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Secret Origins
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Schedule
Monthly
Genre
Superhero
Publisher
DC Comics
Format
Ongoing series
Editor(s)
Roy Thomas
Mark Waid
Publication date
One-shot Summer 1961
Vol. 1 February–March 1973 - October–November 1974
Vol. 2 April 1986–August 1990
Vol. 3 June 2014–May 2015
Number of issues
One-shot: 1
Vol. 1: 7
Vol. 2: 50 plus 3 annuals and 1 special
Vol. 3: 11
Similar
The New 52: Futures End, 52, Action Comics, Batman Eternal, Crisis on Infinite Earths
Secret Origins is the title of several comic book series published by DC Comics which featured the origin stories of the publisher's various characters.
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Publication history
Secret Origins was first published as a one-shot in 1961 and contained only reprinted material. The title became an ongoing reprint series in February–March 1973 which ran for seven issues and ended in October–November 1974. The title was used on various compilations of origin stories including Limited Collectors' Edition #C-39 (October–November 1975) and #C-45 (June–July 1976) as well as DC Special Series #10 (1978) and #19 (Fall 1979). Its most well-known incarnation was a 50-issue series that ran from April 1986 to August 1990 plus three annuals and a special. Typically, an issue would clarify the post-Crisis origins of a number of characters, usually two as most of the issues were double-sized, i.e. 48 pages. Roy Thomas was the initial writer/editorial consultant on the series; later issues were overseen by Mark Waid. Three more specials followed in 1998–1999. In 2004, it returned to the all-reprint format with a "Weird Secret Origins" special featuring Doctor Fate, the Spectre, Animal Man, Enchantress, Metamorpho, Congorilla, El Diablo, and Bizarro World.
A new monthly incarnation focusing on characters in The New 52, launched in April 2014 with a June 2014 cover date. The first issue featured the origins of Superman, Supergirl and the Dick Grayson version of Robin. This series was cancelled as of issue #11 (May 2015) on sale in March 2015.
Characters featured in the 1986–1990 series
1 (April 1986): The Golden Age Superman; this was intended as a tribute to the original version of the character, as the latter-day version of Superman was being concurrently introduced by John Byrne in the Man Of Steel miniseries; art by Golden Age Superman artist Wayne Boring and Jerry Ordway.
2 (May 1986): The Blue Beetle, both the Dan Garrett and Ted Kord versions; art by Gil Kane.
3 (June 1986): Captain Marvel credited by the Shazam! title; a retelling of the story from WHIZ Comics #2, albeit updated to modern day. Much of this was changed in the Legends crossover and Thomas himself would retcon this some months later in SHAZAM! The New Beginning, and all of which was changed by Jerry Ordway in his graphic novel The Power of Shazam!.
4 (July 1986): Firestorm (Ronnie Raymond).
5 (August 1986): the original Crimson Avenger; art by Gene Colan.
6 (September 1986): Halo of the Outsiders; the Golden Age Batman. This was the first double-sized issue.
7 (October 1986): Guy Gardner; the Golden Age Sandman
8 (November 1986): Shadow Lass; Doll Man.
9 (December 1986): The original Star-Spangled Kid (Skyman) and Stripesy; the Golden Age Flash.
10 (January 1987): The Phantom Stranger. This was a Legends tie-in that related four possible origins for the character; one was by Mike Barr and Jim Aparo a variation on the Wandering Jew myth, another by Alan Moore and Joe Orlando which postulated that the Stranger was a fallen angel.
11 (February 1987): the Golden Age Hawkman; Power Girl. Both stories presented have been retconned, with Power Girl's backstory having been redefined by Geoff Johns in the pages of JSA Classified which served as part of the buildup to Infinite Crisis.
12 (March 1987): The Challengers of the Unknown; Fury.
13 (April 1987): Nightwing (art by Erik Larsen); Johnny Thunder and his Thunderbolt; the Whip.
14 (May 1987): Suicide Squad. Another Legends tie-in, it served as a prequel to the later series, and was written by that series' writer, John Ostrander.
15 (June 1987): The Spectre; Deadman.
16 (July 1987): Hourman; the Warlord; 'Mazing Man.
17 (August 1987): Adam Strange; Doctor Occult.
18 (September 1987): The Golden Age Green Lantern Alan Scott; the Creeper.
19 (October 1987): Uncle Sam; the Guardian.
20 (November 1987): Batgirl; Doctor Mid-Nite.
21 (December 1987): Jonah Hex; the Black Condor.
22 (January 1988): the Manhunters. This was a tie-in with Millennium as was the subsequent issue, and aligned the various histories of the characters with the Manhunter name together.
23 (February 1988): the Guardians of the Universe written by Todd Klein; the Floronic Man written by Rick Veitch.
24 (March 1988): Doctor Fate; Blue Devil. Mark Waid became editor with this issue.
25 (April 1988): the Legion of Super-Heroes (now apocryphal); the Golden Age Atom.
26 (May 1988): Black Lightning; Miss America.
27 (June 1988): Zatanna, her father Zatara, and Doctor Mist.
28 (July 1988): Midnight art by Gil Kane; Nightshade art by Rob Liefeld. Nightshade's origin doubled as an introduction/backdrop to a three-issue Suicide Squad arc where she returned to her place of origin to save her brother.
