Nintendo Comics System
The Nintendo Comics System is a series of comic books released by Valiant Comics from 1990-1991 based on franchises licensed through Nintendo of America. Four main comic lines were made: Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, Captain N: The Game Master, and Game Boy.
There are order forms in most of the comics encouraging readers to sign up for 12 issues of each comic, but, there were never more than five comics made of any of the initial runs. Valiant must not have received enough interest to justify continuing the series. Instead, after the initial run, Valiant reprinted several of the comics on cheaper paper and charged $0.45 less an issue. They also printed several comics with new covers, but they were made up mostly from stories from the initial run and only contained a couple new stories.
Personal
I have little personal attachment to these comics as I never read them growing up, and now find them to be too childish to appreciate, but they expand the universe of some of my favorite video game franchises, so I can't help but acknowledge them. I own issue 1 of "Nintendo Comics System" (the collected volume) with the price on the cover.
Comics
Because Valiant didn't keep accurate records for the publishing dates of their comics, it's difficult to make a comprehensive list of all of the comics. The following attempt to list all of the printed comics in chronological order.
| Released | # | Title |
|---|---|---|
| 1990-?? | - | Nintendo Comics System Sneak Preview |
| 1990-04 | 1 | Super Mario Bros. |
| 1990-05 | 1 | Captain N: The Game Master |
| 1990-?? | 1 | The Legend of Zelda |
| 1990-05 | 2 | Super Mario Bros. |
| 1990-06 | 2 | Captain N: The Game Master |
| 1990-?? | 2 | The Legend of Zelda |
| 1990-06 | 3 | Super Mario Bros. |
| 1990-07 | 3 | Captain N: The Game Master |
| 1990-?? | 3 | The Legend of Zelda |
| 1990-07 | 4 | Super Mario Bros. |
| 1990-08 | 4 | Captain N: The Game Master |
| 1990-?? | 4 | The Legend of Zelda |
| 1990-09 | 5 | Captain N: The Game Master |
| 1990-?? | 5 | The Legend of Zelda |
| 1990-09 | 5 | Super Mario Bros. |
| N/A | 6 | Captain N: The Game Master |
| 1990-10 | 6 | Super Mario Bros. |
| 1990-?? | 1 | Super Mario Bros.: Special Edition |
| 1990-?? | - | The Best of the Super Mario Bros. |
| 1990-?? | 1 | The Best of the Nintendo Comics System |
| 1991-02 | 1 | Adventures of the Super Mario Bros. |
| 1991-02 | 1 | Game Boy |
| 1991-02 | 1 | The Legend of Zelda (Reprint) |
| 1991-02 | 1 | Nintendo Comics System |
| 1991-02 | 1 | Super Mario Bros. (Reprint) |
| 1991-03 | 2 | Adventures of the Super Mario Bros. |
| 1991-03 | 2 | Game Boy |
| 1991-03 | 2 | The Legend of Zelda (Reprint) |
| 1991-03 | 2 | Nintendo Comics System |
| 1991-03 | 2 | Super Mario Bros. (Reprint) |
| 1991-04 | 3 | Adventures of the Super Mario Bros. |
| 1991-04 | 3 | Game Boy |
| 1991-04 | 3 | The Legend of Zelda (Reprint) |
| 1991-04 | 3 | Nintendo Comics System |
| 1991-04 | 3 | Super Mario Bros. (Reprint) |
| 1991-05 | 4 | Adventures of the Super Mario Bros. |
| 1991-05 | 4 | Game Boy |
| 1991-05 | 4 | The Legend of Zelda (Reprint) |
| 1991-05 | 4 | Nintendo Comics System |
| 1991-05 | 4 | Super Mario Bros. (Reprint) |
| 1991-06 | 5 | Adventures of the Super Mario Bros. |
| 1991-06 | 5 | The Legend of Zelda (Reprint) |
| 1991-06 | 5 | Nintendo Comics System |
| 1991-07 | 6 | Adventures of the Super Mario Bros. |
| 1991-07 | 6 | Nintendo Comics System |
| 1991-08 | 7 | Adventures of the Super Mario Bros. |
| 1991-08 | 7 | Nintendo Comics System |
| 1991-09 | 8 | Adventures of the Super Mario Bros. |
| 1991-09 | 8 | Nintendo Comics System |
| 1991-10 | 9 | Adventures of the Super Mario Bros. |
| 1991-10 | 9 | Nintendo Comics System |
| 199?-?? | - | Super Mario Bros. (Comic & Cassette) |
Links
- valiant.fandom.com/wiki/Nintendo - Valiant Wiki.
- catfish.it.cx/trsrockin/trsrockin.com/ncs.html - Details.
