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Independent Comics

 

 

 

Planet Studio's seems to have made more that just Marvel pins.  During the period they were producing pins, the comic industry was going through some big changes.  A few long-running independent comic companies went bankrupt, like First Comics and Eclipse Comics.  Some high-flying Marvel artist's felt they weren't being paid enough for creating original characters, which they would then have no rights either, so they left Marvel and formed their own company, Image Comics, which promised the creators they would own their own creations.

 

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Image Pins

I wasn't a great fan of the Image and Valiant comic lines, so I'm afraid I may get some things wrong. 

Most of the Image pins are copyrighted to Aegis Entertainment, which is comics creator Jim Lee's personal company.  Aegis Entertainment was a partnership making up Image Comics, which also included WildStorm (Which was a combination of WildC.A.T.s and StormWatch), the two comics he helped create after leaving Marvel.

All these are copyright on the back Aegis Entertainment Inc.​ or are characters are owned by the creator (see Huntsman) that have appeared in Image Comics.

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WarBlade - from WildC.A.T.S. page 8

This cover is the template for the Huntsman pin.

For a long time I thought this was the Punisher, but have finally found the image this is based on - Deathblow 1993 issue#2 page 2 spread.

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Zealot -  From WildC.A.T.S. issue #3 page 11.

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Grifter - From WildC.A.T.S. issue #2 page 16.

The first issue cover of Shadow Hawk, which Planet uses as a template for the pin, with some editing.

Valiant Comics

 

 

Originally, Valiant Comics was an imprint under Voyager Communications, which was established in 1989 by the former Marvel editor-in-chief Jim Shooter.  It was discontinued in 1994 after being brought out by a video games company, Acclaim Entertainment.  Valiant leased the 1950's and 60's comic character's Turok, Son of Stone and Doctor Solar, Man of the Atom.

This is a promotional poster for Ninjak, that has been used as the template for the Ninjak pin

This is the card that the Turok - Bionisaurus came in.  All the pins listed on this card, as well as the Solar and X-O came in a similar package.

Armorines issue #0.  This cover has been used as the template for the Armorine pin.

The first issue cover of Rai, published in 1992, which Planet uses as a template for the pin.

Beanworld

  These pins have no Planet Studio markings on them but by the style, I'm sure at least the first two were made by Planet Studio.

Beanworld first appeared in various Eclipse Comic titles in the mid 1980's and had its own twenty-one issue series.  It has have appeared in several comics since then, and is now being published by Dark Horse Comics. 

 

​Beanworld features stories about the life and times of the Beans, minimalistic characters which Marder has been drawing since childhood. The stories borrow concepts from various world mythologies, popular concepts of ecology, and pop culture.

Dark Horse - Concrete

  Again, another pin that has no Planet Studio stamp (which is normal even for the Marvel pins) but by the style and the patterning on the back makes me sure this was produced by Planet Studio's.  If you check the Planet Pin Numbers, this is listed as pin #23... It isn't a Marvel pin, so I believe was included in error.

Concrete was created by Paul Chadwick and the series focuses on the life of Concrete, formerly Ron Lithgow, whose brain was involuntarily transplanted by aliens into a hulking artificial body which is made up of a substance that closely resembles concrete.

 

If you've never read any Concrete stories, I really recommend them.

 Made in 1988. Planet pin #023

Dark Horse Comics - the American

For a long time I wasn't sure about this pin, it's a little larger than most Planet pins and is dated 1988 which is when Planet was starting, and they mostly did Marvel pins.  So I ruled it out.  I was given a list of all the pins Marvel produced (see Marvel Products Inventory) and there it was - pin #027 the American.

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The American issue #1 - 

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Made in 1988 - copyright to Mark Verheiden - Planet pin #27

Moebius or Jean Giraud

In 1988 Marvel's Epic line printed a line of graphic novels of Moebius's most famous stories and a three issue novel called "the Incal".  As with most of Moebius science fiction / fantasy, all the stories are very weird and trippy.  Planet Studios was producing the Marvel pins at the time, so I believe they also gained the rights to these images by Moebius.  I believe a number of companies made pins based on his artwork around the same time, but mostly in France (and illegally - see Saggay) but these are the one's that have a Made by Planet Studio's or have that Planet Studio style that makes me believe they produced it. 

Jeff Smith's Bone

Life Is Hell by Matt Groening

Life Is Hell is a comic strip started in 1978 by Matt Groening before he created the Simpsons in 1985. 

Sirius Entertainment

Dawn - Glove & Rose

Sirius Entertainment was founded in 1994 and has published a few comics, most of which I've never seen or heard of.  The few I did hear about didn't appeal.  Their main titles were Dawn, Poison Elves and Akiko.

Made in 1995.  Copyright to J.M. Linsner & Sirius Entertainment.

Dawn Pin Gallery

Many thanks to  Michael Tadlack for providing these images. 

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Archie Publications Ltd

Archie Comics were never a big thing in the United Kingdom.  We did get a few other comics from Harvey that I can remember reading in the late 1960's early 1970's like Casper and Richie Rich, but I can't recall Archie.

Planet Studios made a set of Archie pins around 1996 - though on the box it gives a copy right date of 1994.  Around that time, Planet were having trouble with Marvel wanting a bigger share and the comic market was imploding.  Planet were obviously looking for new markets at around that time.

Many thanks to Michael Tadlock for the images.

Golden Apple

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The Golden Apple pin was made for the Golden Apple Comics shop in Los Angeles around 1992 and features their 1990's shop mascot, Susie Owens, who appeared in a Dark Horse Comic they produced in 1992 called Flaxen.  They may have had more pins produced for the store.

Thanks to Michael Tadlock for the pin images & Ryan Liebowitz from Golden Apple for the Flaxen issue 1 cover and cover photo's.

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Zorro Pin

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Zorro Pin, made in 1991. I knew Planet Studios had made so other media pins (Rem & Stimpy) but I didn't know about this one. 

 

Thanks again to Michael Tadlock.

Americomics or AC Comics

  These are two of AC Comic's main heroines from FemForce... Ms. Victory, based on a 1940's comic and Synn. 

M. Victory - Made in 1993.

Synn - Made in 1993.

Cadillacs & Dinosaurs by Mark Schultz

Cadillacs and Dinosaurs was a comic published by Kitchen Sink in the late 1980, early 1990's, written and drawn by Mark Schultz. A great series, but appeared very irregularly.

  I actually thought this wasn't a Planet Pin, as it's slightly larger and thicker than a normal Planet pin, more like a modern sized pin.  It does have the waffle pattern on the back as normal, but I'd discounted it as a Planet pin due to its subject and size.  The only reason I found this was from Planet, is an email of a Planet advertisement was sent to me (thanks to James Hernandez) asking about another pin he didn't recognise.

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Cadillacs And Dinosaurs  ps pin 1.jpg
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