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Aztec Ace

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Aztec Ace
The cover to Aztec Ace #1 (March 1984), art by Michael Bair.
Publication information
PublisherEclipse Comics
ScheduleIrregular
FormatOngoing series
Publication dateMarch 1984 - September 1985
No. of issues15
Main character(s)Ace (Caza)
Bridget
Head
Creative team
Created byDoug Moench
Written byDoug Moench
Penciller(s)Michael Bair (#1-2, #9)
Dan Day (#3-8, #10-13, #15)
Mike Harris (#14)
Inker(s)Nelson Redondo (#1-8)
Ron Harris (#9-11)
Mike Gustovich (#9-13, #15)
Art Nichols (#14)
Tom Yeates (#14)
Letterer(s)Adam Kubert (#1)
Esphid Mahilum (#2-6)
Pete Sullit (#3-6)
Peter Iro (#7-9)
Carrie Spiegle (#10-15)
Colorist(s)Philip DeWalt (#1-12)
Dennis McFarling (#1-5)
Steve Oliff (#12-15)
Sam Parsons (#14-15)
Editor(s)Cat Yronwode

Aztec Ace is an American creator-owned science fiction comic book formerly published by Eclipse Comics. Created by writer Doug Moench, it was published for 15 issues from 1984 to 1985.[1] Amazing Heroes would describe the series as "a strange cross between Dr. Who and the Illuminati trilogy".[2]

Publication history

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The series kept an irregular schedule due to main artist Dan Day's meticulous approach; by 1985 the book was aiming for a six-weekly schedule, with Eclipse editor-in-chief Cat Yronwode hoping for nine or ten issues a year.[3] Other contributors to Aztec Ace included Mike Harris and Mike Gustovich.[4] The Aztec Ace logo was created by Denis McFarling.[5]

Aztec Ace featured appearances from numerous historical figures, including Amelia Earhart, Glenn Miller and Ambrose Bierce.[3] The series ended abruptly, leaving several storylines unresolved. This was announced as being due to the difficulty in finding adequate fill-in artists.[6] In 1988, a copy of Aztec Ace #13 - featuring Bridget dressed as Cleopatra - was part of an Egyptology exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum.[7]

For Eclipse's 10th anniversary in 1988, they commissioned the crossover mini-series Total Eclipse, and the creators of Aztec Ace gave permission for Marv Wolfman to use the characters in the series.[8] The characters had sizeable roles in the series, with Nine-Crocodile the overarching villain, while Moench contributed a short "Interlude" story centred on Aztec Ace for the second issue, with art by Tim Sale. [9] This led to the announcement of plans to collect the earlier material as a trade paperback[10] and to continue the story as a three-issue mini-series - tentatively titled Aztec Ace - Time Tripper - in 1992 with artist Doug Heinlein;[11] however, these plans would not come to fruition.

Synopsis

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The story revolves around a time traveller named Ace (real name: Caza), whose goal is to save the timestream from unravelling through various intricate adventures. Ace is from the 23rd century, with his base in pre-contact Aztec Mexico; he often visits ancient Egypt.

Caza is aided by Head - formerly his assistant Tempus Fugit, reduced to a disembodied head after an accident - and Bridget Kronopoulous, Ace's sexy, adventurous girlfriend from 1940 who may or may not be the Queen of Egypt. They travel through time in a time machine called the ACE (Azure Crosstime Express, though the characters often call it 'the Egg' due to its distinctive shape), which Head controls.

Ace's main enemy is Nine-Crocodile, who creates time paradoxes in an attempt to save his own dimension at the expense of other realities - especially the modern day planet Earth; his minions include the Nightgaunt and the Ebonati.

References

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  1. ^ McCulloch, Joe (March 22, 2011). "THIS WEEK IN COMICS! (3/23/11 – Multifarious Chills!)". The Comics Journal. Retrieved June 8, 2017.
  2. ^ Bob Hughes (June 1, 1988). "Enlarging the Penumbra". Amazing Heroes. No. 142. Fantagraphics Books.
  3. ^ a b Heidi MacDonald (January 1, 1985). "Aztec Ace". Amazing Heroes. No. 62/1985 Preview Issue. Redbeard, Inc.
  4. ^ "Newsflashes". Amazing Heroes. No. 66. Redbeard, Inc. March 1, 1985.
  5. ^ "Aztec Ace". DenisMcFarling.com.
  6. ^ "Newsflashes". Amazing Heroes. No. 80. Fantagraphics Books. October 1, 1985.
  7. ^ "Top of the News (advertisement)". Amazing Heroes. No. 153. Fantagraphics Books. November 15, 1988.
  8. ^ Andy Mangels (January 15, 1988). "Total Eclipse". Amazing Heroes. No. 133/Preview Special 6. Fantagraphics Books.
  9. ^ "Top of the News (advertisement)". Amazing Heroes. No. 145/Preview Special 7. Fantagraphics Books. July 15, 1988.
  10. ^ "Top of the News (advertisement)". Amazing Heroes. No. 147. Fantagraphics Books. August 15, 1988.
  11. ^ "Newsline". Amazing Heroes. No. 194. Fantagraphics Books. September 1991.
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