The Tick’s 20th Anniversary Special Edition

    (NEC, 2007)
™ and © 2007 Ben Edlund

Yes, it’s really been twenty years since the first Tick story, which was just ashort filler in the 14th issue of NEC’s monthly store newsletter way back in July, 1986. Since then, the well-intentioned but dimwitted hero has appeared in countless comics, a popular animated TV series, a fun but short-lived live-action show (starring Patrick Warburton as our hero) and had his likeness plastered across every kind of merchandise from lip balm to bandages.

In celebration of The Tick’s longevity and just plain like-ability, over 30 writers and artists have lent their talents to this special issue, with their 1-3 page tales featuring the Tick in adventures ranging from classic super-heroics to slapstick comedy to just plain weird. The issue even has a contribution from the Big Blue’s creator, Ben Edlund, his first new Tick material to be published in years.

An added treat is the inclusion of several pages of biographies for each creator, including photographs or illustrations. The talent, though too many to list all, includes notables such as Simon Bisley, Bryan Baugh, Fred Hembeck, Bill Sienkiewicz, Zander Cannon, Dave Garcia, Bob Polio, Trina Robbins, and Arthur Suydam. As for the two dozen others, you’ll just have to get the book!

— Joseph Self

Honoring the 20th anniversary of The Tick comes this special edition that features stories, artwork and tributes by such luminaries as Fred Hembeck, Scott Shaw! and Trina Robbins, and of course, Tick creator Ben Edlund. Text describes The Tick’s successes as a Saturday morning animated series and a prime-time live-action series. This is all the more amazing as The Tick did not originate at the Marvel or DC powerhouses, but rather a small independent comic book store called New England Comics that decided to publish some comic books.

— Mark Arnold
Jump to issue:
  • 1/B
    #1 Variation B
    Cover B by Arthur Suydam
    May 2007
    Cover: $5.95
    W: Scott Shaw!, Fred Hembeck, Jason M. Burns, Sean Wang, Matt Kindt, Bryan Baugh, Benito Cereno, Robert Tinnell, Christopher P. Reilly, Bill Tucci  ·  A: Scott Shaw!, Fred Hembeck, Erik Valdez Y Alanis, Sean Wang, Matt Kindt, Bryan Baugh, Cory Walker, Mark Wheatley, Terry Moore, Kevin Atkinson, Bill Tucci
    1 copy for $64.98