History
For a number of years, the industry had benefited from an "age stepladder" whereby comics readers could ascend naturally from children's titles by Gold Key Comics (Disney and Looney Tunes licensee) and Harvey Comics, upward to the Archie Comics titles for preteens, and finally graduating to the Marvel and DC titles (or to independent comics) for teens and older readers. In 1983, Gold Key ended its licensed kids' titles.[3]
Marvel had never published a successful children's line,[3] although prior to the existence of the Star imprint, they had released several series and miniseries based on licensed toy and cartoon properties, such as Rom The Spaceknight, The Smurfs, and Starriors. In 1977, Marvel had also published several licensed Hanna-Barbera titles including Dynomutt, The Flintstones, Scooby-Doo, Yogi Bear, and Laff-a-Lympics. In 1983, Marvel also published a one-shot, Marvel Tails, in which Spider-Ham made his debut.[5]
In the early 1980s, Marvel Comics was in negotiations with Harvey Comics to assume publication of some of their characters. Harvey editor Sid Jacobson, along with the other Harvey staff, were interviewed by Mike Hobson, Marvel's group vice-president of publishing (de facto publisher). As part of the process, Jacobson created several new characters which were well received by Hobson and effectively sealed the deal. Marvel Editor-in-Chief Jim Shooter appointed editor Tom DeFalco as Executive Editor to coordinate with the Harvey staff, who were hired by Marvel. On the day Marvel was set to take over the Harvey publications, Harvey pulled out of the deal due to an internal disagreement bewtween the Harvey brothers. Harvey subsequently ceased publishing their comics in 1982.[3] With the loss of the Harvey characters, the Marvel staff re-evaluated their publishing plan and decided that their new line of all-age comics would be published under a different imprint.[3]
Star Comics was the name selected early on in the revamp of the publishing plan. The first comic published was the first issue of a three-issue movie adaptation of The Muppets Take Manhattan, in July 1984.[3] Marvel's existing titles, based on licensed toy lines, such as G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero and Transformers, remained under the Marvel banner.
The ongoing titles did not appear in stores until five months later and were launched over a two-month period with three original and six licensed titles. Fraggle Rock, Heathcliff, Planet Terry and Strawberry Shortcake were released in the first month while The Ewoks, Get Along Gang, Muppet Babies, Royal Roy and Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham followed in the second month. Top Dog and Wally the Wizard were also early Star comic titles.[3]
In late 1985, Harvey Comics sued Marvel for copyright infringement, claiming that Royal Roy was a blatant copy of Richie Rich.[6] Thus, the title was canceled after six issues due to this similarity.[3]
Millie the Model, who had previously starred in her own title during Marvel's Timely Comics era, appeared in a spin-off mini-series titled Misty which starred Millie's niece, Misty Collins.[7] Marvel Productions' animated series were sourced for Star Comics titles including Defenders of the Earth and Inhumanoids.[8]
The lines' two Star Wars titles crossed over in Droids #4 and Ewoks #10.[9]
At the end of 1987, Marvel dissolved the Star imprint and absorbed several Star titles under the main Marvel banner while continuing to license new properties, such as ALF, Captain Planet and Police Academy. Some of the Marvel-owned original characters (Top Dog, Planet Terry, Royal Roy and Wally Wizard) have since been seen in various Marvel titles such as X-Babies and Drax.[10]
