Helix (comics)

Helix was a short-lived science fiction and science fantasy imprint of DC Comics, launched in 1996 and discontinued in 1998. In early promotional materials prior to the release of the first title, the imprint was called Matrix instead of Helix. It was renamed because of the then-upcoming film, The Matrix.[1] It featured a handful of ongoing monthly series, several limited series, and one short graphic novel.

Helix
Parent companyDC Comics (Warner Bros.)
Founded1996
Defunct1998
Country of originUnited States
Headquarters locationNew York City
Key peopleMichael Moorcock, Lucius Shepard, Christopher Hinz, Howard Chaykin, Elaine Lee, Matt Howarth, Warren Ellis, Walt Simonson, Garth Ennis
Publication typesComic books
Fiction genresscience fiction, science fantasy

Despite the involvement of successful science fiction/fantasy novelists Michael Moorcock, Lucius Shepard and Christopher Hinz, and established comics creators Howard Chaykin, Elaine Lee, Matt Howarth, Warren Ellis, Walt Simonson, and Garth Ennis, sales of the comic books were low, and most of the ongoing titles were cancelled after 12 or fewer issues. Ellis' Transmetropolitan was switched to the Vertigo imprint, where it continued for several more years before reaching its planned conclusion. Ennis' Bloody Mary miniseries and Michael Moorcock's Multiverse were later collected in Vertigo-label paperbacks and Moeller's Sheva's War was released as a graphic novel paperback by Dark Horse.

Limited availability of the books in bookstores that already sold science fiction, resistance among science-fiction readers to serialized monthly publication, the lower visibility of the line's deliberately muted cover color palette, and the lack of interest in genre SF among regular patrons of comic-book stores were all cited by industry observers as factors in the imprint's demise.

Helix titles
Book title Issues Writer Artist(s) Publication dates
The Black Lamb 6 Timothy Truman Timothy Truman November 1996 – April 1997
Bloody Mary[note 1] 4 Garth Ennis Carlos Ezquerra October 1996 – January 1997
Bloody Mary: Lady Liberty[note 2] 4 Garth Ennis Carlos Ezquerra September 1997 – December 1997
BrainBanx 6 Elaine Lee Jason Temujin Minor March 1997 – August 1997
Cyberella 12 Howard Chaykin Don Cameron September 1996 – August 1997
Dead Corps 4 Christopher Hinz Steve Pugh September 1998 – December 1998
The Dome: Ground Zero 1 Dave Gibbons Angus McKie 1998
Gemini Blood 9 Christopher Hinz Tommy Lee Edwards September 1996 – May 1997
Michael Moorcock's Multiverse[note 3] 12 Michael Moorcock Walter Simonson, Mark Reeve, John Ridgway November 1997 – October 1998
Sheva's War[note 4] 5 Christopher Moeller Christopher Moeller October 1998 – February 1999
Star Crossed 3 Matt Howarth Matt Howarth Jun 1997 - Aug 1997
Time Breakers 5 Rachel Pollack Chris Weston January 1997 – May 1997
Transmetropolitan 60[note 5] Warren Ellis Darick Robertson September 1997 – November 2002
Vermillion 12 Lucius Shepard Al Davison, John Totleben, Gary Erskine October 1996 – September 1997

Notes
  1. A TPB collected edition was released in 2005 under the Vertigo imprint.
  2. A TPB collected edition was released in 2005 under the Vertigo imprint.
  3. A TPB collected edition was released in 1999 under the Vertigo imprint.
  4. A TPB collection - Iron Empires vol. 2: Sheva's War - was released in 2004 by Dark Horse.
  5. Issues #1-12 published under the Helix imprint; issues #13-60 published under the Vertigo imprint.

References
  1. Brian Cronin (2011-08-02). "Comic Book Urban Legends Revealed #114". CBR. Retrieved 2017-04-21.
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