''Secret Origins'' is the title of several
comic book
A comic book, also called comicbook, comic magazine or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) simply comic, is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panel (comics), panels that represent individual scenes. ...
series published by
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. (doing business as DC) is an American comic book publisher and the flagship unit of DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery.
DC Comics is one of the largest and oldest American comic book companies, with their f ...
which featured the
origin stories of the publisher's various characters.
Publication history
''Secret Origins'' was first published as a
one-shot in 1961 and contained only reprinted material. The title became an ongoing reprint series in February–March 1973 which ran for seven issues and ended in October–November 1974. The title was used on various compilations of origin stories, including ''
Limited Collectors' Edition'' #C-39: ''Secret Origins Super-Villains'' (October–November 1975) and #C-45: ''More Secret Origins Super-Villains'' (June–July 1976) as well as ''
DC Special Series'' #10 (1978) and 19 (Fall 1979). Its most well-known incarnation was a 50-issue series that ran from April 1986 to August 1990, plus three ''Annual''s and one ''Special''. Typically, an issue would clarify the
Post-''Crisis'' origins of a number of characters, usually two as most of the issues were double-sized, i.e. 48 pages.
Roy Thomas was the initial writer/editorial consultant on the series; later issues were overseen by
Mark Waid. Two more ''Special''s followed in 1998 and 1999. In 2004, it returned to the all-reprint format with a ''Weird Secret Origins'' special featuring
Doctor Fate, the
Spectre,
Animal Man
Animal Man (Bernhard "Buddy" Baker) is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. As a result of being in proximity to an exploding extraterrestrial spaceship, Buddy Baker acquires the ability to temporarily "borrow" th ...
, the
Enchantress,
Metamorpho,
Congorilla,
El Diablo, and the
Bizarro World.
A new monthly incarnation focusing on characters in ''
The New 52
The New 52 is the 2011 revamp and relaunch by DC Comics of its entire Line (comics), line of ongoing monthly superhero American comic books, comic books. Following the conclusion of the "Flashpoint (comics), Flashpoint" Fictional crossover, cross ...
'', launched in April 2014 with a June
cover date. The first issue featured the origins of
Superman,
Supergirl and the
Dick Grayson
Richard John "Dick" Grayson is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with Batman and Teen Titans. Created by writer Bill Finger and artist Bob Kane, he first appeared in ''Detective Com ...
version of
Robin
Robin may refer to:
Animals
* Australasian robins, red-breasted songbirds of the family Petroicidae
* Many members of the subfamily Saxicolinae (Old World chats), including:
**European robin (''Erithacus rubecula'')
**Bush-robin
**Forest rob ...
. This series was cancelled as of issue #11 (May 2015) on sale in March 2015.
Characters featured in the 1986–1990 series
* #1 (April 1986): The
Golden Age Superman; this was intended as a tribute to the original version of the character, as the latter-day version of Superman was being concurrently introduced by
John Byrne in the ''
Man Of Steel'' miniseries; art by Golden Age Superman artist
Wayne Boring and
Jerry Ordway
Jeremiah Ordway (born November 28, 1957) is an American writer, penciller, inker and painter of comic books.
He is known for his inking work on a wide variety of DC Comics titles, including the continuity-redefining ''Crisis on Infinite Earths ...
.
* #2 (May 1986): The
Blue Beetle, both the Dan Garrett and Ted Kord versions; art by
Gil Kane.
* #3 (June 1986):
Captain Marvel credited by the ''Shazam!'' title; a retelling of the story from ''WHIZ Comics'' #2, albeit updated to the modern day. Much of this was changed in the ''
Legends'' crossover, Thomas himself would
retcon
Retroactive continuity, or retcon for short, is a literary device in which established diegetic facts in the plot of a fictional work (those established through the narrative itself) are adjusted, ignored, supplemented, or contradicted by a subs ...
this some months later in ''
SHAZAM! The New Beginning'', all of which was changed again by Jerry Ordway in his
graphic novel
A graphic novel is a long-form, fictional work of sequential art. The term ''graphic novel'' is often applied broadly, including fiction, non-fiction, and anthologized work, though this practice is highly contested by comic scholars and industry ...
''
The Power of Shazam!''.
* #4 (July 1986):
Firestorm
A firestorm is a conflagration which attains such intensity that it creates and sustains its own wind system. It is most commonly a natural phenomenon, created during some of the largest bushfires and wildfires. Although the term has been us ...
(Ronnie Raymond).
* #5 (August 1986): the original
Crimson Avenger; art by
Gene Colan.
* #6 (September 1986):
Halo
Halo, halos or haloes usually refer to:
* Halo (optical phenomenon)
* Halo (religious iconography), a ring of light around the image of a head
HALO, halo, halos or haloes may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment Video games
* Halo (franchise), ...
of the
Outsiders; the Golden Age
Batman
Batman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in the 27th issue of the comic book '' Detective Comics'' on March 30, 1939 ...
