Posted in: Comics | Tagged: amp, fcbd, free comic book day, greatest american hero

AMP To Publish Comics Based On The Greatest American Hero in 2026

AMP Comics to publish comic books based on The Greatest American Hero in 2026, ti give him the ending he never got before

AMP Comics, distributed via Massive Indies and Lunar Distribution, is publishing a new comic book series based on the TV show Greatest American Hero, written by Doin Handfield, drawn by Alper Gelcel, with covers by David Mack. And promising that "The Greatest American Hero gets the ending he deserved." It's based on the American superhero TV comedy that aired on ABC from 1981 to 1983, created by producer Stephen J. Cannell, known for shows like The A-Team and 21 Jump Street, and running for three seasons with a total of 43 episodes, though the network cancelled it before airing the final few. They would later appear on VHS releases.

The show followed mild-mannered high school teacher Ralph Hinkley, played by William Katt, who is given a red-and-black super suit by aliens during a desert encounter. The suit grants him superhuman powers, including flight, super strength, invulnerability, and telekinesis, but Ralph loses the instruction manual immediately, so he must learn its capabilities through trial and error. He's reluctantly pulled into crime-fighting by cynical, by-the-book FBI agent Bill Maxwell played by Robert Culp, and his girlfriend/lawyer Pam Davidson played by Connie Sellecca who also knows his secret. It's often remembered for its catchy theme song, Believe It or Not by Joey Scarbury, which reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100.

The original series had one notable attempted spinoff/sequel pilot, The Greatest American Heroine (also known as a backdoor pilot or proposed spin-off episode). This was filmed around the end of the original run (circa 1983) but never aired as part of the series at the time. In it, Ralph chooses a female successor to take over the suit and hero duties, much to Bill Maxwell's chagrin. In the mid-2010s, Fox developed a reboot with Phil Lord and Christopher Miller (The Lego Movie) involved. Then, in 2017–2018, ABC ordered a pilot for a female-led reimagining starring Hannah Simone of New Girl as Meera, an Indian-American woman who receives the suit. It was developed by writers from Fresh Off the Boat, a pilot was produced, but ABC ultimately passed on it in 2018, and it never went to series.

There were never novels or comic book spinoffs of Greatest American Hero, then, or since, until now. AMP will launch its Greatest American Hero comic on Free Comic Book Day, Saturday, the 2nd of May, 2026. Looking like this…

• FCBD 2026 – BUNDLE OF 25 – GREATEST AMERICAN HERO (NET)
  (W) Don Handfield (A) Alper Gelcel (CA) David Mack
  He's back. The bumbling superhero from the hit '80s TV show returns to reconnect with his son—who only knows him as the "crazy man in red pajamas." Seven days. One suit. A final sacrifice. The Greatest American Hero gets the ending he deserved.

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