Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

BACK ISSUE! Magazine

@backissuemagazine.bsky.social

1.1K followers 340 following 1.7K posts

BACK ISSUE! Magazine examines comics & comic-related media from the 1970's, 1980's & 1990's. Ask your local comic shop for the latest issue or subscribe at: www.twomorrows.com BACK ISSUE! is published eight times a year. We nearly always write ALT TEXT.

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

BACK ISSUE! Magazine @backissuemagazine.bsky.social · 20d

"BACK ISSUE! Goes MAD!"

BACK ISSUE! Magazine #162 has been shipped and is available TODAY at your local comics shop!!!

MADMAN, THE MAD HATTER, HARLEY QUINN, MAD BALL, MAD-DOG, MAD MAGAZINE and more!

Order and/or subscribe here and get a free DIGITAL copy: twomorrows.com/index.php?ma...

October 2025 - 84 FULL-COLOR pages

“BACK ISSUE Goes MAD!”

Things get crazy this issue with Madman, Batman: Mad Love, MAD superhero movie parodies, the Mad Hatter, Madballs, and more!

Featuring the work of Michael Allred, Bruce Timm, Paul Dini, Gerry Conway, Doug Moench, Mike W. Barr, Jeph Loeb, and others.

Madman cover by Michael Allred!

Edited by Roger Ash.

3 22

BACK ISSUE! Magazine @backissuemagazine.bsky.social · 49m

I write how I see them! 😂

1 1

BACK ISSUE! Magazine @backissuemagazine.bsky.social · 4h

A guy in black enters a castle to save a captured girl. The girl beats up her captors and escapes while the guy is fighting a ninja who is dressed in all-white. The guy and girl leave the castle by sharing a jet pack.

There is also a man in a white mask who plays chess with G.I. Joe action figures.

The most UNUSAL G.I. Joe story ever!!

It is silent; no dialogue or captions.

On the cover, a man in black hangs from a line while scaling the outside wall of a castle and returns machine gun fire.

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #21, Mar 1984 - Story & Breakdowns by Larry Hama; finishes by Steve Leialoha.

BACK ISSUE! Magazine @backissuemagazine.bsky.social · 6h

"OMG! I remember them!"

Will probably be said by a lot of people scrolling past this post.

It had tons of buzz when it came out and even got a TV show.

Alas, it went the way of The Fish Police; a nearly forgotten comic series and hi-quality cartoon.

youtube.com/playlist?lis...

The Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot - YouTube

The episodes in this playlist are arranged by broadcast release dates

youtube.com

1 2

BACK ISSUE! Magazine @backissuemagazine.bsky.social · 6h

Japanese scientists have awakened an ancient monster who has been waiting for humans to evolve into their food.

To stop the monster from eating people and converting them into more monsters, Japan activates Rusty, a boy robot weapon prototype, and America sends their greatest hero, The Big Guy!

In front of a beautiful blue sky with clouds stands the giant American hero robot, The Big Guy. Floating past him around his knees is the "Astro Boy look-a-like", the Japanese hero, Rusty, the Boy Robot!

The Big Guy and Rusty The Boy Robot #1 (1995) by Frank Miller & Geof Darrow

1 7

BACK ISSUE! Magazine @backissuemagazine.bsky.social · 9h

"Get out."

The only dialogue spoken in this otherwise silent issue.

Legends John Byrne and Jim Aparo let the pictures to the talking.

Batman #433, May 1989 by John Byrne, Jim Aparo & Mike DeCarlo w/ Adrienne Roy.

1 5

BACK ISSUE! Magazine @backissuemagazine.bsky.social · 9h

The Batman is found one night strung up on a fence, beaten and dying; he dies as the doctors attempt to revive him.

By morning, word has spread that the Batman is dead but Commission Gordon doesn’t believe the blond man under the cowl is the real Batman.

...and then a second dead Batman is found.

Batman's cowl is pinned to a stone wall by a hunter's knife with the emblem of a skull on the handle.

Batman #433, May 1989 by John Byrne, Jim Aparo & Mike DeCarlo w/ Adrienne Roy

1 11

Reposted by BACK ISSUE! Magazine

BACK ISSUE! Magazine @backissuemagazine.bsky.social · May 11

A mother tells her sweet baby boy a bedtime story.

It's about her trip to Paris, how she killed four members of Justice League Europe and destroyed their headquarters.

Starman #38, Jan 1998 by James Robinson & Dusty Abell @dustyabell.bsky.social. Cover by Tony Harris @tonyfuckingharris.bsky.social

The Mist gently cradles her baby son next to a table where a gun and pacifier lay, behind them an image of the Justice League is displayed.

The text reads "The Most versus the new Justice League Europe".

#HappyMothersDay

1 8

BACK ISSUE! Magazine @backissuemagazine.bsky.social · 1d

Like his master Groo, Rufferto isn't above spinning a fish tale.

—

Groo The Wanderer #87, Mar 1992 by Sergio Aragones

Groo's dog, Rufferto, slips on ice and unexpectedly catches a fish!

