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title = Showcase
''Showcase'' has been the title of several Anthology series published by DC Comics . The general theme of these series has been to feature new and minor characters as a way to gauge reader interest in them, without the difficulty and risk of featuring "untested" characters in their own ongoing titles. The original series ran from March 1956 to September 1970, and then was revived for eleven issues from August 1977 to September 1978. PUBLICATION HISTORY The best-known issue of ''Showcase'' is #4, which introduced an updated version of the Flash . This is generally cited as the beginning of the Silver Age Of Comic Books , as it was followed by the successful updating of several other Golden Age superheroes, and an upswing in the popularity of comics (superheroes especially). Other successful characters to debut in ''Showcase'' were
Lois Lane (#9) and the Spectre (#60) also had their own series debut in ''Showcase.'' In 1962, DC purchased an adaptation of the James Bond novel and film '' Dr. No '' which had been published in '' British Classics Illustrated '' and published it as an issue of ''Showcase''; it was the first American comic book appearance of the character. The series was cancelled in 1970 with #93, featuring Manhunter 2070. Brief revival In August 1977 Showcase was revived for eleven issues using the original numbering, after the failure of '' First Issue Special '', which ran from 1975-76. The revived series began with issue #95, and published the first appearance of the new Doom Patrol , and the solo adventures of Power Girl . Issue #100 had a cameo by every character that had premiered in the original run of ''Showcase''. The series was cancelled again after issue #104 September 1978, as part of what is commonly called the '' DC Implosion ''. Issues #105 and #106 saw print in '' Cancelled Comics Cavalcade '' and #105 was later published in '' Adventure Comics ''. Full List of Issues Showcase 90's DC revived the title in 1993. Because the 1950s retailer reluctance to order new, untested series had largely vanished, replaced in the 1990s with reader enthusiasm for the "#1" issues of new series, DC published it as ''Showcase '93'', a monthly 12-issue limited series, replaced the following year by ''Showcase '94'' #1, etc. However, because unsold comics were no longer returnable, retailers had become reluctant to stock series that did not feature consistent characters and creators from month to month, and despite attempts to link the series each year to various popular characters such as Batman or Superman, reader demand was lukewarm. ''Showcase '96'' #12 was the last regular issue. Showcase reprint collections DC published a Trade Paperback reprint collection of selected issues/stories/characters from the original ''Showcase'' series in 1992:
In 2005, DC began publishing thick, black-and-white reprints of older material under the umbrella title '' Showcase Presents ''. The volumes have received acclaim, including the 1965 Alley Award for Best Novel (an untitled story by Gardner Fox and Murphy Anderson in issue #55). Reprint collection volumes
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