The 1990s were a fascinating time for comics, especially the early 1990s. It was a time when self-publishing was having a bit of a boom and saw many talented creators bring their stories and creations to life on their own. Among those creators was Stephen R. Bissette. Co-creator of John Constantine and artist on Alan Moore’s iconic Swamp Thing run, Bissette created Tyrant. Published by Spiderbaby Grafix in the mid-1990s, Tyrant told the story of Tyrannosaurus rex and its struggles to survive, even before it hatched from its shell. While the book was nominated for the Best New Series Eisner in 1995, only four issues were published. Now, the series is being collected by Lighthouse Press and ComicBook has an exclusive first look.
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The new Tyrant Deluxe Edition from Lighthouse Press is now actively crowdfunding on Kickstarter. The edition will bring together the four issues of Bissette’s Tyrant comic and will feature oversized original art edition created from Bissette’s hand-drawn pages as well as different editions designed by Jim Rugg. There will also be a new, 7000-world introductory essay, offering readers the best version of Tyrant to date.
The New Tyrant Deluxe Editions Will Be the Most Complete Version of the “Lost” Comic Ever
The Tyrant Kickstarter will feature two versions of the legendary comic, the Original Art version which is an oversized hardcover coming in at 100-plus pages and The Complete Edition, a hardcover with a slipcase and more than 200 pages. The books will be the most comprehensive version of the series, featuring all the backmatter from the original four issues as well as letters and essays on paleontology, pop culture, and more. In particular, The Complete Edition will also never seen material from issues #5 and #6. It’s something that many fans have hoped for for years, and something that yes, really is happening.
“Been a terribly long time adrift in an ocean of tears,” Bissette said in a statement. “But Lighthouse shines the light! Yes, it’s for real, Lighthouse has brought my personal primordial ‘lost Odysseus’ back into harbor. My orphaned ‘S.R. Bissette’s TYRANT’ is at long last out of the egg he’s been stuck half-way-in-&-out-of for decades now. We’re excited to go!”
“Tyrant is one of the most beautiful comic books I’ve ever seen,” Rugg said. “dinosaurs never looked better! I fell in love with this book when it first appeared in the 90s and I am thrilled to help share this monumental masterpiece with new generations of comics fans today. There is no other comic book like it. It is truly a book for everyone from age 3 to 103.
For Lighthouse, Tyrant is the first of a number of titles that they plan to bring to life in the next few years with a particular focus on comics from the 1990s and early 2000s. The launches are expected to feature deluxe artist editions of lesser-known books and cult favorite titles. For now, you can check out the newly launched Kickstarter for Tyrant and the various backer rewards, which includes fluorescent backlight posters featuring rare and iconic Tyrant imagery, a Tyrant Collector’s Metal Apex Bookmark, and a 1000-piece premium puzzle, for yourself here.
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Image courtesy of Wizards of the Coast -
Courtesy of Bones Film