. This was the first double-sized issue.
* #7 (October 1986):
Guy Gardner; the Golden Age
Sandman
* #8 (November 1986):
Shadow Lass;
Doll Man
Doll Man is a superhero first appearing in American comic books from the Golden Age of Comics, originally published by Quality Comics and currently part of the DC Comics universe of characters. Doll Man was created by cartoonist Will Eisner and ...
.
* #9 (December 1986): The original
Star-Spangled Kid (Skyman) and
Stripesy
S.T.R.I.P.E. (short for Special Tactics Robotic Integrated Power Enhancer) is a superhero in the DC Comics DC Universe, Universe. S.T.R.I.P.E. is a powered armor suit invented and worn by Patrick "Pat" Dugan, the former adult sidekick to teenage ...
; the Golden Age
Flash.
* #10 (January 1987): The
Phantom Stranger. This was a ''
Legends'' tie-in that related four possible origins for the character; one by Mike Barr and
Jim Aparo was a variation on the
Wandering Jew myth, while another by
Alan Moore and
Joe Orlando postulated that the Stranger was a fallen angel.
* #11 (February 1987): the Golden Age
Hawkman;
Power Girl. Both stories presented have since been retconned, with Power Girl's backstory having been redefined by
Geoff Johns
Geoffrey Johns (born January 25, 1973) is an American comic book writer, screenwriter, and film and television producer. Johns's work on the DC Comics characters Green Lantern, Aquaman, Flash and Superman, has drawn critical acclaim.
He se ...
in the pages of ''JSA Classified'', which served as part of the buildup to ''
Infinite Crisis
"Infinite Crisis" is a 2005–2006 comic book storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous, seven-issue comic book limited series written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Phil Jimenez, George Pérez, Ivan Reis, and Jerry Ordwa ...
''.
* #12 (March 1987): The
Challengers of the Unknown;
Fury.
* #13 (April 1987):
Nightwing (art by
Erik Larsen);
Johnny Thunder and his Thunderbolt; the Whip.
* #14 (May 1987):
Suicide Squad
The Suicide Squad is an antihero/supervillain team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The first version of the Suicide Squad debuted in ''The Brave and the Bold'' #25 (September 1959) and the second and modern version, cre ...
. Another ''Legends'' tie-in, it served as a prequel to the later series and was written by that series' writer,
John Ostrander.
* #15 (June 1987): The
Spectre;
Deadman.
* #16 (July 1987):
Hourman; the
Warlord
A warlord is a person who exercises military, economic, and political control over a region in a country without a strong national government; largely because of coercive control over the armed forces. Warlords have existed throughout much of h ...
;
'Mazing Man
Mazing Man is the title character of a comic book series created by Bob Rozakis and Stephen DeStefano and published by DC Comics. The series ran for twelve issues in 1986, with additional special issues in 1987, 1988, and 1990. Additionally, a 'Ma ...
.
* #17 (August 1987):
Adam Strange;
Doctor Occult
Doctor Occult (sometimes dubbed the Ghost Detective, one time referred to as Doctor Mystic) is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster (known commonly as the creators ...
.
* #18 (September 1987): The Golden Age Green Lantern (
Alan Scott
Alan Scott is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, and the first character to bear the name Green Lantern. He fights evil with the aid of a magical ring which grants him a variety of powers. He was created by Mar ...
); the
Creeper.
* #19 (October 1987):
Uncle Sam
Uncle Sam (which has the same initials as ''United States'') is a common national personification of the federal government of the United States or the country in general. Since the early 19th century, Uncle Sam has been a popular symbol of ...
; the
Guardian
Guardian usually refers to:
* Legal guardian, a person with the authority and duty to care for the interests of another
* ''The Guardian'', a British daily newspaper
(The) Guardian(s) may also refer to:
Places
* Guardian, West Virginia, Unite ...
.
* #20 (November 1987):
Batgirl
Batgirl is the name of several superheroines appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, depicted as female counterparts and allies to the superhero Batman. Although the character Betty Kane was introduced into publication in 19 ...
;
Doctor Mid-Nite.
* #21 (December 1987):
Jonah Hex; the
Black Condor
Black Condor is the superhero name used by three different fictional characters in the DC Comics universe. All three incarnations of Black Condor have been members of the Freedom Fighters and each has been featured in Freedom Fighters comic bo ...
.
* #22 (January 1988): the
Manhunters. This was a tie-in with ''
Millennium'' as was the subsequent issue, and aligned the various histories of the characters with the
Manhunter name together.
