Area 88

    (Eclipse, 1987-1989)
™ and ©1987 Kaoru Shintani/Shogakukan, In.

Comics in Japan run from science-fiction to adult fiction, and are read by millions of Japanese. According to its editors, Area 88 was the first large scale attempt to bring Japanese comics (“manga”) to the U.S. in a traditional comic book form. In doing so, it helped open the U.S. comic marketplace to the amazing variety of Japanese comic storytelling.

The Area 88 of this series is a battleground in North Africa, right at the front lines of the war between Asran and its enemy. Asran employs a force of mercenaries to do their dirty work, running their air force much like a taxi company. The pilots provide their own planes, pay for their own ammunition and fuel, then receive payment for the kills they make. To survive at this game takes both skill and cunning, a combination which is best found in Shin Kazama, a blonde, Japanese mercenary, and the hero of the series.

			Notes	Writer	Artist
	#1 Date:  5/26/1987 Cover Price:  $1.50 NM Guide Price:  $3.50 8 copies available from $1.75			Kaoru Shintani	Kaoru Shintani
	#1 - 2nd printing Date:  Cover Price:  $1.50 NM Guide Price:  $5.25 1 copy available for $1.99			Kaoru Shintani	Kaoru Shintani
	#2 Date:  6/1/1987 Cover Price:  $1.50 NM Guide Price:  $2.50 4 copies available from $1.75			Kaoru Shintani	Kaoru Shintani
	#2 - 2nd printing Date:  6/9/1987 Cover Price:  $1.50 NM Guide Price:  $1.50 1 copy available for $3.99			Kaoru Shintani	Kaoru Shintani
	#3 Date:  6/23/1987 Cover Price:  $1.50 NM Guide Price:  $2.00 3 copies available from $1.50		B&W	Kaoru Shintani, James D. Hudnall, Satoru Fujii	Kaoru Shintani, Wayne Truman
	#4 Date:  7/14/1987 Cover Price:  $1.50 NM Guide Price:  $1.75 3 copies available from $1.25		B&W	Kaoru Shintani, James D. Hudnall, Satoru Fujii	Kaoru Shintani, Wayne Truman
	#5 Date:  7/1/1987 Cover Price:  $1.50 NM Guide Price:  $1.75 3 copies available from $1.25			Kaoru Shintani	Kaoru Shintani
	#6 Date:  8/1/1987 Cover Price:  $1.50 NM Guide Price:  $1.75 3 copies available from $1.25			Kaoru Shintani, James D. Hudnall, Satoru Fujii	Kaoru Shintani, Wayne Truman
	#7 Date:  8/1/1987 Cover Price:  $1.50 NM Guide Price:  $2.25 6 copies available from $1.50			Kaoru Shintani	Kaoru Shintani
	#8 Date:  9/1/1987 Cover Price:  $1.50 NM Guide Price:  $1.50 5 copies available from $1.00			Kaoru Shintani, James D. Hudnall, Satoru Fujii	Kaoru Shintani, Wayne Truman
	#9 Date:  9/1/1987 Cover Price:  $1.50 NM Guide Price:  $1.50 7 copies available from $0.98			Kaoru Shintani	Kaoru Shintani
	#10 Date:  10/1/1987 Cover Price:  $1.50 NM Guide Price:  $1.50 8 copies available from $1.00			Kaoru Shintani	Kaoru Shintani
	#11 Date:  10/27/1987 Cover Price:  $1.50 NM Guide Price:  $1.50 6 copies available from $1.10			Kaoru Shintani	Kaoru Shintani
	#12 Date:  11/1/1987 Cover Price:  $1.50 NM Guide Price:  $2.25 7 copies available from $1.75			Kaoru Shintani	Kaoru Shintani
	#13 Date:  11/24/1987 Cover Price:  $1.50 NM Guide Price:  $2.25 6 copies available from $1.75			Kaoru Shintani	Kaoru Shintani
	#14 Date:  12/1/1987 Cover Price:  $1.50 NM Guide Price:  $1.50 6 copies available from $1.10			Kaoru Shintani	Kaoru Shintani
	#15 Date:  12/1/1987 Cover Price:  $1.50 NM Guide Price:  $1.75 5 copies available from $1.25			Kaoru Shintani	Kaoru Shintani
	#16 Date:  1/1/1988 Cover Price:  $1.50 NM Guide Price:  $2.50 5 copies available from $1.75			Kaoru Shintani	Kaoru Shintani
