1963 (comic book)

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1963

Mystery Incorporated

Publisher	Image Comics
Format	limited series
Publication dates	1993
Number of issues	Six
Main character(s)	See Characters

Creative team
Writer(s)	Alan Moore
Artist(s)	Steve Bissette John Totleben Rick Veitch Dave Gibbons Don Simpson Jim Valentino

1963 is a six-issue comic book limited series written by Alan Moore in 1993, with art by his frequent collaborators Steve Bissette, John Totleben, and Rick Veitch; other contributors included Dave Gibbons, Don Simpson, and Jim Valentino. It has technically never been finished, as the complete package was originally intended to comprise six issues and an 80-page Annual, of which only the six issues have been printed, by Image Comics. The comics also contained advertisements for "1963 1/2", which never surfaced either. However the Tomorrow Syndicate would appear alongside Big Bang Comics' Round Table of America, in an issue of Valentino's A Touch of Silver.

The six issues hark back to the Silver Age of American comics (in particular, the early Marvel Comics), and feature spoof advertisements on the rear covers—in a manner to be repeated with a twist by Moore and Kevin O'Neill in The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.

Moore's homage to Marvel clichés included fictionalizing himself and the artists as the "Sixty-Three Sweatshop", describing his collaborators in the same hyperbolic and alliterative mode Stan Lee used for his "Marvel Bullpen"; each was given a Lee-style nickname (Affable Al, Sturdy Steve, Jaunty John, etc.—Veitch has since continued to refer to himself as "Roarin' Rick"). The parody is not entirely affectionate, as the text pieces and fictional letter columns contain pointed inside jokes about the business practices of 1960s comics publishers, with "Affable Al" portrayed as a tyrant who claims credit for his employees' creations. Moore also makes reference to Lee's self congratulatory book "Origins of Marvel Comics" (and the interminable sequels) when Affable Al recommends that readers hurry out and buy his new book "How I Created Everything All By Myself and Why I Am Great".

[edit] Characters

Mystery Incorporated (based on Fantastic Four)
- Crystal Man (based on Mister Fantastic)
- Neon Queen (based on Invisible Woman)
- Kid Dynamo (based on Human Torch)
- Planet (based on The Thing)

The Fury (based on Spider-Man, with elements of Daredevil)
- Sky Solo, Lady of L.A.S.E.R. (A female version of Nick Fury, agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.)

USA, Ultimate Special Agent (based on Captain America)

Hypernaut (with elements taken from Iron Man, Silver Surfer and Green Lantern)

N-Man (based on The Incredible Hulk)

Johnny Beyond (a beatnik version of Dr. Strange)

Horus, Lord of Light (based on The Mighty Thor)

Tomorrow Syndicate (based on the Avengers)
- Horus, Lord of Light
- USA
- N-Man
- Inframan (based on Henry Pym)
- Infragirl (based on Janet Van Dyne)
- Hypernaut