* #23 (February 1988): the
Guardians of the Universe
The Guardians of the Universe are a race of extraterrestrial superhero characters appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with Green Lantern. They first appeared in ''Green Lantern'' (vol. 2) #1 (July ...
written by
Todd Klein
Todd Klein (born January 28, 1951) is an American comic book letterer, logo designer, and occasional writer, primarily for DC Comics.
Biography
Early career
Todd Klein broke into comics in the summer of 1977, hired by DC Comics as a staff pr ...
; the
Floronic Man written by
Rick Veitch.
* #24 (March 1988):
Doctor Fate;
Blue Devil. Mark Waid became editor beginning with this issue.
* #25 (April 1988): The
Legion of Super-Heroes (now apocryphal); the Golden Age
Atom
Every atom is composed of a nucleus and one or more electrons bound to the nucleus. The nucleus is made of one or more protons and a number of neutrons. Only the most common variety of hydrogen has no neutrons.
Every solid, liquid, gas ...
.
* #26 (May 1988):
Black Lightning;
Miss America
Miss America is an annual competition that is open to women from the United States between the ages of 17 and 25. Originating in 1921 as a "bathing beauty revue", the contest is now judged on competitors' talent performances and interviews. As ...
.
* #27 (June 1988):
Zatanna
Zatanna Zatara () is a superheroine appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by Gardner Fox and Murphy Anderson, and first appeared in '' Hawkman'' #4 (November 1964). Zatanna is a stage magician with ...
, her father
Zatara
Giovanni "John" Zatara is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He debuted as a superhero, starring in his own stories in ''Action Comics'' during the Golden Age of Comics. He first appeared in the firs ...
, and
Doctor Mist
Doctor Mist is a fictional superhero published by DC Comics. He was created by E. Nelson Bridwell and Ramona Fradon, first appearing in a cameo in ''Super Friends'' #12 (June–July 1978).
Hailing from the mythical realm of Kor, Nommo was a powe ...
.
* #28 (July 1988):
Midnight
Midnight is the transition time from one day to the next – the moment when the date changes, on the local official clock time for any particular jurisdiction. By clock time, midnight is the opposite of noon, differing from it by 12 hours ...
art by Gil Kane;
Nightshade art by
Rob Liefeld. Nightshade's origin doubled as an introduction/backdrop to a three-issue ''Suicide Squad'' story arc where she returned to her place of origin to save her brother.
* #29 (August 1988): The
Atom
Every atom is composed of a nucleus and one or more electrons bound to the nucleus. The nucleus is made of one or more protons and a number of neutrons. Only the most common variety of hydrogen has no neutrons.
Every solid, liquid, gas ...
; the
Red Tornado (Ma Hunkel; this was
Sheldon Mayer's last comic book story);
Mr. America (a.k.a. the Americommando).
* #30 (September 1988):
Plastic Man
Plastic Man (Patrick "Eel" O'Brian) is a superhero first appearing in '' Police Comics'' #1, originally published by Quality Comics and later acquired by DC Comics. Created by cartoonist Jack Cole, Plastic Man was one of the first superheroes t ...
; the
Elongated Man.
* #31 (October 1988): The
Justice Society of America
The Justice Society of America (JSA, or Justice Society (JS)) is a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The team was conceived by editor Sheldon Mayer and writer Gardner Fox during the Golden Age of Comic Boo ...
. A full-length story, and Roy Thomas' last contribution to the series, excluding the Grim Ghost story in #42.
* #32 (November 1988): The
Justice League of America
The Justice League (also known as The Justice League of America) are a team of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The team first appeared in '' The Brave and the Bold'' #28 (March 1960). The team was conceive ...
. In a full-length story by
Keith Giffen and
Peter David, the Justice League is formed by
Green Lantern
Green Lantern is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. They fight evil with the aid of rings that grant them a variety of extraordinary powers, all of which come from imagination, fearlessness ...
(
Hal Jordan
Harold "Hal" Jordan, one of the characters known as Green Lantern, is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created in 1959 by writer John Broome and artist Gil Kane, and first appeared in ...
), the
Flash (Barry Allen)
The Flash (Bartholomew Henry "Barry" Allen) is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in '' Showcase'' #4 (October 1956), created by writer Robert Kanigher and penciler Carmine Inf ...
,
Aquaman, the Martian Manhunter and the Black Canary. Superman and Batman were not founding members, and
Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman is a superhero created by the American psychologist and writer William Moulton Marston (pen name: Charles Moulton), and artist Harry G. Peter. Marston's wife, Elizabeth, and their life partner, Olive Byrne, are credited as being ...
's revised continuity precluded her from the same. The events depicted were later expanded upon in ''JLA: Year One'' and ''JLA: Incarnations''.
* #33 (December 1988):
Fire
Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material (the fuel) in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction Product (chemistry), products.
At a certain point in the combustion reaction, called the ignition ...
,
Ice and
Mister Miracle. This and the subsequent two issues dealt with the members of Justice League International.
