BOOGEYMAN • CROSSFIRE • DNAgents • FANBOY • GROO THE WANDERER
HOLLYWOOD SUPERSTARS • MAGNOR • SPACE CIRCUS • OTHER STUFF

HOLLYWOOD SUPERSTARS was the story of three folks — a stuntman, a wanna-be actress and a stand-up comedian — who operate a detective agency in and around the movie industry.  It was brilliantly illustrated by Dan Spiegle and superbly colored by Tom Luth...and you'll have to take my word for both those facts since the color separation work was abominable.  Dan even threw his copies away because it so pained him to look at what they'd done to his work.

The comic was created at the behest of the then-editor of Marvel's Epic line, the late, much-admired Archie Goodwin.  He'd been having trouble getting comics produced monthly for Epic, liked Crossfire, and knew how reliable Dan and I were.  He also wanted something that wouldn't be configured for the usual Marvel audience.  The goal here was to publish the comic for a year or two, even at a small loss, and explore alternate forms of distribution.  Then they'd collect the stories in paperbacks that could be marketed through bookstores to what one might call the "Harlequin Romance" audience.

It was probably a good idea.  A comic book company trying to appeal to a new readership is almost always a good idea.  Alas, Marvel's lawyers took around ten months to get the contract into signable shape.  By that time, Archie had migrated to DC and we were left doing a book for a company where no one had any interest in marketing to anything but the usual Marvel audience.  I found myself getting phone calls from them that said, basically, "Our fans will never buy a comic like this."  And they didn't.  What a surprise.

Still, it was fun while it lasted...and I suspect our experience goes a long way to explain why Marvel is now in deep financial trouble.  (I hope that doesn't sound like gloating; it's not.)  I especially enjoyed writing the text pieces in the rear...little essays about Show Biz that have since become a nice, unprofitable specialty of mine.  This website is lousy with them.

Most of the other books in this "My Comics" section, we're either doing at present or planning/hoping to bring back.  I suspect though that we will see more issues of Hollywood Superstars about the time the Rockies crumble, Gibraltar tumbles, etc.

Hollywood Superstars and all related characters and artwork
are Copyright © 2007 Mark Evanier and Dan Spiegle.