	#17 Date:  1/26/1988 Cover Price:  $1.50 NM Guide Price:  $1.75 4 copies available from $1.25			Kaoru Shintani	Kaoru Shintani
	#18 Date:  2/1/1988 Cover Price:  $1.50 NM Guide Price:  $2.00 3 copies available from $1.50			Kaoru Shintani	Kaoru Shintani
	#19 Date:  2/23/1988 Cover Price:  $1.50 NM Guide Price:  $1.75 4 copies available from $1.25			Kaoru Shintani	Kaoru Shintani
	#20 Date:  3/1/1988 Cover Price:  $1.50 NM Guide Price:  $1.50 3 copies available from $1.10			Kaoru Shintani	Kaoru Shintani
	#21 Date:  3/22/1988 Cover Price:  $1.50 NM Guide Price:  $2.25 5 copies available from $1.75			Kaoru Shintani	Kaoru Shintani
	#22 Date:  4/12/1988 Cover Price:  $1.50 NM Guide Price:  $2.25 5 copies available from $1.75			Kaoru Shintani	Kaoru Shintani
	#23 Date:  4/1/1988 Cover Price:  $1.50 NM Guide Price:  $2.00 4 copies available from $1.50			Kaoru Shintani	Kaoru Shintani
	#24 Date:  5/1/1988 Cover Price:  $1.50 NM Guide Price:  $1.20 24 copies available from $0.99			Kaoru Shintani	Kaoru Shintani
	#25 Date:  5/1/1988 Cover Price:  $1.50 NM Guide Price:  $2.00 2 copies available from $1.75			Kaoru Shintani	Kaoru Shintani
	#26 Date:  6/1/1988 Cover Price:  $1.50 NM Guide Price:  $1.75 3 copies available from $1.25			Kaoru Shintani	Kaoru Shintani
	#27 Date:  6/1/1988 Cover Price:  $1.50 NM Guide Price:  $1.75 4 copies available from $1.25			Kaoru Shintani	Kaoru Shintani
	#28 Date:  7/1/1988 Cover Price:  $1.50 NM Guide Price:  $1.75 3 copies available from $1.25			Kaoru Shintani	Kaoru Shintani
	#29 Date:  7/1/1988 Cover Price:  $1.50 NM Guide Price:  $1.75 4 copies available from $1.25			Kaoru Shintani	Kaoru Shintani
	#30 Date:  8/1/1988 Cover Price:  $1.50 NM Guide Price:  $2.00 3 copies available from $1.50			Kaoru Shintani	Kaoru Shintani
	#31 Date:  8/1/1988 Cover Price:  $1.50 NM Guide Price:  $1.50 4 copies available from $1.10			Kaoru Shintani	Kaoru Shintani
	#32 Date:  9/1/1988 Cover Price:  $1.50 NM Guide Price:  $2.00 3 copies available from $1.50			Kaoru Shintani	Kaoru Shintani
	#33 Date:  9/1/1988 Cover Price:  $1.50 NM Guide Price:  $2.00 3 copies available from $1.50			Kaoru Shintani	Kaoru Shintani
	#34 Date:  10/1/1988 Cover Price:  $1.50 NM Guide Price:  $1.75 1 copy available for $2.50			Kaoru Shintani	Kaoru Shintani
	#35 Date:  10/1/1988 Cover Price:  $1.50 NM Guide Price:  $1.75 2 copies available from $2.50			Kaoru Shintani	Kaoru Shintani
	#36 Date:  11/1/1988 Cover Price:  $1.50 NM Guide Price:  $1.75 3 copies available from $1.25			Kaoru Shintani	Kaoru Shintani
	#37 Date:  12/1/1988 Cover Price:  $1.75 NM Guide Price:  $1.50 3 copies available from $1.10	Photo cover	B&W	Kaoru Shintani	Kaoru Shintani
	#38 Date:  1/1/1989 Cover Price:  $1.75 NM Guide Price:  $2.50 2 copies available from $2.00	Photo cover	B&W	Kaoru Shintani	Kaoru Shintani
	#39 Date:  2/1/1989 Cover Price:  $1.75 NM Guide Price:  $2.00 2 copies available from $1.50	Photo cover	B&W	Kaoru Shintani	Kaoru Shintani
	#40 Date:  3/1/1989 Cover Price:  $1.75 NM Guide Price:  $1.50 3 copies available from $1.10	Photo cover	B&W	Kaoru Shintani	Kaoru Shintani
	#41 Date:  4/1/1989 Cover Price:  $1.75 NM Guide Price:  $1.50 2 copies available from $1.10	Photo cover	B&W	Kaoru Shintani	Kaoru Shintani
	#42 Date:  5/1/1989 Cover Price:  $2.00 NM Guide Price:  $3.75 4 copies available from $1.20	Photo cover	Final Issue; B&W	Kaoru Shintani	Kaoru Shintani
	Book #1 Date:  Cover Price:  $12.95 NM Guide Price:  $13.00 No copies available		B&w, reprint