that you might be more familiar with:
Hellboy
The Mask
Sin City
Aliens vs. Predator
All of these titles had their debuts or early appearances in the pages of DHP. The Dark Horse anthology title made good use of licensed properties including Alien, Predator, Terminator, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Dirty Pair.
It also routinely took risks and introduced new creators and concepts. Some of the best known original comics to come out of DHP were Paul Chadwick's Concrete, Frank Miller's Sin City, and John Byrne's Next Men. Mike Mignola's Hellboy was a recurring feature, and there was a run of Kings in Disguise by Jim Vance and Dan Burr. I also really enjoyed less-known serials like Gary Davis' Celia & Delia and Paleolove, Leo Durañona's Race of Scorpions, and Eddie Campbell's Bacchus.
The full list of creators who appeared in the pages of DHP is very impressive and includes some of the biggest names in that era and today.
The anthology format meant you were in for a mixed bag every issue, but that allowed for some great surprises like one-shot stories and guest appearances by characters and series published by other companies.
When people look back on the b/w boom of the 1980s, they usually look fondly on specific characters or creative teams, but Dark Horse deserves a lot of credit for creating a long-running venue to introduce new creators and their stories to readers. DHP was a huge part of the growth of independent comics.
From My Creations
In addition to the four comic title I publish with Dandelion Studios, my wife and I also make minicomics. We've got a couple of pretty popular minicomic titles as well as some titles that tend to sell a copy or two here or there. One such book is The Bittersweet Battle Book, a gardening/ecology mini that my wife, Gynn Stella, did as a solo project.
Now admittedly, a comic about the challenges of invasive weeds in the yard may not be what the typical big-two fanboy is looking for, but The Bittersweet Battle Book is a fun little autobiographical piece that contains some helpful advice. And at most (but not all!) conventions we attend, it's the only gardening comic in the entire dealers' hall!
The 30 Day Comic Challenge Page on Facebook is here. Here is the complete list of daily topics:
30 Day Comic Challenge
Day 04 - Your guilty pleasure comic or character.
Day 05 - Comic character you feel you are most like (or wish you were).
Day 06 - Most annoying character.
Day 07 - Favorite comic couple.
Day 08 - Best series being published right now.
Day 09 - Most touching comic book/comic book scene.
Day 10 - Dream versus match.
Day 11 - Favorite comic book cartoon series.
Day 12 - A comic everyone should read.
Day 13 - A book you’ve read more than five times.
Day 14 – Most awesome single comic book image
Day 15 - A Picture from the comic you’re reading right now.
Day 16 - Funniest comic book/comic book scene.
Day 17 - Most useless Villain.
Day 18 - Favorite B-list character.
Day 19 - Comic book city/universe you wish you lived in.
Day 20 - Favorite super power or skill.
Day 21 - Favorite writer.
Day 22 - A series that you liked but stopped reading
Day 23 - Your favorite artist.
Day 24 - Dream character team up.
Day 25 - A book you plan on reading.
Day 26 - A comic you wish they would make into a movie.
Day 27 - Favorite comic book movie.
Day 28 - Favorite comic publisher.
Day 29 - A comic you thought you wouldn’t like, but ended up loving.
Day 30 - Your favorite run or series of all time.
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