Written by Len Wein & Marv Wolfman, with contributors Robert Greenberger; Peter Sanderson; & E. Nelson Bridwell.
Art by Helen Vesik; Shelly Eiber; Tatjana Wood; Joe Orlando; Greg Theakston; & (See Below).
Wraparound Cover Art by George Pérez.
SUMMARY:
This 26-issue project was launched to help commemorate DC Comics’ 50th Anniversary. DC Comics released the inaugural issue for March 1985. Doubling as a character reference guide for Crisis on Infinite Earths series, Who’s Who was really meant as DC’s answer to Marvel’s Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe franchise, which started in 1983. The 32-page first issue’s profiles consists of the following characters, teams, and/or locales:
- Abel (artist: Joe Orlando);
- Abnegazar, Rath, & Ghast {aka The Demons Three} (artists: Craig Hamilton & Dick Giordano);
- Abra Kadabra (artists: Carmine Infantino & Frank McLaughlin);
- Adam Strange (artists: Carmine Infantino & Murphy Anderson);
- Aegus (artist: Don Heck);
- Airwave I / Airwave II (artists: Alex Saviuk & Dick Giordano);
- Alley-Kat-Abra (artist: Scott Shawl);
- All-Star Squadron (artist: Jerry Ordway);
- All-Star Squadron Headquarters (artist: Marshall Rogers);
- Amazing-Man I (artist: Jerry Ordway);
- Amazo (artists: Mike Zeck & John Beatty);
- Ambush Bug (artists: Keith Giffen & Bob Oksner);
- Amethyst – Princess of Gemworld (artist: Ernie Colón);
- Animal Man (artists: José Delbo & Romeo Tanghal);
- Angle Man I (artist: Gil Kane);
- Anthro (artist: Howie Post);
- Apokolips (artist: Greg Theakston);
- Aqualad I (artist: George Pérez);
- Aquagirl I (artist: George Pérez);
- Aquaman (artists: Chuck Patton & Dick Giordano);
Note: Earth-Two’s Aquaman (who wears yellow gloves) isn’t referenced. Still, Earth-One’s Aquaman is credited with his Earth-Two incarnation’s ‘first appearance’ issue.
- Arak, Son of Thunder (artist: Ernie Cólon);
- Arcane {aka Anton Arcane} (artists: Steve Bissette & John Totleben);
- Arion – Lord of Atlantis (artist: Jan Duursema);
- Arkham Asylum (artists: Steve Bissette & John Totleben);
- Atari Force (artist: Eduardo Barreto);
- Atlantis (including Tritonis & Poseidonis) (artist: Marshall Rogers);
- Atom I {Al Pratt}(artists: Rick Hoberg & Romeo Tanghal);
- Atom II {Ray Palmer}(artist: Gil Kane);
- Atomic Knight (artist: Murphy Anderson);
- Atomic Skull (artists: Curt Swan & Murphy Anderson); &
- Auron (artists: Tod Smith & Rick Magyar).
REVIEW:
Deliberately omitting specifics, DC Comics does a nice (kid-friendly) job introducing these characters. The production quality presented here would prove consistent throughout the series. In that sense, this issue is a nostalgia treat.
ADDITIONAL CONTENT:
Along with a pronunciation glossary, the inside front cover is Marv Wolfman & Len Wein’s introduction to readers. The back inside cover reveals where to find several of these characters in ongoing DC titles.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 6 Stars
