Black Diamond #1
Black Diamond #1 is one of the earliest examples in American comics of a publisher building a series around a living celebrity's persona — specifically casting Austrian actress Sybil Danning as the secret-agent protagonist Tiana Mathews, with the book marketed as a tie-in to a forthcoming film that never materialized. Released in May 1983 as part of Bill Black's Americomics launch into the direct-market, it stands as a founding title of what would become AC Comics and delivered first appearances of three distinct characters — Black Diamond, Colt the Weapons Mistress, and the villainess Darkfire — in a single issue. The series also pioneered the practice of embedding real actress photographs alongside illustrated adventure strips, blurring the line between celebrity magazine and superhero comic in a way that anticipated later licensed-character comics. By AC's own account, the debut issue was the publisher's single biggest commercial success until the launch of Femforce in 1985.
"The Darkfire Affair: Gauntlet" kicks off with a striking blend of cinematic flair and mystery in Black Diamond #1 (1983), a standout issue from AC that dives into the world of the Black Diamond film and its star, Sybil Danning. Featuring real publicity stills from *7 Magnificent Gladiators* and *Chained Heat*, the issue blends behind-the-scenes intrigue with a tease of what’s to come in the series and other AC titles, all rendered in bold, dynamic art by Bill Black, who both wrote and illustrated the cover.
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The Black Diamond character was conceived by Mike Frankovich, Jr. and developed into a comics series by AC Comics publisher-editor Bill Black, who co-wrote the inaugural issue with Don Secrease and handled much of the interior art himself. Black launched Americomics — soon rebranded AC Comics — in early 1983 as one of the first full-color comic lines to commit exclusively to the then-new direct-sales/comic-shop distribution channel. Black Diamond was positioned as a flagship title from day one, with the book's inside front cover billing it as 'based on the forthcoming motion picture' starring Danning; multiple contemporary accounts confirm the film was announced but never produced or released. Paul Gulacy, then well-known for his work on Marvel's Master of Kung Fu, contributed cover and interior art to the issue, lending early credibility to the fledgling publisher.
Trivia · 8 facts
- First appearance of Black Diamond (civilian identity: Tiana Mathews), a super-spy and high-fashion model working for the international law-enforcement agency Infocom Three, created by Mike Frankovich, Jr.
- First appearance of Colt the Weapons Mistress (civilian identity: Valencia Kirk), who debuted in the backup story 'Squeeze Play,' scripted and pencilled by Don Secrease with inks by Rick Burchett.
- First appearance of Darkfire (civilian identity: Vanessa Cord), the lead villain of the opening 'Darkfire Affair' arc, who commands a ring of female mercenaries.
- First appearance of General Leon van Pelt, a supporting antagonist who recurs across the series.
- The issue also introduces Jack Burton as a supporting character in the Black Diamond lead strip (appears in introduction/flashback capacity per GCD records).
- The book was edited by Bill Black and published under the Americomics imprint (the pre-AC Comics brand), printed in Florida; cover date is May 1983.
- Art contributions came from Bill Black, Don Secrease, Mark Beachum, Rick Burchett, and Paul Gulacy — an unusually deep artistic roster for an independent debut issue of the era.
- The series ran for five issues from May 1983 through early 1984 and was, by AC Comics' own retrospective account, the publisher's highest-profile title before Femforce launched in 1985.
Cast · 9 characters
Full credits
Full plot ⚠ may contain spoilers
▸ Reveal full plot — may contain spoilers
Aricle about actress Sybil Danning and the Black Diamond film, including photographs of Sybil Danning in publicity stills from the movie 7 Magnificent Gladiators and the movie Chained Heat. This also includes information on upcoming issues of Black Diamond and other comics published by AC.
Plot details indexed by the Grand Comics Database (CC BY-SA).