Aztec Ace
{{italic title}}
{{Short description|Comic book title published by Eclipse Comics.}}
{{Infobox comic book title
|image = AztecAceNo1Cover.jpg
|imagesize = 240px
|caption = The cover to Aztec Ace #1 (March 1984), art by Michael Bair.
|schedule = Irregular
|ongoing = Y
|publisher = Eclipse Comics
|date = March 1984 - September 1985
|issues = 15
|writers = Doug Moench
|artists =
|pencillers = Michael Bair (#1-2, #9)
Dan Day (#3-8, #10-13, #15)
Mike Harris (#14)
|inkers = Nelson Redondo (#1-8)
Ron Harris (#9-11)
Mike Gustovich (#9-13, #15)
Art Nichols (#14)
Tom Yeates (#14)
|letterers = Adam Kubert (#1)
Esphid Mahilum (#2-6)
Pete Sullit (#3-6)
Peter Iro (#7-9)
Carrie Spiegle (#10-15)
|colorists = Philip DeWalt (#1-12)
Dennis McFarling (#1-5)
Steve Oliff (#12-15)
Sam Parsons (#14-15)
|editors = Cat Yronwode
|main_char_team = Ace (Caza)
Bridget
Head
|creative_team_month =
|creative_team_year =
|creators = Doug Moench
|TPB =
|ISBN =
|TPB# =
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|subcat =
|altcat =
|sort = Aztec Ace
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|nonUS =
}}
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.{{cite news |last=McCulloch |first=Joe |url= http://www.tcj.com/this-week-in-comics-32311-multifarious-chills/ |title=THIS WEEK IN COMICS! (3/23/11 – Multifarious Chills!) |work=The Comics Journal |date=March 22, 2011 |accessdate=June 8, 2017}} Amazing Heroes would describe the series as "a strange cross between Dr. Who and the Illuminati trilogy".{{cite magazine|date=June 1, 1988|title=Enlarging the Penumbra|author=Bob Hughes|magazine=Amazing Heroes|publisher=Fantagraphics Books|number=142}}
Publication history
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.{{cite magazine|date=January 1, 1985|title=Aztec Ace|author=Heidi MacDonald|magazine=Amazing Heroes|publisher=Redbeard, Inc|number=62/1985 Preview Issue}} Other contributors to Aztec Ace included Mike Harris and Mike Gustovich.{{cite magazine|date=March 1, 1985|title=Newsflashes|magazine=Amazing Heroes|publisher=Redbeard, Inc|number=66}} The Aztec Ace logo was created by Denis McFarling.{{cite web|url=http://www.denismcfarling.com/pages/GraphicArt/Design/AztecAce.html|website=DenisMcFarling.com|title=Aztec Ace}}
Aztec Ace featured appearances from numerous historical figures, including Amelia Earhart, Glenn Miller and Ambrose Bierce. The series ended abruptly, leaving several storylines unresolved. This was announced as being due to the difficulty in finding adequate fill-in artists.{{cite magazine|date=October 1, 1985|title=Newsflashes|magazine=Amazing Heroes|publisher=Fantagraphics Books|number=80}} In 1988, a copy of Aztec Ace #13 - featuring Bridget dressed as Cleopatra - was part of an Egyptology exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum.{{cite magazine|date=November 15, 1988|title=Top of the News (advertisement)|magazine=Amazing Heroes|publisher=Fantagraphics Books|number=153}}
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.{{cite magazine|date=January 15, 1988|title=Total Eclipse|author=Andy Mangels|magazine=Amazing Heroes|publisher=Fantagraphics Books|number=133/Preview Special 6}} 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. {{cite magazine|date=July 15, 1988|title=Top of the News (advertisement)|magazine=Amazing Heroes|publisher=Fantagraphics Books|number=145/Preview Special 7}} This led to the announcement of plans to collect the earlier material as a trade paperback{{cite magazine|date=August 15, 1988|title=Top of the News (advertisement)|magazine=Amazing Heroes|publisher=Fantagraphics Books|number=147}} and to continue the story as a three-issue mini-series - tentatively titled Aztec Ace - Time Tripper - in 1992 with artist Doug Heinlein;{{cite magazine|date=September 1991|title=Newsline|magazine=Amazing Heroes|publisher=Fantagraphics Books|number=194}} however, these plans would not come to fruition.
Synopsis
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
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{gcdb series|id= 2917 |title=Aztec Ace}}
- [http://www.internationalhero.co.uk/a/aztecace.htm International Hero Catalog on Aztec Ace]
{{Eclipse Comics}}
Category:Comics characters introduced in 1984
Category:Fictional characters from the 23rd century
Category:Comics about time travel
Category:Comics by Doug Moench
Category:Defunct American comics
Category:Eclipse Comics characters
Category:Eclipse Comics titles
Category:Cultural depictions of Amelia Earhart
Category:Comics set in ancient Egypt
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