29 (August 1988): The Atom; the Red Tornado Ma Hunkel; this was Sheldon Mayer's last comics story; Mr. America (aka the Americommando).
30 (September 1988): Plastic Man; the Elongated Man.
31 (October 1988): the Justice Society of America. A full-length story, and Roy Thomas' last contribution to the series excluding the Grim Ghost story in #42.
32 (November 1988): the Justice League. In a full-length story by Keith Giffen and Peter David, the Justice League is formed by Green Lantern (Hal Jordan), the Flash (Barry Allen), Aquaman, the Martian Manhunter and Black Canary. Superman and Batman were not founding members, and Wonder Woman's revised continuity precluded her from same. The events depicted were later expanded upon in JLA: Year One and JLA: Incarnations.
33 (December 1988): Fire, Ice and Mister Miracle. This and the subsequent two issues dealt with members of Justice League International.
34 (Winter 1988): Captain Atom, G'nort and Rocket Red.
35 (Holiday 1988): Booster Gold, Maxwell Lord, and the Martian Manhunter rendered apocryphal by events and revelations in J'onn J'onnz' later solo series.
36 (January 1989): Green Lantern Hal Jordan story by Jim Owsley; Poison Ivy story by Neil Gaiman.
37 (February 1989): The Legion of Substitute Heroes; the original Doctor Light.
38 (March 1989): Green Arrow and Speedy.
39 (April 1989): Animal Man story by Grant Morrison; Man-Bat.
40 (May 1989): the all-gorilla issue, spotlighting Congorilla, Detective Chimp, and Gorilla Grodd.
41 (June 1989): the Flash Rogues Gallery - Weather Wizard, Heat Wave, the Trickster, the Pied Piper, Captain Boomerang, and Captain Cold.
42 (July 1989): Phantom Girl; the Gay Ghost/Grim Ghost.
43 (August 1989): the original Hawk and Dove; Cave Carson; Chris KL-99.
44 (September 1989): Clayface I, II & III. This issue gave background information for an arc that appeared in Detective Comics issues 604 through 607, entitled "The Mud Pack".
45 (October 1989): Blackhawk; El Diablo.
46 (December 1989): the headquarters of the Silver Age Justice League (story by Grant Morrison), the New Titans' Titans Tower, and the 'rocketship clubhouse' of the Legion of Super Heroes. Arm Fall Off Boy makes his first appearance.
47 (February 1990): deceased Legionnaires Ferro Lad, Karate Kid and Chemical King.
48 (April 1990): Ambush Bug, Stanley and His Monster, Rex the Wonder Dog, and the Trigger Twins.
49 (June 1990): Bouncing Boy, the Newsboy Legion, and the Silent Knight.
50 (August 1990): a 96-page last issue. This consisted of a prose retelling of Dick Grayson's first encounter with Batman by Dennis O'Neil and George Pérez; the first meeting of the Golden and Silver Age Flashes story by Grant Morrison; how Johnny Thunder (the western hero) came to be; the definitive history of the Black Canary; and the stories behind Dolphin and the Space Museum.
Annuals and specials
Annual 1 (1987): the Doom Patrol art by John Byrne; Captain Comet.
Annual 2 (1988): The second and third Flashes (Barry Allen and Wally West).
Annual 3 (1989): the Teen Titans. This was an anniversary tribute with contributions from George Pérez, Tom Grummett, Irv Novick, Dave Cockrum, Kevin Maguire and Colleen Doran. It also included five pages of Who's Who entries on Flamebird, Golden Eagle, Bumblebee, the Herald, the Antithesis and the Gargoyle.
Special 1 (1989): the Penguin by Alan Grant and Sam Kieth, the Riddler by Neil Gaiman, Matt Wagner and Bernie Mireault, and Two-Face by Mark Verheiden and Pat Broderick.
Additionally, there was a belated Secret Origins 80 Page Giant issued in 1998 (ISBN 1-56389-440-8), that focused on the members of Young Justice.
Collected edition
Some issues of the second series were collected in a trade paperback along with other material and some original work in 1989, Secret Origins, but the official title as stated in the book's indicia is given as Secret Origins Of The World's Greatest Super-Heroes (ISBN 0930289501). The focus was on DC's major characters: origin of the Justice League team (#32), the Flash (Barry Allen, from Secret Origins Annual #2); Green Lantern (Hal Jordan, from #36); J'onn J'onnz, the Martian Manhunter (from #35); and Superman (from The Man of Steel #6). There was also an all-new retelling of Batman's origins, Batman: The Man Who Falls, by Dennis O'Neil and Dick Giordano; this story later served as a cited inspiration for the 2005 film Batman Begins.
Characters featured in the 2014–15 series
1 (June 2014): Superman, Robin (Dick Grayson), Supergirl
2 (July 2014): Batman, Aquaman, Starfire
3 (August 2014): Green Lantern (Hal Jordan), Batwoman (Kate Kane), Red Robin (Tim Drake)
4 (September 2014): Harley Quinn, Green Arrow, Damian Wayne
5 (October 2014): Cyborg, Red Hood (Jason Todd), Mera