* #34 (Winter 1988):
Captain Atom,
G'nort and
Rocket Red.
* #35 (Holiday 1988):
Booster Gold
Booster Gold (Michael Jon Carter) is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Dan Jurgens, the character first appeared in '' Booster Gold'' #1 (February 1986) and has been a member of the Justice League ...
,
Maxwell Lord
Maxwell Lord IV is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in ''Justice League'' #1 (May 1987) and was created by Keith Giffen, J. M. DeMatteis, and Kevin Maguire. Maxwell Lord was or ...
, and the
Martian Manhunter rendered apocryphal by events and revelations in J'onn J'onnz' later solo series.
* #36 (January 1989): Green Lantern (
Hal Jordan
Harold "Hal" Jordan, one of the characters known as Green Lantern, is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created in 1959 by writer John Broome and artist Gil Kane, and first appeared in ...
) story by
Jim Owsley;
Poison Ivy story by
Neil Gaiman
Neil Richard MacKinnon GaimanBorn as Neil Richard Gaiman, with "MacKinnon" added on the occasion of his marriage to Amanda Palmer. ; ( Neil Richard Gaiman; born 10 November 1960) is an English author of short fiction, novels, comic books, gr ...
.
* #37 (February 1989): The
Legion of Substitute Heroes; the original
Doctor Light.
* #38 (March 1989): The
Green Arrow and
Speedy
Speedy refers to something or someone moving at high speed.
Speedy may refer to:
Ships
* HMS ''Speedy'', nine ships of the Royal Navy
* ''Speedy''-class brig, a class of naval ship
* ''Speedy'' (1779), a whaler and convict ship despatched i ...
.
* #39 (April 1989):
Animal Man
Animal Man (Bernhard "Buddy" Baker) is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. As a result of being in proximity to an exploding extraterrestrial spaceship, Buddy Baker acquires the ability to temporarily "borrow" th ...
story by
Grant Morrison; the
Man-Bat.
* #40 (May 1989): The
all-gorilla issue, spotlighting
Congorilla,
Detective Chimp, and
Gorilla Grodd
Gorilla Grodd is a supervillain character appearing in American comic books and other media published by DC Comics, primarily as an enemy of The Flash. The character was created by John Broome and Carmine Infantino, and first appeared in ''T ...
.
* #41 (June 1989): The
Flash's Rogues Gallery - the
Weather Wizard,
Heat Wave, the
Trickster, the
Pied Piper,
Captain Boomerang
Captain Boomerang is the name of two supervillains appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, who respectively serve as enemies to both the Barry Allen and Wally West versions of the Flash. Created by writer John Broome and artis ...
and
Captain Cold.
* #42 (July 1989):
Phantom Girl; the
Gay Ghost/Grim Ghost.
* #43 (August 1989): The original
Hawk and Dove
Hawk and Dove are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Steve Ditko and Steve Skeates, they appeared in '' Showcase'' #75 (June 1968) during the Silver Age of Comic Books. The duo has existed in ...
;
Cave Carson;
Chris KL-99
Chris KL-99 is a 1950s science fiction comic book character whose adventures were published by National Comics, now known as DC Comics. He first appeared in '' Strange Adventures'' #1 (cover-dated August 1950), and was created by science fiction a ...
.
* #44 (September 1989):
Clayface
Clayface is an alias used by several supervillains appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Most incarnations of the character possess clay-like bodies and shapeshifting abilities, and all of them have been depicted as adversarie ...
I, II, III and IV. This issue gave background information for a story arc that appeared in ''
Detective Comics'' #604-607 entitled ''The Mud Pack''.
* #45 (October 1989):
Blackhawk;
El Diablo.
* #46 (December 1989): The headquarters of the Silver Age Justice League of America (story by Grant Morrison), the New Titans'
Titans Tower, and the 'rocketship clubhouse' of the Legion of Super Heroes. Arm Fall Off Boy makes his first appearance.
* #47 (February 1990): Deceased Legionnaires
Ferro Lad,
Karate Kid
''The Karate Kid'' is a 1984 American martial arts drama film written by Robert Mark Kamen and directed by John G. Avildsen. It is the first installment in the '' Karate Kid'' franchise, and stars Ralph Macchio, Pat Morita, Elisabeth Shu ...
and
Chemical King.
* #48 (April 1990):
Ambush Bug,
Stanley and His Monster,
Rex the Wonder Dog, and the
Trigger Twins.
* #49 (June 1990):
Bouncing Boy, the
Newsboy Legion, and the
Silent Knight.
* #50 (August 1990): a 96-page last issue. This consisted of a
prose
Prose is a form of written or spoken language that follows the natural flow of speech, uses a language's ordinary grammatical structures, or follows the conventions of formal academic writing. It differs from most traditional poetry, where the f ...
retelling of
Dick Grayson
Richard John "Dick" Grayson is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with Batman and Teen Titans. Created by writer Bill Finger and artist Bob Kane, he first appeared in ''Detective Com ...
