*DC: A 1975 successor to the long-running Showcase, First Issue Special arose out of an… unusual inspiration by then-publisher Carmine Infantino, who reflected “Well, first issues sell better. So why not a series of nothing but first issues?” And that’s what we got, a succession of one-offs spotlighting some of the more fringey ideas in mainstream comics, as well as attempted revivals of tried and true characters. This complete 13 issue series of FIS is in very high grades, averaging NM-. Notable contributors include Jack Kirby (Atlas in #1, Manhunter in #5, Dingbats of Danger Street in #6), Steve Ditko (Creeper, #7) and Walt Simonson (Dr. Fate, in the rather magnificent #9). Other interesting concepts – depending on your precise definition of ‘interesting’ – were Mikaal Thomas, the second version of Starman, in #12, better remembered from James Robinson’s multi-award-winning Starman revival; the Return of the New Gods in #13 and two issues beloved by kitsch aficionados everywhere, the Outsiders in #10 and Lady Cop in #4. For all of this experimentation, though, the only FIS feature to gain its own long-running series was Warlord by Mike Grell, which made its debut in #8 (VF/NM £40 pictured).