Extra! (comics)

Extra!

Johnny Craig cover, issue #1
Publication information
Publisher EC Comics
Schedule Bimonthly
Format Anthology
Publication date March/April 1955 - November/December 1955
Number of issues 5
Creative team
Creator(s) William Gaines
Johnny Craig

Extra! was a short lived comic book published by EC Comics in 1955 as the third title in its New Direction line. The bi-monthly comic was published by Bill Gaines and edited by Johnny Craig. It lasted a total of five issues before being cancelled, along with EC's other New Direction comics.

Extra! was dedicated to stories about the adventures of various journalists, who alternated as protagonists: Keith Michaels, Steve Rampart and Geri Hamilton. The rotational use was similar to the Ghoulunatics in EC's three horror comics.

The contributors to this title include Craig, John Severin, and Reed Crandall. Craig was responsible for the art on the Keith Michaels stories. Severin handled the Steve Rampart stories while Crandall covered the Geri Hamilton ones. Craig was responsible for the art for all five covers.

Extra! was reprinted as part of publisher Russ Cochran's Complete EC Library in 1988. Between January and May 2000, Cochran (in association with Gemstone Publishing) reprinted all five individual issues. This complete run was later rebound, with covers included, in a single softcover EC Annual.

Issue guide

# Date Cover Artist Story Story Artist Character
1 March/April 1955 Johnny Craig Dateline: Cayo Romano, Cuba! Johnny Craig Keith Michaels
Camera! John Severin Steve Rampart
Holiday For Macduff Reed Crandall Jock MacDuff
Dateline: Key West! Johnny Craig Keith Michaels
2 May/June 1955 Johnny Craig Dateline: Oslo Johnny Craig Keith Michaels
Stromboli! John Severin Steve Rampart
Hong Kong! Reed Crandall Geri Hamilton
Dateline: New York City Johnny Craig Keith Michaels
3 July/August 1955 Johnny Craig Dateline: Algiers Johnny Craig Keith Michaels
Steve Rampart John Severin Steve Rampart
Geri Hamilton Reed Crandall Geri Hamilton
Dateline: Paris Johnny Craig Keith Michaels
4 September/October 1955 Johnny Craig Dateline: New York City Johnny Craig Keith Michaels
Steve Rampart John Severin Steve Rampart
Geri Hamilton Reed Crandall Geri Hamilton
Dateline: Rio Para Johnny Craig Keith Michaels
5 November/December 1955 Johnny Craig Dateline: Long Island Sound Johnny Craig Keith Michaels
Steve Rampart John Severin Steve Rampart
Geri Hamilton Reed Crandall Geri Hamilton
Dateline: Germersheim Johnny Craig Keith Michaels