's first encounter with Batman by
Dennis O'Neil and
George Pérez
George Pérez (; June 9, 1954 – May 6, 2022) was an American comic book artist and writer, who worked primarily as a penciller. He came to prominence in the 1970s penciling ''Fantastic Four'' and '' The Avengers'' for Marvel Comics. In the 198 ...
; the first meeting of the Golden and Silver Age
Flashes story by Grant Morrison; how
Johnny Thunder (the western hero) came to be; the definitive history of the
Black Canary
The Black Canary is the name of two superheroines appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics: Dinah Drake and her daughter Dinah Laurel Lance. The original version was created by the writer-artist team of Robert Kanigher and ...
; and the stories behind the
Dolphin
A dolphin is an aquatic mammal within the infraorder Cetacea. Dolphin species belong to the families Delphinidae (the oceanic dolphins), Platanistidae (the Indian river dolphins), Iniidae (the New World river dolphins), Pontoporiidae (t ...
and the
Space Museum.
''Annual''s and ''Special''s
* ''Annual'' #1 (1987): the
Doom Patrol
Doom Patrol is a superhero team from DC Comics. The original Doom Patrol first appeared in ''My Greatest Adventure'' #80 (June 1963), and was created by writers Arnold Drake and Bob Haney, along with artist Bruno Premiani. Doom Patrol has ...
art by
John Byrne;
Captain Comet
Captain Comet (Adam Blake) is a superhero appearing in American Comic Books published by DC Comics, created by editor Julius Schwartz, writer John Broome, and artist Carmine Infantino.
Once a minor character in the DC Comics canon, he occupies an ...
.
* ''Annual'' #2 (1988): The second and third Flashes (
Barry Allen and
Wally West
Wallace Rudolph "Wally" West is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics as the original Kid Flash and the third Flash (DC Comics character), Flash. His power consists mainly of speedster (fiction), superhuman speed. ...
).
* ''Annual'' #3 (1989): the
Teen Titans
The Teen Titans are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, frequently in eponymous monthly series. As the group's name indicates, the members are teenage superheroes, many of whom have acted as sidekicks to ...
. This was an anniversary tribute with contributions from
George Pérez
George Pérez (; June 9, 1954 – May 6, 2022) was an American comic book artist and writer, who worked primarily as a penciller. He came to prominence in the 1970s penciling ''Fantastic Four'' and '' The Avengers'' for Marvel Comics. In the 198 ...
,
Tom Grummett,
Irv Novick
Irving Novick (; April 11, 1916 – October 15, 2004) was an Americans, American comics artist who worked almost continuously from 1939 until the 1990s.
Career
A graduate of the National Academy of Design, Irv Novick got his start in the workshop ...
,
Dave Cockrum,
Kevin Maguire and
Colleen Doran. It also included five pages of ''
Who's Who'' entries on
Flamebird, the
Golden Eagle
The golden eagle (''Aquila chrysaetos'') is a bird of prey living in the Northern Hemisphere. It is the most widely distributed species of eagle. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. They are one of the best-known birds ...
, the
Bumblebee
A bumblebee (or bumble bee, bumble-bee, or humble-bee) is any of over 250 species in the genus ''Bombus'', part of Apidae, one of the bee families. This genus is the only extant group in the tribe Bombini, though a few extinct related gene ...
, the
Herald
A herald, or a herald of arms, is an officer of arms, ranking between pursuivant and king of arms. The title is commonly applied more broadly to all officers of arms.
Heralds were originally messengers sent by monarchs or noblemen ...
, the Antithesis and the
Gargoyle.
* ''Special'' #1 (1989): the
Penguin
Penguins ( order Sphenisciformes , family Spheniscidae ) are a group of aquatic flightless birds. They live almost exclusively in the Southern Hemisphere: only one species, the Galápagos penguin, is found north of the Equator. Highly adapt ...
by
Alan Grant and
Sam Kieth, the
Riddler by Neil Gaiman,
Matt Wagner and
Bernie Mireault
Bernard Edward Mireault (born 1961) is a Canadian comic book artist and writer.
Comics critic Timothy Callahan has argued that Mireault is one of the unheralded creators who helped bring in the Modern Age of Comic Books:
Biography
Mireault was ...
, and
Two-Face by
Mark Verheiden
Mark Verheiden (born March 26, 1956) is an American television, movie, and comic-book writer. He was a co-executive producer for the television series '' Falling Skies'' for DreamWorks Television and the TNT network.
Career
Comics and comic-r ...
and
Pat Broderick.
Additionally, there was a belated ''Secret Origins 80-Page Giant'' issued in 1998 (), that focused on the members of
Young Justice
Young Justice is a fictional DC Comics superhero team consisting of teenaged heroes.
