by the YMB Staff

YMB was cleaning up the basement last week and found something... Wizard issue number 65. Their "year-end spectacular" for 1996. As we begin 2007, YMB thought a look back to the state of the industry a decade ago might be worthwhile.

Won't you join us in a little trip down memory lane? We'll go dancing in the dark. We'll go walking through the park and reminiscing...

So, what was happening in 1996?

Well, in the greater realm of film geekdom, Star Wars buzz was slowly building. New trading cards and action figures were out. Later in 1997, the original films would be re-released and then Lucas would announce the production of the first new Star Wars film in more than 15 years.

In superhero movie news Kevin Smith was announced as the scribe for the new Superman film. The hype around "Batman and Robin" with new Batman George Clooney was building. Chris Columbus (who would later direct Harry Potter) was attached as the director of a Fantastic Four movie. And principal photography on the big screen version of "Steel" was completed. Each one a smash success.

*Ahem.*

In comic news, in January 1997, a new series called Thunderbolts was just about to launch. They'd already appeared in an issue of Incredible Hulk and the buzz was building on these new heroes. Of course, fans were also about get one of the last truly great surprises in comics when it turned out the Thunderbolts were actually a disguised Masters of Evil, taking advantage of the lack of heroes in the Marvel Universe after the battle with Onslaught. Given the sieve-like leaking during Marvel's latest event, Civil War, one wonders if such a shocker could be kept secret in today's world of the Internet and gossip mongering. Probably not.

DC had announced The Kingdom, a monthly book to follow of the heels of the hugely successful Kingdom Come miniseries. Written by Mark Waid, with input from Alex Ross, and interiors by Gene Ha, the book would start bringing elements of the future-set miniseries (like villain Magog) into the current DCU. The book never happened, of course. The Kingdom eventually saw life as a crossover event in 1999 that introduced Gog and Hypertime, but with no input from Ross after the creators had a falling out. Meanwhile, later in issue 65, Wizard covered a Ross art gallery show where you could buy interior pages of Kingdom Come for $500. $500!

Wizard continued their issue with a look forward at 1997 by highlighting eight artists to watch for in the coming year. Where are they now?

Michael Turner does covers and work for the big two and runs Aspen Comics. Jeffrey Moy works in video games. Steve Skroce did storyboards for 1999's The Matrix. Jim Calafiore has a secret project at DC after working for years on various X-books. Lee Moder will be drawing a new Painkiller Jane book after a hiatus away from comics following his work on Stars & STRIPE. Cary Nord draws Conan the Barbarian for Dark Horse after getting his big break in 1996 drawing Daredevil. Ian Churchill has drawn Uncanny X-Men and Supergirl. And Carlos Pacheco is on DC's flagship Superman title with Kurt Busiek.

Wizard then looked back at the year that was, highlighting the ten biggest stories of 1996. Where were you when you found out about...

Marvel's Heroes Reborn stunt? (The Avengers and Fantastic Four sacrificed themselves and were relaunched in a pocket universe.) Rob Liefeld leaving Image? (Lee and Liefeld had gone back to Marvel for Heroes Reborn and Liefeld left Image in September.) The rising star of writer Garth Ennis? (A little book called Preacher from Vertigo.) The success of Marvel's Onslaught crossover? (Psst, it was Professor X all along.) Kingdom Come blowing away expectations? (With an epic throwdown between Superman and Captain Marvel.) Self-publishers joining up with larger studios? (With books like Strangers with Paradise looking for safety under Wildstorm's Homage banner as the industry slumped.) Superman getting married? (Just in time to coincide with TV's "Lois & Clark"). The rise of comic-themed toy lines? (From newcomers Toy Biz and McFarlane Toys.) The end of the Spider-clone Saga? (Thank God. Even if they had to bring back Norman Osborn to do it.) And the unexpectedly not so awful Amalgam event? (A decade later and people still want more Spider-Boy.)

If you were like most comic geeks a decade ago you were maybe in your local comic shop and found out about them from the grumpy store owner, or possibly you were walking to class and heard about it from your buddy who reads comics and takes it all a bit "too seriously", or, if you read it in Wizard, you were probably on the crapper.

Ah, 1996... when Spawn #1 still guided for nearly $20.

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