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Eternity Comics

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This article is about the imprint of Malibu Comics. For the Marvel Comics character, see Eternity (Marvel Comics).
Eternity Comics
IndustryComics
Founded1986; 38 years ago (1986)
Defunct1994; 30 years ago (1994)
HeadquartersNewbury Park, California, U.S.
Key people
OwnerMarvel Comics (from 1994)
ParentMalibu Comics (from 1988)

Eternity Comics was an American comic book publisher active from 1986 to 1994, first as an independent publisher, then as an imprint of Malibu Comics. Eternity published creator-owned comics of an offbeat, independent flavor, as well as some licensed properties. One of its most notable titles was Ex-Mutants. Eternity was also notable for reprinting foreign titles, and introducing Cat Claw, The Jackaroo, and the Southern Squadron to the U.S. market.

Such well-known creators as Brian Pulido, Evan Dorkin, Dale Berry, Ben Dunn, Dean Haspiel, and Ron Lim got their starts with Eternity.

History

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Origins

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Eternity began publishing in 1986 in Newbury Park, California, privately financed by comics distributor Scott Mitchell Rosenberg,[2] and helmed by Brian Marshall and Tony Eng.[3]

The company debuted with such titles as Earthlore, Gonad the Barbarian, The Mighty Mites, Ninja, and Reign of the Dragonlord (with only Ninja lasting more than a couple of issues).

In April 1987, The Comics Journal revealed that Eternity — along with publishers Malibu Comics, Amazing Comics, Wonder Color, and Marshall's own Imperial Comics — had been financed by Rosenberg. After this was made public, Rosenberg discontinued most of the publishers, keeping Malibu and retaining the Eternity label as a Malibu imprint. Eternity also took over publishing a number of Imperial Comics' titles, including Battle to the Death, Nazrat, and Probe.[1] In late 1988, Rosenberg also brought in Canadian publisher Aircel Comics under the Eternity/Malibu umbrella.[4]

Robotech

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One of Eternity's most successful titles was its 1988–1994 licensing of the Robotech franchise. The creators, the Waltrip brothers, began with direct adaptations of the Robotech II: The Sentinels scripts and novels, before eventually writing additional stories that expanded the canon beyond the initial 85 animated Robotech episodes and The Sentinels. As the series progressed, the Waltrips began deviating from the Sentinels novels, adding new story elements and new characters.

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During its existence, Eternity was no stranger to legal squabbles. The popular title Ex-Mutants was first published by Eternity in 1987–1988, and was then moved to the independent black-and-white publisher Amazing Comics (with contractual problems later forcing the title to be published under Amazing's successor, Pied Piper Comics). A legal dispute followed, and after running out of money for the struggle, creators David Lawrence and Ron Lim surrendered: the title returned to Eternity and was later published in a revamped version by Malibu.[5]

Eternity's 1989 publication of The Uncensored Mouse, which reprinted Mickey Mouse comics from the 1930s — without Disney's permission — led to a run-in with Walt Disney Productions. Eternity printed The Uncensored Mouse with totally black covers, bagged (to prevent casual buyers from flipping through the comic), and the inside of the comic had a printed notice: "Mickey Mouse is a registered trademark of Walt Disney Productions" so as not to confuse the market that it was an authorized Disney production. Eternity believed it had not violated any copyrights because strips had fallen into public domain. Regardless, Disney brought a lawsuit against the company and the series was cancelled after just two issues (six issues were solicited).[6]

Similarly, Eternity's 1989-1992 adaptation of the popular Japanese manga Captain Harlock was discontinued after it was discovered that Eternity/Malibu did not have the Captain Harlock rights. The alleged representative for the rights to Harlock to whom Malibu paid money, claiming to represent Coral Pictures, turned out to be fraudulent and was in no way connected to the actual rights holders.[7][8]

Decline and acquisition by Marvel

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Malibu stopped using the Eternity imprint before Marvel acquired Malibu,[9] when Eternity's last two franchises moved to other publishers in the middle of 1994: Ninja High School returning to Antarctic Press and Robotech moving to Academy Comics.

Titles (selected)

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Notes

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  1. ^ a b "Brian Marshall entry". Who's Who of American Comic Books, 1928–1999. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
  2. ^ "Distributor Finances Five Publishers". The Comics Journal. No. 115. Apr 1987. pp. 12–13. About Scott Rosenberg of Sunrise Distributors, and Eternity, Imperial, Amazing, Malibu, and Wonder Color Comics.
  3. ^ Palmiotti, Jimmy. "JIMMY PALMIOTTI - BLAST FROM THE PAST - WEEK 4: Eternity Comics". Zestworld.com. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
  4. ^ "Eternity Merges with Aircel". The Comics Journal. No. 125. October 1988. p. 19.
  5. ^ Mitchell, Brian John (November 2004). "David Lawrence interview". QRD. No. 28. Silber Media.
  6. ^ Korkis, Jim (September 9, 2003). "The Uncensored Mouse". Jim Hill Media.
  7. ^ "Tim Eldred Interview". oocities.org. 1996.
  8. ^ The Captain Harlock Collectors' vídeo. Corn Pone Flicks.
  9. ^ Reynolds, Eric (December 1994). "The Rumors are True: Marvel Buys Malibu". The Comics Journal. No. 173. pp. 29–33.
  10. ^ "GCD :: Series :: Blade of Shuriken".
  11. ^ "Plan 9 From Outer Space: Thirty Years Later". Atomic Avenue. Retrieved 2007-05-13.

References

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