The team was formed in 1998 when DC's usual teen hero group, the Teen Titans, had become adults and changed their name to the Titans. Like the original ''Teen ...
.
''Secret Origins'' collected edition
Some issues of the second series were collected in a
trade paperback Trade paperback may refer to:
* Trade paperback, a higher-quality softcover version of a book
* Trade paperback (comics)
In comics in the United States, a trade paperback (shortened: TPB or trade) is a collection of stories originally published ...
along with other material and some original work in 1989 called ''Secret Origins'', but the official title, as stated in the book's
indicia, is given as ''Secret Origins of The World's Greatest Super-Heroes'' (). The focus was on DC's major characters: the origins of the Justice League of America (from #32), the Flash (Barry Allen, from ''Secret Origins Annual'' #2); Green Lantern (Hal Jordan, from #36); J'onn J'onnz, the Martian Manhunter (from #35); and Superman (from ''The Man of Steel'' #6). There was also an all-new retelling of Batman's origins, ''
Batman: The Man Who Falls'', by Dennis O'Neil and
Dick Giordano; this story later served as a cited inspiration for the
2005 film
2005 in film is an overview of events, including the highest-grossing films, award ceremonies, festivals, a list of country-specific lists of films released, notable deaths and film debuts.
Evaluation of the year
Renowned American film critic a ...
''
Batman Begins''.
Characters featured in the 2014–15 series
* #1 (June 2014):
Superman,
Robin
Robin may refer to:
Animals
* Australasian robins, red-breasted songbirds of the family Petroicidae
* Many members of the subfamily Saxicolinae (Old World chats), including:
**European robin (''Erithacus rubecula'')
**Bush-robin
**Forest rob ...
(
Dick Grayson
Richard John "Dick" Grayson is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with Batman and Teen Titans. Created by writer Bill Finger and artist Bob Kane, he first appeared in ''Detective Com ...
),
Supergirl
* #2 (July 2014):
Batman
Batman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in the 27th issue of the comic book '' Detective Comics'' on March 30, 1939 ...
,
Aquaman,
Starfire
* #3 (August 2014):
Green Lantern
Green Lantern is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. They fight evil with the aid of rings that grant them a variety of extraordinary powers, all of which come from imagination, fearlessness ...
(
Hal Jordan
Harold "Hal" Jordan, one of the characters known as Green Lantern, is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created in 1959 by writer John Broome and artist Gil Kane, and first appeared in ...
),
Batwoman (Kate Kane)
Batwoman (Katherine Rebecca Kane) is a superheroine appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Kane is a wealthy heiress who becomes inspired by the superhero Batman and chooses, like him, to put her wealth and resources toward ...
,
Red Robin (
Tim Drake)
* #4 (September 2014):
Harley Quinn, the
Green Arrow,
Damian Wayne
* #5 (October 2014):
Cyborg
A cyborg ()—a portmanteau of ''cybernetic'' and ''organism''—is a being with both organic and biomechatronic body parts. The term was coined in 1960 by Manfred Clynes and Nathan S. Kline. , the
Red Hood (
Jason Todd),
Mera
* #6 (December 2014):
Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman is a superhero created by the American psychologist and writer William Moulton Marston (pen name: Charles Moulton), and artist Harry G. Peter. Marston's wife, Elizabeth, and their life partner, Olive Byrne, are credited as being ...
,
Deadman,
Sinestro
Thaal Sinestro () (or simply Sinestro) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, particularly those featuring Green Lantern. Sinestro is a former Green Lantern Corps member who was dishonorably discharged for abu ...
* #7 (January 2015): The
Flash, the
Huntress,
Superboy
* #8 (February 2015):
Grayson
Grayson may refer to:
Places Canada
* Grayson, Saskatchewan
* Rural Municipality of Grayson No. 184, Saskatchewan
United States
* Grayson, California
* Grayson, Georgia
** Grayson High School
* Grayson, Kentucky
* Grayson, Louisiana
* Gra ...
,
Animal Man
Animal Man (Bernhard "Buddy" Baker) is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. As a result of being in proximity to an exploding extraterrestrial spaceship, Buddy Baker acquires the ability to temporarily "borrow" th ...
,
Katana
* #9 (March 2015): The
Swamp Thing
The Swamp Thing is a superhero in American comic books published by DC Comics. A humanoid/plant elemental creature, created by writer Len Wein and artist Bernie Wrightson, the Swamp Thing has had several humanoid or monster incarnations i ...
,
Power Girl,
Green Lantern
Green Lantern is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. They fight evil with the aid of rings that grant them a variety of extraordinary powers, all of which come from imagination, fearlessness ...
(
John Stewart John Stewart may refer to:
Business
* John Aikman Stewart (1822–1926), American banker
* John Killough Stewart (1867–1938), businessman and philanthropist in Queensland, Australia
* John K. Stewart (1870–1916), American entrepreneur and inve ...