When other wild dogs ask where he got the fish, Rufferto can't help but exaggerate.

—

Groo The Wanderer #87, Mar 1992 by Sergio Aragones

1 25

BACK ISSUE! Magazine @backissuemagazine.bsky.social · 1d

Puma attacks Peter at his home while Mary Jane is visiting. Peter shoves MJ to safety and takes the battle to the streets.

When the fight is over, Peter returns home and MJ confesses that she has known the truth for years and she can't cope with knowing that Peter Parker is secretly Spider-Man!

The Puma and the black costumed Spider-Man fight while they fall from the roof of a building.

Amazing Spider-Man #257, Oct 1984 by Tom DeFalco, Ron Frenz & Josef Rubinstein.

3 34

BACK ISSUE! Magazine @backissuemagazine.bsky.social · 1d

Aquaman doesn't command sea creatures, he suggests, and the creatures respect the request of their King.

But piranhas are mean, vicious animals only interested in skeletonizing anything that moves.

When Charybdis holds Arthur's hand in a stream full of piranhas -- well, they do what they do.

An injured Aquaman is being comforted by Dolphin. She tries to soothe him by telling him everything will be alright, then she looks at the hand that he's holding.

The vicious piranhas have eaten his left hand and forearm clean to the bone.

Aquaman #2, Sept 1994 by Peter David, Martin Egeland & Brad Vancata

1 20

Reposted by BACK ISSUE! Magazine

BACK ISSUE! Magazine @backissuemagazine.bsky.social · 11d

Seduction of the Innocent 3-D #1 (1985) cover by Dave Stevens

Contents are the previously unpublished Adventurous into Darkness #15 (Standard Comics) from 1954.

3-D separations by Ray Zone.

It is Halloween night and there is a full moon in the sky. In the foreground a gorgeous woman smiles wearing nothing but a silly, witch cap, long white gloves and sexy stockings. Small black pieces of lace barely cover her breast and pelvis.

Behind her is a mound of jack-o'-lanterns and hidden deep within them is a dead, decapitated head.

Three-dimensional Seduction of the Innocent by Eclipse Comics.

Cover art by the late, great and sorely missed Dave Stevens (The Rocketeer).

1 3 52

BACK ISSUE! Magazine @backissuemagazine.bsky.social · 2d

Comic Industry Trading Cards!!

Collect Them All!

DORK #1, Aug 1992 by Evan Dorkin @evandorkin.bsky.social

(split into three images for easier reading)

#3 - The Comic Shop Owner

#47 - Comic Zines and Industry Periodicals

#53 - Comic/Movie Tie-Ins

#30 - The Distributors

#?? - The Comic Convention Dealer

#18 - The "Erotic" Comic Book

#?? - Autobiographical Comics

#?? - The Industry

#21 - Comics Are Not For Kids Anymore (DC Ad Campaign)

#13 - The Fan Favorite

#4 - The Angry Young Sellout

#6 - The Fanboy

5 19

Reposted by BACK ISSUE! Magazine

twomorrows.bsky.social @twomorrows.bsky.social · 2d

It's your last day to choose one of our advance copies (Back Issue #164 or Cryptology #7) with your minimum $50 donation. But any amount helps TwoMorrows recoup their losses from Diamond Comic Distributors' bankruptcy!

givebutter.com/c/B7HQDj

TwoMorrows Diamond Recoup

Help TwoMorrows recoup its Diamond Comic Distributors bankruptcy losses

givebutter.com

4 8

BACK ISSUE! Magazine @backissuemagazine.bsky.social · 2d

Black Canary encounters the Calculator moments after The Atom told her that he escaped from jail after their initial battle in Ivy Town (see previous issue).

Now he plans to burn Star City to ashes during the city's tricentennial celebration.

—

Detective Comics #464, Oct 1976

"your biggest problem...

...is me!"

Yells the Calculator as he jumps his chopper bike over a car in an attempt to run over a surprised Black Canary who sits motionless on her motorcycle.

Detective Comics #464, Oct 1976 Bob & Laurie Rozakis, Mike Grell & Terry Austin.

3 3 14

BACK ISSUE! Magazine @backissuemagazine.bsky.social · 2d

"You're Jonah Hex, ain't ya?"

Yep.

"I heard about your scar. How'd you come by it?"

—

Jonah Hex: Two Gun Mojo #1, Aug 1993 by Joe R. Landsale @joerlansdale.bsky.social Tim Truman & Sam Glanzman

Jonah sarcastically gives two different reasons for his facial deformity: a toothpick slipped and he cut himself shaving.

Both are not the truth.

Jonah Hex: Two Gun Mojo #1, Aug 1993 by Joe R. Landsale @joerlansdale.bsky.social Tim Truman & Sam Glanzman w/ Todd Klein

2 3 31

BACK ISSUE! Magazine @backissuemagazine.bsky.social · 2d

I am NOT certain, but these clips seem to be outtakes/extras from the French/Canadian TV documentary "De Superman à Spider-Man: L'aventure des super-héros" from 2001.

