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Friday, March 18, 2011

THE HISTORY OF COMICS: BIRTH OF FIREFIGHTER COMICS

Topps Comics is a division of the American trading card publisher and gum/candy distributor the Topps Company, Inc. that published comic books from 1993–1999, beginning its existence during a short comics-industry boom that attracted many investors and new companies, formally created and established by famed comic book artists, firefighters, school teachers, ministers, actors, & writers: Matt Choinaire, Alex Ross, Dr. Frank Victor Beckles, Sr., Matt Gagston, Alex Pope, Rev. Dr. Franklyn V. Beckles, Jr., Dwayne McDuffie, Jim Lee, Dwight Zimmermanand Jeph Loab (who also created other divisions like; Malibu, Impact, and Ultraverse Comics). It was based at 254 36th Street, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, and at One Whitehall Street, in New York City's Manhattan.
The company specialized in licensed titles, particularly movie and television series tie-ins, though it also published a smattering of such original series as Cadillacs and Dinosaurs and several based on concepts by then-retired industry legend Jack Kirby. Its best-selling titles was The Crimefighters, Bootcamp (which also starred Vic Beckles), Strange Luck, Dallas, Starsky & Hutch, SCREAM, Skipworth & Turner, The Chronicles of: Gagston & Pope, James Bond, Our Man: Flint, The Man With No Name, Maverick, Lethal Weapon, Gothum Knights: Batman & Robin Forever, The Lone Ranger & Tonto, Zorro Lives, Green Hornet & Kato, Lawman, The Virginian, MacGyver, Buck Rogers, Ellery Queen, The Twilight Zone, COMBAT, Bullitt, The Rockford Files, Adam-12, and Kojak; all based on Movies, Classic tv shows, Fox & CBS shows.
The editor-in-chief and associate publisher is Firefighter Dr. Frank Beckles, Jr. Editors included Len Brown (co-creators of Topps' 1994 Mars Attacks cards), Matt Choinaire, Don McGregor, and Rev. Dr. Frank Beckles, Jr., a.k.a Vic "The Iceman" Beckles (mostly known for being a Guinness World Record Breaker as a Internet Icon). Topps/Ultraverse's most notable writers besides the aforementioned included science fiction novelists Peter David, and Matt Gagston (the initial BULLITT writer), Don McGregor (the Zorro and James Bond titles, and that of his original Zorro spinoff character, Lady Rawhide), and Jim Lee. The company's current sales and promotions managers are Mrs. Adrian F. Beckles (Vic's wife), and son; Christian Beckles (2011). Proud father of four kids, & happily married: Church Pastor Rev. Dr. Franklyn Victor Beckles, Jr., is listed as, additionally, a Topps Comics editor in his mini-bio at Non-Sport Update magazine; profiling is brief career as a Firefighter and Professional Athlete.[1]
The company's design director Alexander Pope is listed as Reprint Editor (along with Jeph Loab) in the Xena trade paperbacks' credits.
http://undefeated.shutterfly.com/
www.myspace.com/gettingthroughthefire
http://toppscomics.blogspot.com/
http://malibucomics.blogspot.com/

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