)
* #10 (April 2015):
Batgirl
Batgirl is the name of several superheroines appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, depicted as female counterparts and allies to the superhero Batman. Although the character Betty Kane was introduced into publication in 19 ...
,
Firestorm
A firestorm is a conflagration which attains such intensity that it creates and sustains its own wind system. It is most commonly a natural phenomenon, created during some of the largest bushfires and wildfires. Although the term has been us ...
,
Poison Ivy
* #11 (May 2015): The
Black Canary
The Black Canary is the name of two superheroines appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics: Dinah Drake and her daughter Dinah Laurel Lance. The original version was created by the writer-artist team of Robert Kanigher and ...
,
Green Lantern (Guy Gardner),
John Constantine
Collected editions 2014–15 series
* ''Secret Origins Volume 1'' - collects ''Secret Origins'' (vol. 3) #1-4 (Feb. 2015)
* ''Secret Origins Volume 2'' - collects ''Secret Origins'' (vol. 3) #5-11 (Aug. 2015)
''Secret Origins of Super-Heroes''
During ''
52'', Weeks 12 through 51 featured two-page origins of various superheroes, written by
Mark Waid. The origins featured were:
*Week 12:
Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman is a superhero created by the American psychologist and writer William Moulton Marston (pen name: Charles Moulton), and artist Harry G. Peter. Marston's wife, Elizabeth, and their life partner, Olive Byrne, are credited as being ...
*Week 13: The
Elongated Man
*Week 14:
Metamorpho
*Week 15:
Steel
*Week 16:
Black Adam
Black Adam, real name Teth/Theo-Adam, is an antihero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He was created by Otto Binder and C. C. Beck, and first appeared in the debut issue of Fawcett Comics' ''The Marvel Family'' co ...
*Week 17:
Lobo
Lobo may refer to:
Places
*Lobo, Batangas, a municipality in the Philippines
*Lobo, Texas, a ghost town
*Lobo, Indonesia
*Lobo, Cameroon, a town in Cameroon
*Lobo Hill, near Belchite, Aragon, Spain
* Lobo, Ontario, near London, Ontario, Canada
Pe ...
*Week 18: The
Question
A question is an utterance which serves as a request for information. Questions are sometimes distinguished from interrogatives, which are the grammatical forms typically used to express them. Rhetorical questions, for instance, are interrogat ...
*Week 19:
Animal Man
Animal Man (Bernhard "Buddy" Baker) is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. As a result of being in proximity to an exploding extraterrestrial spaceship, Buddy Baker acquires the ability to temporarily "borrow" th ...
*Week 20:
Adam Strange
*Week 22:
Green Lantern
Green Lantern is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. They fight evil with the aid of rings that grant them a variety of extraordinary powers, all of which come from imagination, fearlessness ...
*Week 23:
Wildcat
*Week 24:
Booster Gold
Booster Gold (Michael Jon Carter) is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Dan Jurgens, the character first appeared in '' Booster Gold'' #1 (February 1986) and has been a member of the Justice League ...
*Week 25:
Nightwing
*Week 26:
Hawkman and
Hawkgirl
*Week 27: The
Black Canary
The Black Canary is the name of two superheroines appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics: Dinah Drake and her daughter Dinah Laurel Lance. The original version was created by the writer-artist team of Robert Kanigher and ...
*Week 28: The
Catman
*Week 30: The
Metal Men
*Week 31:
Robin
Robin may refer to:
Animals
* Australasian robins, red-breasted songbirds of the family Petroicidae
* Many members of the subfamily Saxicolinae (Old World chats), including:
**European robin (''Erithacus rubecula'')
**Bush-robin
**Forest rob ...
*Week 32: The
Blue Beetle
*Week 33: The
Martian Manhunter
*Week 34:
Zatanna
Zatanna Zatara () is a superheroine appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by Gardner Fox and Murphy Anderson, and first appeared in '' Hawkman'' #4 (November 1964). Zatanna is a stage magician with ...
*Week 36:
Power Girl
*Week 37:
Firestorm the Nuclear Man
Firestorm is the name of several fictional superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Ronnie Raymond and Martin Stein fused together debuted as the first incarnation in ''Firestorm, the Nuclear Man'' #1 (March 1978) ...
*Week 38: The
Red Tornado
*Week 39:
Mr. Terrific
*Week 41:
Starfire
*Week 42: The
Green Arrow
*Week 43:
Plastic Man
Plastic Man (Patrick "Eel" O'Brian) is a superhero first appearing in '' Police Comics'' #1, originally published by Quality Comics and later acquired by DC Comics. Created by cartoonist Jack Cole, Plastic Man was one of the first superheroes t ...
