Helix (comics)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Helix was a short-lived, science fiction and science fantasy imprint of DC Comics, launched in 1996 and discontinued in 1998. (In early promotional materials prior to the release of the first title, the imprint was called "Matrix" instead of Helix.) It featured a handful of ongoing monthly series, several limited series, and one short graphic novel. Despite the involvement of successful SF/fantasy novelists Michael Moorcock, Lucius Shepard and Christopher Hinz, and established comics creators Howard Chaykin, Elaine Lee, Matt Howarth, Warren Ellis, Walt Simonson, and Garth Ennis, sales of the comic books were low, and most of the ongoing series were cancelled after 12 or fewer issues. Ellis' Transmetropolitan was switched to the Vertigo imprint, where it continued for several more years before reaching its planned conclusion. Ennis' Bloody Mary mini-series and Michael Moorcock's Multiverse were later collected in Vertigo-label paperbacks.
Limited availability of the books in bookstores that already sold science fiction, resistance among science-fiction readers to serialized monthly publication, the lower visibility of the line's deliberately muted cover color palette, and the lack of interest in genre SF among regular patrons of comic-book stores, were all cited by industry observers as factors in the imprint's demise.
[edit] Books published
- The Black Lamb - by Timothy Truman
- Bloody Mary and Bloody Mary: Lady Liberty - written by Garth Ennis, illustrated by Carlos Ezquerra
- BrainBanx - written by Elaine Lee, illustrated by Temujin
- Cyberella - written by Howard Chaykin, illustrated by Don Cameron
- The Dome: Ground Zero - written and laid out by Dave Gibbons, digitally rendered by Angus McKie
- Gemini Blood - written by Christopher Hinz, illustrated by Tommy Lee Edwards
- Michael Moorcock's Multiverse - written by Michael Moorcock, illustrated by Walt Simonson, John Ridgway and Mark Reeve
- Star Crossed - by Matt Howarth
- Time Breakers - written by Rachel Pollack, illustrated by Chris Weston
- Transmetropolitan - written by Warren Ellis, illustrated by Darick Robertson
- Vermillion - written by Lucius Shepard, illustrated by Al Davison and Gary Erskine