Impact Comics

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Impact Comics was an imprint of DC Comics that was aimed at younger audiences. It was begun in 1991 and ended by 1993. (The initial "I" in the logo looked like an exclamation point, but the name of the imprint was not actually !mpact.)

Its titles featured the adventures of altered versions of superheroes licensed from Archie Comics including the Fly, the Comet, the Shield, the Jaguar, the Web, and the Black Hood. Changes included making the new Jaguar a woman and making the Web an organization instead of a solo hero. This was a second attempt to revive the old Archie heroes, the other one being the Red Circle line of comics in the early 1980s.

In an effort to reach out to kids who were not aware of the direct market system, DC Comics attempted to sell Impact Comics titles through newsstands. However, due to internal conflicts, that never happened. The imprint eventually collapsed due to poor sales. A final series The Crucible was initially intended to relaunch the line, but instead served as its finale. Outside of reprinting old material, Archie comics has not done much with its superheroes.

[edit] Titles

The Black Hood (12 issues, plus annual)
The Comet (18 issues, plus annual)
Crucible (6 issues, wrapped up line)
The Crusaders (8 issues)
The Fly (17 issues, plus annual)
Impact Winter Special (one-shot)
Impact Who's Who (3 issues, plus binder)
The Jaguar (14 issues, plus annual)
The Legend of the Shield (16 issues, plus annual)
The Web (14 issues, plus annual)

[edit] Characters

American Crusaders (Original Shield, Captain Commando, Firefly, Doc Strong, and Black Witch) [50s superhero team]
American Shield (Shield III)
Black Hoods I, II, III
Black Jack
Black Witch
Bob Phantom
Captain Commando
Comet
Crusaders (Shield, Fly, Comet, Jaguar, Fireball, and The Web)
Doc Strong
Dusty (sidekick of Original Shield)
Fireball
Firefly
The Fly
Fox
Hangman
Jaguar
Original Shield
Shield II
Shield IV
Shield Kid (S.K.) (Shield V)
Steel Sterling
The Web (now a group)