*Week 46:
Batman
Batman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in the 27th issue of the comic book '' Detective Comics'' on March 30, 1939 ...
*Week 47: The
Teen Titans
The Teen Titans are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, frequently in eponymous monthly series. As the group's name indicates, the members are teenage superheroes, many of whom have acted as sidekicks to ...
*Week 48: The
Birds of Prey
Birds of prey or predatory birds, also known as raptors, are hypercarnivorous bird species that actively hunt and feed on other vertebrates (mainly mammals, reptiles and other smaller birds). In addition to speed and strength, these predato ...
*Week 49: The
Justice Society of America
The Justice Society of America (JSA, or Justice Society (JS)) is a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The team was conceived by editor Sheldon Mayer and writer Gardner Fox during the Golden Age of Comic Boo ...
*Week 51: The
Justice League of America
The Justice League (also known as The Justice League of America) are a team of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The team first appeared in '' The Brave and the Bold'' #28 (March 1960). The team was conceive ...
''Secret Origins of Super-Villains''
Beginning with #37, each issue of ''
Countdown'' featured the origins of a supervillain, written by
Scott Beatty. The origins are:
* #37:
Poison Ivy
* #36:
Deathstroke the Terminator
* #35:
Parallax
* #34:
Lex Luthor
Alexander Joseph "Lex" Luthor () is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Lex Luthor originally appeared in '' Action Comics'' #23 (cover dated: ...
* #33: The
Riddler
* #32:
Eclipso
* #31: The
Joker
* #30:
General Zod
* #29: The
Penguin
Penguins ( order Sphenisciformes , family Spheniscidae ) are a group of aquatic flightless birds. They live almost exclusively in the Southern Hemisphere: only one species, the Galápagos penguin, is found north of the Equator. Highly adapt ...
* #28: The
Trickster and the
Pied Piper
* #27:
Two-Face
* #25:
Killer Frost
* #24:
DeSaad
* #23:
Mr. Mxyzptlk
* #22:
Deadshot
Deadshot (Floyd Lawton) is a supervillain and antihero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by David Vern Reed, Lew Schwartz and Bob Kane, the character made his first appearance in ''Batman (comic book), Batman'' #59 ...
* #21:
Granny Goodness
Granny Goodness is a fictional supervillain published by DC Comics.
Granny Goodness made her live-action debut in the final two seasons of '' Smallville'', and she was portrayed by Nancy Amelia Bell and Christine Willes. Granny Goodness made her ...
* #20:
Mr. Mind
* #19: The
Scarecrow
A scarecrow is a decoy or mannequin, often in the shape of a human. Humanoid scarecrows are usually dressed in old clothes and placed in open fields to discourage birds from disturbing and feeding on recently cast seed and growing crops.Lesle ...
* #18:
Dr. Light
* #17: The
Monarch
A monarch is a head of stateWebster's II New College DictionarMonarch Houghton Mifflin. Boston. 2001. p. 707. Life tenure, for life or until abdication, and therefore the head of state of a monarchy. A monarch may exercise the highest authority ...
* #16:
Sinestro
Thaal Sinestro () (or simply Sinestro) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, particularly those featuring Green Lantern. Sinestro is a former Green Lantern Corps member who was dishonorably discharged for abu ...
* #15:
Doomsday
Doomsday may refer to:
* Eschatology, a time period described in the eschatological writings in Abrahamic religions and in doomsday scenarios of non-Abrahamic religions.
* Global catastrophic risk, a hypothetical event explored in science and fict ...
* #14:
Gorilla Grodd
Gorilla Grodd is a supervillain character appearing in American comic books and other media published by DC Comics, primarily as an enemy of The Flash. The character was created by John Broome and Carmine Infantino, and first appeared in ''T ...
* #13: The
Cyborg Superman
* #12:
Circe
Circe (; grc, , ) is an enchantress and a minor goddess in ancient Greek mythology and religion. She is either a daughter of the Titan Helios and the Oceanid nymph Perse or the goddess Hecate and Aeëtes. Circe was renowned for her vast kno ...
* #11:
Solomon Grundy
* #10:
Harley Quinn
* #9:
Black Manta
* #8:
Bizarro
* #7:
Bane
* #6:
Felix Faust
* #5:
Mr. Freeze
* #4:
Ra's al Ghul
* #3:
Amazo
Amazo () is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by Gardner Fox and Mike Sekowsky and first appeared in '' The Brave and the Bold'' #30 (June 1960) as an adversary of the Jus ...
* #2:
Darkseid
Darkseid () is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby to serve as the primary antagonist of his "Fourth World (comics), Fourth World" metaseries, and was firs ...
See also
* ''
Secret Files and Origins''
References
External links
*
*
*
*
''Secret Origins''''Secret Origins'' vol. 2 an
''Secret Origins'' vol. 3at Mike's Amazing World of Comics
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