It was released in the United States on DVD as "Once Upon A Time: The Super Heroes." in 2002.

www.themoviedb.org/movie/228088...

Cover to the US DVD release of the French/Canadian TV documentary "De Superman à Spider-Man: L'aventure des super-héros" from 2001.

It was released in the United States on DVD as "Once Upon A Time: The Super Heroes" in 2002.

1 1 4

BACK ISSUE! Magazine @backissuemagazine.bsky.social · 2d

See the Masters at work.

Spider-Man by John Romita Sr.
Batman (from "Just Imagine...") by Joe Kubert
Captain America by John Buscema
Elektra (from "Elektra: Assassin") by Bill Sienkiewicz
Green Lantern (from "Just Imagine...") by Dave Gibbons
Superman by Travis Charest

youtu.be/zgouXzOYMl0?...

Unintentional ASMR ✍️ Superheroes Drawn by the Masters (sketching, skribbling pencil sounds)

YouTube video by Best Unintentional ASMR

youtu.be

1 5 24

BACK ISSUE! Magazine @backissuemagazine.bsky.social · 3d

... also the secret of Eagly is revealed. Yes, the secret is awesome and it's even cooler that Eagly keeps a lovable loser like Chris "under his wing".

BACK ISSUE! Magazine @backissuemagazine.bsky.social · 3d

After stopping an invasion from butterfly-like aliens in Season One, Season Two finds Chris visiting a parallel world where his father and brother are still alive and seen as the world's greatest heroes.

Also, Rick Flagg Sr. discovers Chris is responsible for his son's death and wants revenge.

DC Studios "Peacemaker" from HBO MAX

Season 2 showrunner: James Gunn

Starring:
John Cena
Danielle Brooks
Freddie Stroma
Jennifer Holland
Steve Agee
Frank Grillo
Robert Patrick

and Eagly

Eight episodes.

1 14

BACK ISSUE! Magazine @backissuemagazine.bsky.social · 3d

I admit that my comic knowledge only spans the BACK ISSUE MAGAZINE timeline (1970-2000-ish), if they became enemies later, I am ignorant of that and I apologize.

BACK ISSUE! Magazine @backissuemagazine.bsky.social · 3d

It is November 1997 and a mysterious man calling himself "Vee" begins to attack the corporate-backed fascist regime of Britain formed after the war.

To help him in his systematic attack, he enlists an orphaned and discarded teenage girl named Evelyn.

Let's call her Evey.

In the back stage of an old abandoned theater a vanity makeup mirror springs to life to shine light on a Guy Fawkes mask and a man's wig.

Reflecting in the mirror, like a ghost, stands a dark figure, a man or woman...unknown.

The figure in the shadows is featureless.

V for Vendetta #1, Sept 1988 by Alan Moore and David Lloyd.

Reprints the serial from UK's "WARRIOR" in colour.

4 14

BACK ISSUE! Magazine @backissuemagazine.bsky.social · 3d

Unfortunately, as you rightly pointed out, Superman's rogue gallery left a lot to be desired compared to Batman, Spider-Man, Captain Marvel and The Flash (Barry & Wally).

...and I appreciate the thoughts. After all, I did say "arguably". 😉

BACK ISSUE! Magazine @backissuemagazine.bsky.social · 3d

Darkseid was not a villain created to be part of Superman's rogues gallery.

IIRC they only met once in the 70s in Forever People #1 and even then he was helping out the Infinity Man.

I believe the next time they met was in 1980 in the JLA-JSA-New Gods team up.

BACK ISSUE! Magazine @backissuemagazine.bsky.social · 3d

A 1972 addition to Superman's rogue gallery, Terra Man is arguably the Superman villain with the most staying power who was created during the 1970s.

Terra Man is introduced, an enhanced human from the American old west that has returned to Earth after a hundred years away with the fashion sense of his era. A cowboy with green cape who rides an alien horse with giant wings.

Superman #249 (1972) cover by Neal Adams

2 1 11

BACK ISSUE! Magazine @backissuemagazine.bsky.social · 3d

"The Origin of Terra Man"

A young boy holds up a stagecoach as his proud father, a professional outlaw, looks on with pride.

Soon after, an alien appears, murders his father for the gold and takes the boy to the stars with him.

—

Superman #249 (1972) by Cary Bates, Dick Dillin & Neal Adams

In the Old West, a young boy yells, "PA!" as he watches a ray of light from an alien spaceship shine on his father that bursts into miniature explosions on his body.

He screams with pain and anguish

The alien who shot the beam looks at the scene in a panic. My anger impelled me to discharge an overdose of solar-energy.

"The human is dying! B-but I only intended to stun him! My anger impelled me to discharge an overdose of solar-power! Already the mental death-link is beginning..."

Superman #249 (1972) by Cary Bates, Dick Dillin & Neal Adams

1 1 16